Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-10-11
DESTRUCTION or THE INQUISI-
TION IN SPAIN.


tached to that part Of Napoleon,s army
which vas stationed at Madrid. e.While
lin this city, says Col. L., g used to
Ilspeak freely among the people about the
i priests and Jesuits, and of the Inquisi-
q tion.' 1thad been decreed by the En-
peror Napoleon that the Inquisition and
4 Monasteries should be suppressed; but
the decree, like some of the laws enacted
in this country, was not yet executed
Months had passed away, but the prisons
of the Inquisition were still unopened
One night about 10 or l2 o'clock, as Col.
L., was walking the streets of Madrid,
| two armed men sprang upon him from an
alley, and made a furious attack. He
instantly drew his sword, put himself in
position of defence, and while strug-
Cling with them. saw at distance
the lights of the patrols. French
soldiers mounted, who carried lantetns.
and rode through the strsets of the city
at all hours of the night to preserve or:
der. He called:to them in French, and, as
they hasrened to his assistance, the assai-
!ants took to their heels and escaped; not,
however, before he saw by their dress that
they belonged to the guards of the Inqui-
sition.
The Col. went Immediately to Marshal
Soult then Governor of Madrid, told him
what had taken place, and reminded him
of the decree to suppress this institution.
Marshal Soult replied, that he might go
and destroy it. Col L., told him that his
regiment (the ninth Of the Polish lancers)
was not sufficient for such service, but
| if he would give him an additional regF
ment,-the 117th, he would, undertake
the work. The 2lst regiment was under
the command Of Col. De Lille, who is
now, like Col. L., minister of the Cos
pei. and pastor of an Evangelical church,
in Marseilles, France. The troops re-
quired were granted and proceeded (said
Col. J.. to the Inqusltion, which was sit
uated about FIVE miles from the city. 1t
was surrounded by a wall of great strength
and defended by company OF soldiers.
When we arrived at the walls; l addressed
one of The sentinels, and summoned the
holy fathers to surrender to the imperial
army, and open the gates of the Inquisl-
ton. The sentinel who was standing on
the wall, appeared to enter into converse
ton for a moment with some one within,
at the close of which he presented his
musket and shot one ofmy men. This was
the signal for attack, and l ordered my
troops to fire upon those who appeared on
the walls.
'"It was soon obvious that it was an un-
equal warfare The walls of the 1nqusi-
ton were covered with the soldiers of the
holy Office there was also breast work
upon the wall, behind which they but
partially exposed themselves as they dis
! charged their muskets. Our troops were
in the open plain, and exposed to de-
structive fire. We had no cannon, nor
could we scale the walls, and the gates
successfully resisted all attempts at for
cling them. could not retire and send for
cannon to break through the walls with
out giving them time to lay train to
blow us up. 1 saw that it was necessary
to change the mode OF attack, and direct
ed some trees to be cut down and trimmed
to be used as battering rams. Two ofthese
were taken up by detachments of men,
as numerous as could work to advantage,
and brought 10 bear upon the walls with
all the power they could exert, while the
| troops kept up fire to protect them from
the fire poured from the walls. Presently
the walls began to tremble; breach was
made, and the imperial troops rushed in
to the Inqusition. Here we met with an
inciden: which nothing but Jesuitical ef-
frcntcry is equal to. The inquisitor. gen.
eraI, followed by the father confessors in
their priestly robes, all came out of their
rooms, as we were making our way into
the interior Of the InqusltiOn, and with
long faces, and their arms crossed over
their breasts their fingers resting on their
shoulders, as though they had been deaf
to all the noise of the attack and defence,
and had Just learned what was going on
they addressed themselves in language,
of rebuke to their own soldiers. saying,
Sc Why do you tight our friends the
French"
! ''Their intention, no doubt, was to make
US think that this defence was wholly un-
authorized by them. hoping, if they could
make US believe that they were friendly,
they should have better opportunity, in
the confusion Of the moment, to escape.
Their artifice was too shallow, and did
not succeed. caused them to be placed
under guard, and all the soldiers of the
Inquisition to 'bc secured as prisoners.
| We then proceeded to examine all the
rooms of the stately edifce. We passed
through room after rooms found all per-
fectly in order, richly furnished. with al
tars aud cruci6xes,' 'and wax candles in
abundance, but could discover no eyi-
dences ofiniquity being practiced there. -
nothing of those peculiar features which
we expected to find in an Inquisilion. We
found splendid paintings; and rich and
extensive library. Here was beauty and
i splcndor, and the most perfect order upon
which my eyes had ever rested The ar
chitecture-the proportions were perfect.
The ceiling audfoors Of wood were scour-
ed and highly polished. The marble
pavements were arranged with a,strict re-