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VII. 1820.

CHAP. insurrection, which was to embrace all the troops in Old and New Castile, and compel the king to accept the constitution. In pursuance of this plan, the Conde left March 3. Madrid on the 3d March, to take the command of the troops destined to act against Galicia; but, like Ney in 1815, instead of doing so, he no sooner arrived at Ocaña, nine leagues from Madrid, where his brother's regiment was stationed, which had been prepared for the outbreak, than he harangued the troops, proclaimed the constitution, threw the magistrates into prison, and formed a Provisional Junta, subordinate to that of Galicia. The news of this defection at once brought matters to a crisis in Madrid. A general disquietude, which the police were no longer able to restrain, appeared among the lower orders in the capital. Many attempts were made to raise again the pillar of the constitution; the regular troops deserted by companies to the side of the populace, and the barracks became the scene of mutinous transport and revolutionary enthusiasm. The Puerto del Sol, since so famous in revolution, was filled with tumultuous mobs loudly demanding the constitution. Symptoms of disaffection even appeared among the Guards, and the officers of that chosen corps were among the first to attempt the raising the pillar of the constitution. In this extremity the cabinet sat permanently; and at length, seeing that no means of resistance remained, they resolved, on the advice of General Ballasteros, who was inclined to liberal opinions, to yield. On the 7th March, the Madrid Gazette contained a decree convoking the Cortes, and declaring the king's resolution to do every1 Ann. Hist. thing which the good and wishes of his people demanded, iii. 406,409, who have given me so many proofs of their loyalty."1 Univ.lxxix. This was followed the next day by a decree declaring tignac, i. that, "to avoid the delays which might arise in the Mem. del execution of the decree pronounced yesterday for the ii. 273, 279. immediate convocation of the Cortes, and the general

410; Biog.

120; Mar

189, 191;

Gen. Mina,

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will of the people (la voluntad general del pueblo) being

pronounced, I have resolved to swear to the constitution CHAP. promulgated by the general and extraordinary Cortes in

1812."

VII.

1820.

71.

on this re

Thus fell the despotic government of Ferdinand VII. in Spain, the work of the nobles and the priests over- Reflections thrown by the army and the populace. If little was to volution. be expected of a government framed by the first, still less was to be augured of its overthrow by the last. Stained in its origin with treachery in the army, and treason by the officers even in the highest commands, the movement was brought about, and rendered for the time inevitable, by the revolt of the soldiery, and their abandonment of the oaths they had taken, and the sovereign under whose banners they were enrolled. History can find no apology for such conduct. The first duty of all persons in authority, whether civil or military, is to discharge the functions intrusted to them, and defend their sovereign with the powers which he has committed to their administration. If that sovereign has become despotic, and violated the rights of his subjects, that may be a good reason for throwing up their offices, and in extreme cases, where no other remedy is practicable, joining the ranks of the insurgents, but it is never for deserting a trust while still holding it. Even the splendid abilities of Marlborough, and the glorious career of Ney, have not been able to wipe out the stain affixed by such treachery on their memory. Many honourable and noble men have suffered death for high treason, and their descendants have gloried, and shall glory, in their fate; but none ever pointed with exultation to success gained by breach of trust. We might well despair of the fortunes of the human race if the fair fabric of freedom was to be reared on such a foundation.

Such as it was, however, the overthrow of the Spanish monarchy was too important an event not to rouse to the very highest degree the spirit of revolutionary ambition, not only in Spain, but over all Europe. Its effects are

1820. 72.

vances of

tion.

CHAP. still felt in both hemispheres. Being the first instance VII. in which democracy had gained a decided victory since its terrible overthrow in 1814 and 1815, it made a Rapid ad- prodigious sensation, and everywhere excited the hopes the revolu- and revived the expectations which had ushered in the French Revolution. The march of events at Madrid was as rapid as the most ardent partisans of innovation could desire. A Supreme Junta was immediately formed, to whom the king, two days after his proclamation of the March 9. 7th, took the oath to observe the constitution. The nobles and magistrates, obedient to the royal will, followed his example. In the midst of the ringing of bells, the discharge of artillery, and the cheers of the multitude, the guards, the soldiers, and all the civic authorities, took the oath, in the square of the Pardo, to the constitution. The whole prisoners confined for state offences were libeAnn. Hist. rated, and paraded through the streets amidst the shouts of the populace; many of them soon passed from their cells to the cabinet. In the evening a general illumination terminated the first day of the revolution, which hitherto had been one of unmingled joy. 1

iii. 411;

Ann. Reg.

1820, 225,

226; Mar

tignac, i. 202, 203.

73.

of the revo

Barcelona,

But the march of revolution is not always on flowers; Reception the thorns soon began to show themselves. Some days lution at before the constitution was accepted at Madrid by the Valencia, king, it had been proclaimed at Saragossa and at Pamand Cadiz. peluna, where Mina had already of his own authority supplanted Espelata, the royal governor. At Barcelona the garrison compelled Castaños to do the same, and March 10. soon removed that sturdy veteran to make way for General Villa-Campa, then in exile at Arons. He returned, ere long, liberated all the political prisoners, and burnt the office of the Inquisition amidst general transports. At Valencia, General Elio, who had taken so decided a part against the former attempts at revolution, was only saved from death at the hands of the populace by being humanely thrown into prison; at Granada, General Eguia was displaced by the students, and Campo-Verde in

СНАР.

VII.

1820.

stalled in his stead. The revolution at Madrid was an unexpected godsend to Riego, who received it when wandering, almost alone, and destitute of everything, in the solitudes of the Sierra Morena. From the depths of misery and despair he was suddenly elevated to fame and fortune, and brought back to Cordova, where he joined in proclaiming the constitution with General O'Donnell, Ann. Reg. and those who had lately pursued him with such unre- Biog. Univ. lenting severity, and soon after made a triumphant entry 121. into Seville.11

1 Ann. Hist.

iii. 412,413;

lxxix. 120,

Cadiz.

and 10.

A deplorable catastrophe at Cadiz first interrupted 74. these transports, and revealed an alarming division of Massacre at opinion even among the military, by whom the revolution March 9 had been effected. On the 9th March the people in Cadiz, accompanied by a part of the military, flocked to the square of San Antonio, and General Freyre, seeing no other way of extricating himself from his difficulties, published a proclamation, in which he engaged, on the following day, at ten o'clock, in the same place, to announce the acceptance of the constitution. The people, who looked upon this as a certain step to the pacification of the colonies, and the recovery of the lucrative commerce they had so long enjoyed with South America, were in transports, and flocked on the day following, at the appointed hour, to the Place San Antonio. dreadful fate awaited them. In the midst of the general joy, when the square was crowded with joyous multitudes, when every window was hung with tapestry, or filled with elegantly dressed females, and flags waved in every direction, bearing liberal devices, a discharge of musketry was suddenly heard in one of the adjoining streets, and immediately a disordered crowd, with haggard countenances and cries of horror, were seen flying into the square, closely pursued by the military. It was the soldiers of the regiments of the Guides and del Lealtad (of Fidelity), which, issuing from their barracks, had, without any orders, and by a spontaneous movement, commenced a fire

But a

VII.

1820.

on the people. Instantly, as if by magic, the square was deserted; the multitude, in the utmost consternation, dispersed on every side, and took refuge in houses or the casements of the fortifications, closely pursued by the soldiers, who massacred them without mercy, and abandoned themselves to all the atrocities usual in a town taken by assault. The deputies of the Isle of Leon, who were in an especial manner the object of indignation to the soldiers, were only saved from destruction by being transported to Fort Saint Sebastian, where they were kept during three days, crowded in the casements, and almost starving. On the following day the same scenes of disorder were renewed; the soldiers issued from their barracks, and systematically began the work of plunder and iii.413,415; extortion; and before order was restored, the killed Ann. Reg. 1820, 226; amounted to four hundred and sixty, including thirty-six women and seventeen children, and the wounded to above a thousand.1

1 Ann. Hist.

Martignac,

i. 203.

drid.

75.

While these frightful scenes were inaugurating the New minis- revolution at Cadiz, the new ministry was formed, and try at Ma- entered upon its functions at Madrid. It was composed, as might be expected, of the leading men of the liberal party, several of whom passed from a dungeon to the palace of the Government. It contained, however, many eminent names, which have acquired a lasting place in the rolls of fame. Señor Arguelles, whose eloquence in the former Cortes had acquired for him the surname of "the Divine," was Minister of the Interior; Don Garcias Herreras, one of the most violent orators on the liberal side, was appointed Minister of Justice; Canga Arguelles was Minister of the Finances; the Marquis Las Amarillas, of War; Perez de Castro and Don Juan Jabat, were appointed to the Exterior and the Marine.2 iii. 418,419; Though the new ministers had all been leading orators 1820, 227; on the liberal side in the Cortes, and many of them had i. 204, 205, suffered persecution and imprisonment from the king, yet,

2 Ann. Hist.

Ann. Reg.

Martignac,

with the acquisition of office, they felt, as is generally the

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