The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-31
THE SPANISH REVOLUTION.
ENTRY OF PRIM INTO MADRID.

i
which were displayed, it was quite unique
and am at q loss to find language in which
to convey to your readers any idea Of the
grandeur of the spectacle which it pre-.
sented. The loftiest words, the most elo-
quent periods, would hardly do justice tc
the scene, and probably the safest plan for
me to pursue will be to describe in as sim
pie terms as possible what, as far as wit
messed or am informed, actually occurred.
| Once for all though, let me say that the
reception Of Serrano. flattering as that
must have been to the victor Of Aloolea,
WAS as nothing to the welcome offered to
Prim ; and there cannot possibly be any
question that, with the people of Madrid at
all events, the latter is altogether the most
popular man of the day. u
The most noticeable thing about the
crowd in the streets was the quietness, or
der, and regularity of its proceedings, and
the absence Of all rough humor or horse
play, such as it is the habit of English
crowds to indulge in when they are long
kept waiting for any spectacle. There ap-
peared to be no "chaffn; there was GER
tainly no ponneting, no jostling, no rushing
about in groups or lines, to the annoyance
and irritation Of men and the alarm err eera
distress of women. The h h-l,rsstt :, ~, " 'n1
neonle Yesterday though the long hours OF
wn;sins was of1a piece with their conduct
all through the sreyolution---quiet, orderly,
and discreet to an extreme. Yet it was not
dull crowd. There was plenty of lively
and animated conversation !; many hearty
congratulation, and many o lively jest were
exchanged among its members; and all
countenances wore the bright, cheerful look
of hope and expectation, instead of the dull,
sad gaze of doubt, suspicion, and alarm
which they wore when I first came to Ma
drid. s.t - !'s.-
The Times correspondent says. /" No po-
lice were out, no attempt at control or dl-
rection was made: The throng, organized
or unorganized, was left to make its own
way as it could."'. Yet there was gayety
and quaintness, and even beauty and sub
Unity, in all that wonderful cram, some
thing irrisistibly catching in the animation
of that vast sea Of heads, something un-
speakably thrilling in that prodigious con-
fusion Of inspiriting strains, in that inces-
SAINT Whirlwind of frantic shouts. / never
+ saw populace in such terrible earnest.
This is the first day on which the Madrid
people seemed to me really conscious Of
freedom; the first day on which they ap-
peared to realize to its full extent the
change that promises to make them men.
There was its own share of fun and drol-
lery, doubtless but on the whole the mul-
titude was bent on real demonstration of
love and hatred the thoughts of the dy-
nasty which had forged their chains, and
of the liberator who had broken them, were
uppermost in every mans mind. This was,
indeed, the last day Of the Bourbon domi-
nation. 49,
The Daily Ners correspondent thus de-
scribes Prim ~ ~. y -ya.rr
Hats and handkerchiefs were waving
from every window and every balcony, and
we knew that the hero of the hour, the idol
of the people, was drawing near. On they
came--a brilliant group-beneath the tri-
umphal. arch, and along the richlytdecora-
ted and densely- crowded street. PIN, on
chestnut horse, with rich scarlet 7har-
ness-a small, hardy-looking man, with a
bright, keen glance, sitting low in his sad
die, bowing right and left in acknowledg-
ment of the rapturous greetings of the peo-
|Iple-not outwardly too much elated, but
| his face flushed and his eyes flashing with
iustifable pride and satisfaction. On his
bride hand rides Serrano, Due de 10 Tore,
| in full military uniform-proud, sedate,
and soldierly and behind and before are
a numerous. staff, whose utmost exertions
are required tokeep the people from crowd
ing round Prim's horse, and" hopeiessly
impeding ohis progress. Now and then
| that impetuous little hero seems dis.
posed to ride forward : among the
crowd, which is 30 dense in front that
women are screaming, and children in arms
| have to be handed into the windows of the
houses; but his friends judge better than
he does what would be the consequence ioi
such movement, and he is held back now
by one and now by another until those
whose duty it is to do 80 have cleared pas
sage for him, Wreaths= are shoWered upon
him from every balcony; impulsive ladies
waste good cambric by dropping it among
the crowd; and men and women alike are
I Shouting till they are hoarse. Prim wore
the undress uniform Of q general officer
with the stars of his orders Of knighthood
| It is said that while he was in Catalonia
some patriot, more impulsiYe than discreet
| noticed that nhe still carried the royal
crown on his cap, and asked him why ne
did not remove it. The answer was short
| but significant. I" I am NOT" said Prim
"warring against royalty, but against the
Bourbon" Slowly, and with much diff
Guilty, the. General made his ayinto the
| Puerta del Sol, now crowded with people
and only half illumined by the last rays Of
the setting sun and when his presence be-
came known there went up from that
vast mass Of people a shout so earn
est, so loud, so deep, as has never
before been heard in Madrid, and
| within the experience of living man may
| never be heard again--"Viva 'Prim y
repeated again and again. 1t was like the
voice of aagiant and it was the voice Of
giant-but q giant that had proved that he
could be meroiful as he was strong; a giant
that had overthrown his enemies without
| cruelty or bloodshed; q giant that had
changed the whole order Of things without
!. half an hour, of disturbance or an instant
| Of disorder. That giant was the people o.
Madrid and at this moment they may be
said to have taken Prim in their giant arms
and hugged him to their giant breast
Small though the hero seemed in presence
of that mighty crowd-small enough almos
to be the q Jack y Of the old story-he hae
! no reason to fear the embrace and his por
rose, and his quick, eager 6 lance aashec
brighter and brighter as the shouts swellet
| around him, and men and women pressed
forward to kiss his hand or touch the sad
dle-cloth Of his horse. 1t was proud mo
/ ment--a prouder nc man, however high II