Year: 1871

LONDON, Jan. s, 1871.
1 I have received an ample and interesting letter
| from the special correspondent OF the HERALD In
| Madr d, under date OF the goth Of December which
proceed TO transmit tn erteiiso to New York by
cable telegram, as follows:-


MODERN HISTORY.
The HERALD correspondent writes:-The history
OF sne past two weeks the fortnight has trans.
pired II Spain, deserves careful attention-the
atteEtton OF the keen student OF human nature
and social action, as well the OF casual observer or
passing events. In the record can be seen tue pro-
gresslve stages OF the routine of Ministry which
is backed and aided by an obedient Cortes ana
supple Parliamentary vote, riding roughshod over
the laws and a constitution framed by the very
present members themselves q year and a aah
SINCE and sta riding recklessly that they have
rendered inevitable the coming fact OF the realiza
hot-blooded people,


This demonstration on the part or the Spaniards
win come sooner and more Unexpectedly than is
anticipated.


THE REGICIDE CoHsPIRACY-PKIM's MURDER.
To-day and for some short time past there
rumors afoat OF attacks on the life OF the King,
Amadeus, having been planned here in Madrid, the
assault to be made either on the occasion OF his
first landing on the soil OF the country that OF his
arrival in the capsal but no one dreamed that
Spanish assassins harbored and were maturing
design against the life OF the distinguished man
General Prim, who held power over ALL and rested,
a. least apparently, secure IN the elevated and
Gus position to which the revolution Of September
had raised him.


THE MARSHAL KILLED--ANNOUSCEMENT IN THE


OPERA HOUSE.


l was In the Madrid opera house when the news
OF General PRINTS murder first reached Is-that is,
when it was reported to the pubic at large. seva,
with her still sweet voice. was engaged in singing
in "Robert lie Diablen The house was crowded
The curtain had just fallen on the first act.


AS the audience dispersed temporarily and strolled
into the IobDies OF the building government mes
senger rushed III. lie was in hot haste, and
although al~iost breathless with excitement in
quired for high Official OF the State who was en-
joying the pleasure OF a holiday evening In the
theatre He found him quickly.


HoRRIFIED AND ALARMED.


Instantly, and as If by magic after the messenger
and the executive officer mad spoken, the cry
went forth all over the house, 'sPrim has been
shot Prim has been assassinated ~


How or in what manner the terrible was
first uttered aloud or how or by what means the
teigence ran with electric raniaity over the pitt
boxes and galleries and away into the saloons it is
impossible TO say but, The shout spread, the ef
feet was really tremendous Now, when or where
by what means the report obtained on every
tongue none knew, no one coulo say; yet, notwith
standing all this, every second person whom you
met had crcumstanual story TO relate In detail of
the outrage.


FIRST STATEMENTS


The only difficulty IL the first instance was that
the statements were all varied each being different,
and most positively SO, from the other. According
10 one General Prim was shot down in the hall of
the Cortes. Another proclaimed that the Marshal
was killed while sitting at work at his desk In the
War ONCE building. Others located the scene OF
blood here and there In all quarters of the city OF
Madrid number OF persons rushed at once from
the opera house. Others remained talking over the
matter.


The performance on the stage was mere dumb
show subsequent.y-indeed to its close.


SPECIAL HERALD INvEsTIGATioY.


was embarrassed for o short period OF time. De-
Gliding to to the very fountain head for news
cernng this foul deed hast ened to the war once
and towards the quarter where General Prim lived
in the establishment.


SCENE THE WAR OFFICE


When l arrived In the neighborhood found that
there was already crowd OF carriages collected at
the entrance and In the ornamental pleasure
grounds which surround the palace and office Of
war.
A throng of idlers and excited persons was OBJ
structing the sidewalks and every doorway OF the
establishment, despite the prevalence OF very
thick snowstorm, in which the snowdakes fell
silently and calmly as II the elements remained en-
trey unconscious of the deadly feeling OF treason
which seems to rervade the very air and atmo-
sphere of Spain and Its homes


ENTER-"nALT''-THE GUARD.
! advanced and entered the building AS paced
up the wide staircase which leads from the great
han the soldier OF the guard-whch had been in
stan,y doubled in force-pointed out, with deep
sorrow In the countenances OF the men, the reddish
plotehes which crimsoned the balustrade


'srHE GENERALS BLooD.r
.'Tne Generals blood y whispered one OF The SOL
dlers.


FIRST VISITORS.
Icontinued to ascend the stairs after sympathiz
ing by look with the soldier.
In the spacious salons met fresh crowds OF citi-
zens These were OF better class in society evi
deny than the men who were congregated outside
when first arrived. They were better dressed and
OF more staid ana official import in their bearing,
but not whit the less curious than were their more
humble neighbors. Eacn one, In the opera house.
was engaged in giving TO his neighbor new ver-
sion and new phases OF the crime, It's motive and
mode OF perpetration.
AN OFFICIAL DosE-MURDER COULD NOT WAKE HIM.
Every one met eager, indeed most intensely
excited the subject of the crime ana Its probable
consequences. l have said al were so, but this is
not exactly correct There one exception in the
person OF fat old official, or servtor-I do not
know his ranK--who sat in a huge easy chair before
bright and generous fire Of blazing wood. In
front OF him, and nearer to the fire, was second
chair on which he rested his feet, almost after the
American fashion.


This gentleman was fast asleep. may add, as an
incpntestble evidence OF the duration and perfec-
ton OF spanish somnolency, that he remained SO
and exactly IN the same position when l took
my departure from the house OF blood at The hour