The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1845-05-13 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

NARVAEZ, PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN.—III Narvaez we find the faults and the virtues of the soldier of fortune ; prompt decision, great energy and determination, on the one band—cruelty, impolicy, and violence, on the other. Since hs advent to power, although the vigour of his government has prevented civil war and checked insurrection, that has only been accomplished by a system of despotic cruelty worthy of the days of Ferdinand the Well-beloved. Countless instances may be adduced in support of this assertion. Executions, like that of Zurbano and his family, have been defended by the argument, that the sufferers were rebels against the established government of the country. and as such deserved the fate they met. Rather a flimsy argument, it appears to natio a country in which revolution flourishes as an evergreen plant. How is it to be decided which is the rightful governor, and which the usurper? who shall say whether those in power are there by right as well as might ; or whether they are merely successful rebels, banditti on a large scale, who have seized upon place and power with as much justice, and by the same violent means, as highwaymen of inferior grade possess themselves of the purses of travellers ? But even if we concede this point, and admit that whoever holds the reins, though but from yesterday, and with a blood-stained band, is justified in slaughtering by wholesale all who show a disposition to drag him down again, it will still be impossible to palliate the treacherous and tyrannical proceedings of Narvaez. The inhabitants f Madrid, lured out of their house, by the bait of some joyous festival, the streets hung with banners and strewed with flowers, the fountains playing wine and milk—on all sides rejoicings and festivity ; the . . .  insouciant light-hearted Castilians —forgetting fora while the misfortunes of their country, and giving themselves up to the unrestrained enjoyment of the uiom•nt. But there are those amongst them who will soon trouble their pleasures ; agents of their rulers, tutored to excite them to some apparently rebellious demonstration. A shout or two, interpreted as indicative of disaffection, and caught up by an excitable mob ; and immediately battalions ap pear upon the plaza, dragoons gallop out of the side streets, bayonets are lowered and sabres bared, and amidst the clatter of the charge, the screams of women and the oaths of men, the festal garlands are trodden under foot, and blood reddens the pavement. "On many a fiesta, or day of saints," says our author, which Spain regards as of special holiness, plots and snares were thickly strewn around the people's footsteps ; murder lurked beneath the wreath of festivity, and the day which began in prayer, concluded with mourning." During the three days' rejoicings on occasion of the Queen's majority, scenes of this sort occurred. " They invited us to a ball," said the people, in the true Madrileno spirit—" they invited us to a ball, and we had to assist at a funeral." The object sought to be obtained by such barbarous means, was the intimidation of the populace, and the deterring of revolutionists and progresistas. The suppression of the national guard produced another alboroto, or disturbance. A crowd assembled, and moved through the streets, giving vivas for the constitutional Queen, and mueras for the ministers and the traitors. Narvaez asked no better chance than this. Out turned the palace guard, composed of strong bodies of infantry and cavalry, and, without a moment's delay, charged the mob, which, although principally composed of national guardsmen, was unarmed, save with a tew bayonets and knives. In all the adjacent streets, people were running for their lives ; and the congregations, which were then just leaving mass—for this occurred on a Sabbath morning—recoiled for safety into the churches.—Blackwood's Magazine.