Year: 1867

correspondent of the London Times fur
nishes the following sketch of the career of
the reputed leader of the Spanish rebellion:


In struggles for mastery in Spain military
champion is deemed as indispensable as the
metador is to company of bull-fghters. The
party is not complete without the espDdd.
Prim, it seems, is the accepted hero Of the
Democrats. He has always since his first APP
pearance in political life professed liberalism,
but this did not prevent him from helping to
pull down the Regent Espartere four and
twenty years ago, man whose Government
was the most liberal, besides being (Which is
no small merit In Spain! the most honest of
any that has since ruled that country, nor
from accepting the title of Count of Reus for
embracing the cause of Narvaez, O'Dounel, the
Conchas, and other Generals, who conducted
the enterprise to q successful issue. The
troubles of lS43 were hardly over, aud the new
Government which succeeded the Regency,
was hardly installed in Madrid, when another
insurrection broke out in various parts of Cat
alonia and Aragon, insconsequence, as they al
legged, of the violation of the engagement talk
en- by the new men, that Central Junta
should be elected to govern the country until
Queen Isabella had attained her majority
Various towns rose; among others Barcelona,
Corona, and Figueras, and the chiefs were
Ametler Ballera, and others who had also
helped to pull down the Regent Prim was
appointed by the Governments, of which his
friend Serano was the head, second in com
mand in Catalonia. He could do nothing
against Barcelona, and had to retire to the cit


adel; but he took Mataro after some hard fight
ing, diSarmed the National Guard invested
Corona for some time without effect, and at
last admitted Ametler, who headed the insur-
gent troops, to capitulation, in virtue of
which he was allowed to march out with arms
and baggage. Ametler went straight on to
Figueras, and took possession of the citadel of
San Fernando. Prim was in a short time su-
perceded, andthe Baron de Maer sent to Cata-
l.ratn Nfpsr.- ~ Al.
gent leaders surrendered, receiving passports
for France.


Some months later he was arrested in Mad
rid on charge of being implicated in plot
against Narvaez, who was then as he is now,
at the head of the Government. He was tried
by court-martial for plotting against the State
and against Narvaez's life The charge of be-
ing a revoutionist he did not deny; but he re-
pudated with Indignation the other crime of
which no one who knew him believed him cap
able, and which was put forward on the evil
dence OF a former associate whom he had often
assisted in his necessities and who was base
enough to inform against him. Prim, however
was convicted, and, believe, sentenced to the
extreme penalty, but received free pardon
from the Queen. Sometime afterwards he was
named Captain-General of Porto Rico. and
there got into difficulties and either resigned
was recalled.


In consequence of this restless disposition
which, as he was a daring person, made him
more or less formidable, almost every Admins
ration was more willing to employ aim abroad
than to have him idle at home. He was
think, twice in the East during the Crmean
war; and it was probable to this restless spirit
more than anything else that he owned his no.
mination to the command he held uAder o.
Donnell i'll the Morocco war, where he greatly
distinguished himself as well as to that of the
force which the Government sent to Mexico.
Though, under the circumstances, Prim had,
perhaps, no alternative but to retire, AS the
English did, when the character of the expedi-
ton changed yet it is certain that it brought
upon the Marquis of Castillegos (Which title
as well as the grandeeship the democratic
soldier had accepted from the Queen) consi-
derabe obloguy which does not appear to have
quite disappeared when he engaged in the in
surrection of last year, which ended in his
seeking refuge in the Portuguese territory. In
the recent abortve attempt, though his name
was in everybody's mouth, he showed himself
in Lerson nowhere. His ill success on the for
mer occasion would make one conclude that
he had over-estimated his influence with the
army; and his keeping aloof may have been
caused by his apprehension of q failure q Sc
eOnd time, which might go far to completely
ruin his military reputation. 1t is alleged that
this failure is owing to certain battalions, or
towns, not fulfilling their engagements to
pronounce at the proper moment. The fact
may be so, but it is nothing new in Spanish
Instructions. Neither is in new for reports to
be sent about that this or that city has risen
when no such thing has taken place. For two
days the rumor was current that Saragossa was
up in arms. But had the first movement been
at once followed by any important defections in
the army Prim would not, in all probability,
have long kept back, but would have openly
taken the lead, and proclaimed the object the
lnsurrecton, whether that object was the over
throw Of the regniDg dynasty or merely his
own accession TO the place so often occupied
by Narvaez, O'Donnell, and others, which he
has not yet equalled But second time, and
at so short an interval, to call in his name,
spirits from the deep, the said spirits not an
swering the CALL would consign him to long
Oblivion. 1t is probable that his success in Ell
ther object would be followed, and at no long
period, by anarchy and civil war. There are
lew among the chiefs who for years past have
stlutted on the political stage, that have
not risen by similar means. The premium on
insurrection is too high not to tempt others,
and were Prim tomorrow proclaimed Dictator
of the kingdom or President of a Spanish Re-
public, scores of pretenders would start up to
wrest from him the prize, which would be
wrested from them in turn.