The example of Spain.
The Whig, in an article designed for the encouragement of our people under their present trials, published some time last week, cited the example of our revolutionary sires, the example of the low countries in the reign of Philip H., and the example of the Spaniards in their resistance to France during the reign of the first Napoleon. All these examples were to the point. Each of these people were far more severely pressed than we have yet been, or are ever likely to be. But of all the three the example of Spain affords, in our opinion, the strongest encouragement to men who are determined not to submit to a foreign ruler. Let us go over some of the incidents of that remarkable struggle.It is well known that in the early part of the present century, Spain, but two centuries and a half ago the most powerful nation of Europe, had by misgovernment, been brought to the lowest state of political degradation. Her treasury was exhausted, her army was a laughing stock for Europe her navy had been destroyed at Trufalgar, her noble dock yards had rotted away, and everything gave evidence of a nation on the verge of ruin. Charles IV., at that time King, was the weakest of all the Bourbons. He spent his whole time in a workshop, where he wrought as a common mechanic, having a great turn for the mechanical arts. In the mean time he devolved the whole burden of the Government on Godoy, a worthless favorite, and on the Queen, between whom and Godoy it was well known that an improper intimacy existed. These two worthies hated the Prince of the Asturias, afterwards Ferdinand VII., with a deadly hatred, and through one of them was his mother, they combined in an attempt to take away his life. To this end they made the King believe that the Prince had conspired against his life, and actually prevailed on him to bring him to trial with a view to having him publicly executed. His life was saved, but soon after a furious tumult broke out at Madrid, upon a suspicion that the royal family intended to emigrate to Mexico, by the advice of Godoy. In that tumult the favorite barely escaped with his life.
It may be imagined that Napoleon, who had always kept his eyes fixed on Spain, was not an inattentive observer of these events. He had already won the favor of Godoy, and had proposed to Ferdinand a French princess for a wife. These events hastened his designs against Spain. He had concluded with the Spanish Court a treaty for the partition of Portugal, in which it was stipulated that 27,000 French troops should enter Spain for that purpose, and be joined in that country by 8,000 Spanish infantry and 3,000 cavalry. Sixteen thousand other Spanish troops were to occupy-Portugal, and 40,000 more French troops were to be assembled at Bayonne, to march also to Portugal, in case those already there were attacked by the English. By these means Napoleon introduced a large army into the very heart of Spain. He then pretended that it was necessary, for the security of his troops, that he should possess certain fortresses, and accordingly, Pampeluna, St. Sebastian, Fegueras, and Barcelona, were given up to him, thus placing the passes of the Pyrenees in his power, and rendering it easy for him to pour in any number of troops he might wish from France. And under the pretence of fulfilling the treaty of partition, he did pour in enormous masses. Between the 19th of October, 1807, and the18th of January, 1808--three months--70,000 French infantry and 10,000 cavalry entered through the pass of Irunalone. It was at this time that the tumult at Aranjuez, already alluded to, took place. The infection soon spread to Madrid, and the old King became so much alarmed that he abdicated in favor of his son Ferdinand.
Murat commanded the French forces in Spain. He no sooner heard of these transactions than he marched rapidly upon Madid. His arrival gave the at most disquietude to Ferdinand, who immediately sent a deputation to Napoleon at Bayonne. In the meantime Murat held a communication with the old King, who assured him that he had abdicated much against his will, and only to save his life, which he said was in danger from the mach, nations of Ferdinand. He had written, he added, a letter to Napoleon, in which he placed his fate entirely at his disposal. Ferdinand went, still further. He allowed himself to be persuaded by Savony to take a journey to Bayonne, and place him self in the hands of Napoleon. The journey was taken, and he had no sooner entered France than Savony informed him that he must resign the Crown of Spain and the Indies. Ferdinand protested through his Minister Cevallos, to the French Minister, Champagny but the only reply he received was that the abdication of Charles had been forced, and that the renunciation of Ferdinand was, therefore, a necessity. Unable to bend Ferdinand to his purpose, Napoleon determined to bring Charles to Bayonne. Murat, after some trouble, induced the old King to go, accompanied by his consort and Godoy, (the Prince of the Peace, as he was called,) Ferdinand, upbraided by his father, and pressed by the Emperor, at last made a conditional renunciation in favor of the former. The father then resigned the Crown to the Emperor, who sent the whole Royal party into France, and brought his brother Joseph to Bayonne, to be King of Spain. This is the darkest transaction in the life of Napoleon, and one upon which his admirers must always look with sorrow. It was, as he himself thought, the remote cause of his ruin. He immediately addressed a proclamation to the Spanish nation, stating that the Royal family had ceded their right to him; that he only assumed power for the benefit of the nation; and that it was his intention to that end to renovate the monarchy, for which purpose he ordered the Assembly of Notables to be convened. At the same time he warned the nation to abstain from violence and disorder, under pain of his highest displeasure.
The warning came too late. From the moment of the entrance of the French into Madrid, that capital had been in a state of violent agitation, which was increased to such a degree by the departure of the royal family, that, on the 2d of May, a furious mob attacked Murat's soldiers, and were with difficulty dispersed, after the slaughter of many hundred of them. The miserable Junta of Madrid, instead of being encouraged by the spirit which the citizens had exhibited, made haste to make their peace with Murat, by making him President of their body, and putting all power in his hands.--The Supreme Council of the Inquisition, the most powerful body in the kingdom, likewise deserted the cause of their country, and bent the knee to the usurper. They addressed a circular to every inquisitorial court in the kingdom, in which they accused their countrymen of having occasioned the disturbances by their factions proceedings and outrageous violence, offered to friendly soldiers and officers who did nobody any harm. Even the wretched old king was induced to set his hand and seal to a paper in which he denounced his people for generously rising in his favor, against the enemy who had despoiled him, by one and the same act, of his crown and his liberty.
But, though thus badly deserted and betrayed, the Spanish people were not for a moment disheartened. No sooner was the renunciation of the royal family known, than the Northern provinces burst into a perfect blaze of insurrection. Galicia and the Asturias set the example; it was immediately followed in every part of Spain not occupied and overawed by the armies of France. The leaders of the insurrection formed and assembled Juntas, or Provincial Legislatures, in every province, and these Juntas immediately issued the most animating proclamations, calling on the people everywhere to rise in defence of their independence and their King. Madrid being in possession of the French, the Junta of Seville was selected as the depository of national legislative power. They immediately proclaimed Ferdinand King, issued an order for all persons between the ages of sixteen and forty-five to enroll themselves, and seized all the military stores for the use of their levies. They declared peace with England and war with France. They established inferior Juntas in every town within their jurisdiction having a population of two thousand. They sent couriers all over Spain inviting the towns to follow the example of Seville. They recommended the avoidance of all general battles, and the confinement of Spanish efforts to a harassing and desultory warfare. Arms, ammunition and clothing began to pour in from England. The great commercial city of Cadiz opened the war by capturing five French ships of the line and two frigates, which were lying in the harbor. Fearing such a catastrophe, Murst had dispatched General Dupont from Madrid with fourteen thousand men to secure the city and fleet. He was met by the Spanish General Castanos, at the head of 30,000 men, and surrounded at the same time by a furious population. Unable to advance or retire, he was compelled to surrender, with all his army, at Raylen. Saragossa, afterwards so famous, resisted successfully a siege and a series of furious attacks. Armies were formed with marvellous rapidity in every part. A Spanish force sent to get possession of the road leading from Bayonne to Madrid was out to pieces by Bes.
sieres at Rio Seco. But this triumph was balanced by losses which the French army sustained. They were compelled to evacuate the seaport towns, the bay of Biscay, especially Santander, which was especially valuable to the Spaniards, as furnishing the means of introducing supplies and arms from England. Marshal Moncey, with a powerful force, was repulsed in an attack on Valencia. Murst, sensible of the powerful effect these various transactions had wrought upon the populace of Madrid, withdrew his army to the Retiro, an eminence commanding the city. Joseph Bonaparte, under the protection of 10,000 men, entered his new capital on the 27th of July, the very day that Dupont's army surrendered. As soon as the news reached Madrid, the new monarch and his court fled for their lives, the former consoling himself by carrying off all the regalia and crown jewels. Nor did he stop until he reached Burgos. Bessieres, in alarm for the state of affairs, gave up the design of marching on Portugal, and left Junnot to be over whelmed and captured by the British forces under Sir Arthur Wellesley. Thus in the space of two months Spain found herself nearly free from enemies.
But her trials had but commenced. We must reserve farther notice of them for another article, this having already exceeded all legitimate proportions.
