The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-06-21
IN. rx.n,nle ~r SSAiW

isled some time last week. ctte0 tu0 ~ Uus
evolutionary sirss, the example Of the low coun.
sies in the reign Of Philip H., and the example OF
he Span,aris in theirs rcsutance to France during
he reign al tho first Napoleon. All these examples
we're 10 the point. Each Of these people were far
mere severely pressed than have yet been. or are
ever likely to be- But Of al the three the example
Of Spain affords In our opinion the strongest en-.
courasement to men who are determined not 10
submit to a foreign ruler. Let us 60 over some Of
the Incidents of tina, remarkable struggle.
II IL well known that in the early part OF the
present century, Spain. but tw~centm,ies and n
half ago the most powerful nation Of Europe, had,
by misgovernmen, been brought to the lowest state
Of political degradation Her treasury was ex
hausted, her army was laughing stock for Europe
her navy had been destroyed a Trafalgar her noble
dock yards had rotted away, aud everything gave
evidence Of a nation on the verge Of rnln. Charles
". n, tina, time King, was the weakest of all the
Bourbons. He spent his whole time In workshop
where he wrought III 4 common mechanic, having
great turn for the mechanical arts. In the mean
tim. he ,,evolved the whole burden Of the Govern
ment on Godoy, worthless favori'e, ana III ''ie
Queen between whom and Godoy II WAS Wen
known that an improper intimacy existed. lhcse
90 worthless hated the Prince of the Astnr,as' al
forwards Ferdinand VII, with deadly hatred, ana
through one Of them was his mother they combined
i'm an attempt to take away his life. To this end
they made the King believe that fhe Prince had
conspired against his life, and actually prevailed on
him To bring him to trial with view to having him
publicly executed His life was saved, but soon ai-
ter furious tumult broke ont at Madrid, upon a
6 into, AL IN
10 Mexico, by the advice of Godoy. IL that tnmuit
the favorite barely escaped with his life
Ii may be imagined that Napoleon, who had al
ways kept his eyes fixed on Spain, was not an In
attentive observer of these events He had are"
won the favor Of Godoy, and had proposed to Fer
,,Inand French princess. for wife. These events
fastened HIS designs against Spain. lie hia con
cu,ed with the Spanish Court treaty for the par
titon Of Portugal, in which il was stipulated that
q 900 French troops should enter Spain for that
purpose, and be joined in that country by 1900
Spanish infantry and 5000 cavalry. Sixteen thou
sand other Spanish troops were TO occnpy-Portu
GAL and 40 900 more French troops We're 10 be as
serlbled at Bayonne TO march also TO Portugal, in
case those already there were attacked by the
English. By these means Napoleon introduced a
large army into the very heart Of Spain He then
pretended that it necessary for the security of
his troops that he should possess certain fortresses,
and accordingly, Pampeluna St. Sebastian, Fegtie-
ras. and Barcelona, were given up to him. thus
placing the passes Of the .Pyrennees in his power,
and rendering it easy for him TO pour in any nnm-
Der of troops he might wish from France. And,
under the pre:ence of fulfilling the treaty of parti-
ton, he did ponr in enormous masses Between the
S,l- n, q,
laO2-three months-7o,0o0 French infantry aud
10000 cavalry entered through the pass of iruua-
lone 1t was at this time that the tumult at Aran-
iuez already alluded to- took place The infection
soon spread TO Madrid and The old King became
much alarmed that he abicated in favor of his son
Ferdinand.
Murat commanded the French forces in Spain
He no sooner heard of these transactions than he
marched rapidly upon Madid. His arrival gave the
utmost dsquietude to Ferdinand who immediate
~ sent deputation to Napoleon at Bayonne. In
the meantime Muat held a communication with
The old King, who assured him that he had ebdi-
Gated much against his viii, and only 10 save his
life, which he said was in danger from the mach
nations Of Ferdinand. He had written he added,
Il letter to Napoleon, in which he placed his fate
tirely his disposal Fer,iinsnd went still fur
Their. lie allowed himself TO be persuaded by Sa.
vony 10 take journey 10 Bayonne and place him
self in the hands Of Napoleon. The journey was
taken, antl he had no sooner entered France than
Sayony informed him that he must resign The
Crown of Spain aud the Indies. Ferdinand pro
tested through hs Minister Ccvallos, 10 the French
Minister. ChanpagnY bar The only reply he
ceiyed was that the aodcat ion Of Charles had been
Yfnr pofE
a necessity. Unable to bend Ferdinand
10 his purpose, Napoleon determined 10 bring
Charles To Bayonne. Mura,, after some trouble
indaced the old King 10 go, accompanied by his
consort and Cooley, uhe Prince of the Peace, as ie
was called Ferdinand, upbraided by his father
and pressed by the Emperor, ut last made con
ditional remuneration in favor Of the former. The
father then resigned the Crown 10 the Emperor,
who sent the whole Royal party into France, and
brought his brother Joseph 10 Bayonne, to be King
OF Spain This is the darkest transaction in the
life Of Napoleon, and one upon which his admirers
must always look with sorrow 1t was as he him.
self thought, the remote cause Of his ruin He i'm.
me,l;ately addressed proclamation TO the Spanish
nation, stating that the Royal family had ceded
their right to him; that he only assumed power for
the benefit of the nation; and that il was his inten
ZION TO that end to rrnoyate the monarchy for
which purpose he ordered the Assembly Of Nota
bes TO be convened. AT the same time he warned
the nation to abstain from violt nee and disorder,
under pain of his highest displeasure.
The warning came too late. From the moment
Of the entrance of the French into Madrid that
capital had been in II state of violent agitation
which was increased 70 such degree by the depar-
ture of the royal family that, the I'd Of May,
furious mob attacked Murat's soldiers, and were
with difficulty dispersed nfter the saughte of many
hundred of them. The miserable Junta of Madrid
instead of being encouragedby the spirit which the
citizens had exhibited, made haste 10 make their
peace with Murat, by making him President of
their body, and putting all power in his hands,
The Supreme Council Of the Inquisition, the most
powerful body In the kingdom likewise deserted
the cause of their country, and bent the knee to
the usurper. They addressed circular TO every
iuqusitorial court in the kingdom in which they
accused their countrymen of having occasioned the
disturbances by their actious proceedings and out.
rageous violence offered to friendly soldiers and
officers who did nobody any harm Even the
wretched old king was induced TO set his hand and
seal to a paper in which he denounced his people
for generously rising in bis favor, against the enc
my who had despoiled him, by one and the same
act, of his crown and his liberty.
But, though thus badly deserted and BETRAYED
the Spanish people were not for n moment Gisheart
ened. No sooner was the remuneration Of the royal
family known, than the Northern provinces burst
into perfect blaze of insurreetion. Gaieia and
the Asturas set the example 1t was immediately
followed in every part Of Spain net occupied and
oyerawed by the armies Of France The leaders o.
the insurrection formed aud assembled Juntas, Or
Legislatures in every province, and these
Juntas immediately issued the most animating pro-
clamsions calling on the people everywhere to rise
in defence Of their independence and their King
Madrid being In possession of the French the Janta