The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-10
OBITUARY..
JOAQUIN pALDoMEno EspAnrERo.


joaquin Baldomero Espartero. Duke de Ia Victoria,
Marshal and at time Regent Of Spain. whose
death is announced by cable despatch from Madrid,
born February ~. 1892. at Granatula. in the
ancient Province OF La Mancha. in district included
in the Province of Ciudad Real, according to the
modern topography of Spain. His father was car
riage maker. ana joaquin one of nine children.
He was youth of delicate constitution. and was
given for that reason education adapted to pre-
pare him occupation less laborious than his
fathers He was taught Latin by priest of his
tive village and in 1906 sent to the noighborin
city of Amagro. where he studied two years in the
university which then existed there In 1908 he went
70 Andausia with elder brother and there in the
city of Seville, entered the infantry regiment
of Ciudad Real as common soldier; but in
the next year he transferred to the battalion
sagrado of the University of Toledo. which was
mostly made up OF students from the city. Upon
the invasion of Andalasa by the French the Central
Junta took refuge in Cadiz and tho Sagrado battalion
went with it. Soon after military school WAS es-
tabshed in Cadiz into which Espaftero obtained
admission. There he studied engineering fortifca-
tion and the elements of military science generally,
then taught. In 1914 he appointed sub-lieu-
tenant in the infantry regiment OF the Province of
Soria, and at the close of the in the Peninsula
remained with his regiment in garrison at Madrid.
In 1915 Spain in trouble with her provinces
in South America Revolution well nigh
gcnerazed, and vigorous leaders, Of whom
Bolivar was the most famous inspired the struggle
for independence An expedition to suppress in
surrecton sent from Spain under General
Morillo. and the regiment OF Estremadura. to
which Espartero was attached. formed part of it,
Espartero's regiment arrived at Lima in September,
1915. He a captain at the end of his first cam
v,ooy, ivcd n h,f in
for services in seventeen actions. He made o
colonel in 1890 and brigadicr in 1922 and served as
chief Of the general staff. In 1924 he sent homo
with dispatches and made but short stay. His
voyage, out ON his return to South America was
stormy and long, and while he was still at
sea Bolivar gained the victory Of Ayacucho December
o. 1924, by which irretrievable loss inflicted
on the royalists. With a force IF over 5000 men
they were totally routed by 5000 Peruvians, and
Laserna, the VcerOy and Spanish commander, was
taken prisoner On the next day the remainder of the
capitalization by which the Peruvians came into pos
session Of all the Spanish posts and munitions Of
war. This battle practically secured the independ-
the province, and the royalist generals sailed
for Spain. Ignorant Of all this. Espartero landed
Qnica i'll May 1925. and fell into the hands Of the
PerGvians, by whom he was thrown into prison. He
made his escape, however and reached Spain at the
end Of November in the same year. 1t is said that he
utilized various opportunities whilc in Peru TO
secure FOR himself a considerable fortune. He xas
stationed at Logroho upon his return, and while
there married the daughter OF rich citizen named
Santa Cruz.
Espartero declared in 1892 upon the abolition of the
Sac law by Ferdinand VII. in favor of the SUCCESS
the King September ~. 1888. offered to march with
his regiment against the provinces which had risen
for Don Carlos. He was made commander Of the
province of Biscay and lieutenant general In 1886 he
held the chief command In the absence of Cordoya,
OF the army destined to cover Madrid and save the
city from an attempt OF the Carlists to carry il by
coup de main For this exploit no was created General
inChef of the Army Of the North viceroy Of Navarro
and Captain General Of the Basque Provinces. In
to the fall of the Galatians Ministry In 1887 he
saved Madrid for second time. drove Don Carlos
and his forces across the Ebro carried by the
heights of Lucana and compelled the Carlists 70
raise the siege of Bilbao. In recognition Of these
successes he was made Count Of Lucans. He re-
Trained from pushing further at that time his opera
tons against the enemy, apparently from percep-
ton Of the imminent necessity Of securing what he
had already gained. He addressed himself to the
labor Of establishing discipline in the army and to
maintaining order in the districts behind him aud
this compelled to resort to very severe
nres at Pampeluna aud Miranda. For further ex-
PLOTS against the Carlsts in 1880 he received the title
OF Duke Of Victory and was made grandee Of Spain
OF the rst class. He concluded with Maroto the con-
vention of Bergara, by which Don Carlos was COM
PEELED to leave Spsin and the only Carst Of note who
then kept the field was Cabrera.
Espartcro ut that moment practically the dom-
nsnt man OF his country II in the present political
distraction Of parties at Madrid with active enemy
in the North capable soldier should Appear Ut
the head Of the Spanish armies who should crush the
Carlsts in battle after battle and hunt them from
one hiding place to another till they became con-
temptible fugitives: and If this were known to
hold nationally liberal principles. but 10 temper
always his views of political needs by the dictates
OF sound PATRIOTISM can how he must
inevitably stand out M the foremost Spanisrd Of
the time And it was in analogous crcum-
Stances that .he preemincnce OF Esparsero wss
to assert ii. His aide dc camp, Image
had publicly insulted the Secretary Of War but for
him the commander asked generals commission.
1t was given, and Nsrvaez resigned That trial of
strength was incident of conflict between the
Ministry and the liberals OF whom Espartcro was
measure for tho restriction of certain privileges
joyed by municipalities Upon the passage Of that
Ministry driven from power. Fspartero had just
given the finishing blow to Carlism by crushing
President Of new NJ nistry. and the Regent rec
ogr,ized the necessity.
Espartero came to power upholdcr Of tho
constitution of 1887. spanish politics then alb
solutist moderados, prugressistas and exaltados
The moderados were conservatives the progrcssstas
liberal the cxatados radicals and the absoutistas
erignty by divine right. E@pnrtero regarded
radical. but the radical those days would be
reactionary in presence Of the radical Of our own
time; and in fact, the name which the party has
nciously maintained in Spain is recognized as
the designation OF party that ags far behind the
rxdicalisir OF to-day that IL believes in constit
tional monarchy. Espsrtcro was. therefore, in the
front of the liberal movement. and Queen Christina
who had governed ~ Regent for eight years, rccog
MIXING that Minister forced upon her by
n political movement she had underworld
Z, restrain a dictator thnly yelled In
constitutional drapery resigned and left the coun
try. Espartcro was in the following year Qs4l) APP
pointed Regent during tho minority of the Queen
He governed for two years. and In that period set tho
exaInpc--the first that Spain had secn for many o
long W arof sound, vigorous and honest ainlinis-
tration. Intrigue and instruction wcre however.
constantly on foot; but with All equal hand the Re-
gent rcpressed the cxtrcmities OF rrdcals and tho
cndcavors Of the parisans of Queen Christina. But
the opposition parties formed a coalition and de-
manded in the Cortcs an amnesty for all political
offences. Espartcro obstinatcy and injudiciously
refused his assent and the country rose against him
two years before IL had risen in
his favor. provisional government. CON-
posed of Lopez, Labccra and Serrano, de-
clnrcd Espartcro q traitor TO his country and
deprived him of all mis- dgnitcs and Narvacz at the
head OF the principal body OF insurgents marched
Madrid which he entered without resistance in July.
In tho same month Espsrtero embarked for England.
In October of the same year the Cortcz declared the
Queen Of aye and . ministry formed, with
Narvacz President and Tor the succeeding years
palace intrigue was more powerful than political
principle in the determination of all points of policy.
Espartcro resided In London until December, 1sl7,
whcn in conscu Of the accession 81 power Of
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