gratitude and justice, overthrew that monument of justice, and denominated the expression of the most legitimate rights a crime. "Six years could not obliterate sentiments so deeply engraved in the heart. The various insurrections which have taken place in different times and in different places, ought to have convinced your Majesty that the whole nation favoured those enterprizes, and that if the person of your Majesty have been the object of general respect, such is not the feeling with which either the measures of government you have adopted, or the persons, so unworthy of your bounty and confidence, who surround you, are regard. ed. The genius of evil stifled the generous cry of freedom, and the brave men who raised it became the victims of that iniquity which never pardons those who would draw aside the veil by which the simple and ignorant are deceived. "So fatal a destiny has not intimidated the troops of the army assembled for the ultra-marine expedition, and they again raise the cry so dear to every Spaniard who knows the value of that name. They raised it, Senor, and solemnly pronounced it on the first of January. They have pronounced it with the firm and decided determisation of being faithful to the oath which they made to their country. Nothing can induce them to become perjured, and the last drop of their blood will be cheerfully sacrificed in the great cause in which they are embarked. To restore the constitution is their object; to have it recognized that the nation, legitimately represent. ed, has solely the right of giving herself laws, is what excites in them the purest ardour, and teaches them to speak in accents of the warmest enthusiasm. "The enlightened state of Europe, Senor, no longer permits nations to be governed as the absolute possessions of kings. The people of different countries require different institutions, but representative government is that which appears best fitted for large societies, all the individuals of which cannot assemble in a body to make laws for themselves. That is the government which the wisest nations have adopted, which all eagerly desire, the obtaining of which cost us so much blood, and which no country is more worthy of than Spain. "From what cause is the nation, most favoured by nature, deprived of the greatest blessing which men can bestow on themselves? Why should the land which nourishes a political body be thought unworthy of the air of civil liberty?-old prejudices, systems adopted by violence, frivolous and vain prerogatives, which serve merely to flatter the most insignificant pride, and the perfidious suggestions of favourites, who are oppressors one day, and are themselves oppressed on the next-are these just motives for violating the laws of reason, humanity, and justice? Kings are for nations; kings are only kings because nations will them so to be. The light of knowledge has recalled these incontestible axioms; and when governments seek to establish the opposite principles, they speak the language of fraud or hypocrisy, not that of error or ignorance. "It is the wish and the determination of the army that this language shall no longer prevail. The people cherish the same wishes and views; but habits of obedience to the laws have opposed a dyke to their resentment. It falls to pieces on its being known that the army has already made a breach. The districts they occupy resounded with shouts of joy and acclamations on the re-promulgation of that code which ought to have been but once proclaimed. May these shouts soon spread over the whole pe ninsula, and render it again the scene of virtue and heroism! But should hopes so delightful not be fulfilled, if Heaven should not favour our ardent wishes, still the efforts of the brave will not be made in vain; to die for liberty appears to them preferable to living, however long, under the laws and caprices of those who are corrupting the heart of your Majesty, and leading you to your infallible ruin. "Senor ANTONIO QUIROGA, as Organ of the Army. Head-quarters, San Fernando, Jan. 7, 1820." Another address was at the same time presented to the Spanish people, in which they reminded them of the ancient glory and liberty of the nation, of its heroic resistance against the usurpation of Buonaparte, of the recompence which it had met with, and the miseries which had been the consequence. It called upon them, therefore, to cooperate in the glorious effort now made to restore to them the rights of which they had been deprived. These events were not unobserved or unregarded by the Spanish provincial authorities. General Freyre, who commanded at Seville, lost no time in throwing the regiment of America, 1000 strong, into Cadiz, though it could enter that city only by sea. At the same time all the cavalry, amount ing to about 2000, being placed under General Joseph O'Donnell, watch ed the approaches to the Isla, in order to prevent the troops there from drawing aid and supplies from the neighbouring country. This momentous intelligence being conveyed to Madrid, did not at first obtain belief; but when a full confirmation arrived, the government redoubled its jealousy and severity; all correspondence and private intercourse was narrowly watched ; and every effort was made to make the people of the capital believe only what was wished, and to dispel those exaggerated reports which were eagerly listened to. At the same time, General Freyre, who had recommended himself so much by his zeal and exertion, was made commander-in-chief for Andalusia ; and all the troops in Granada, consisting of six regiments, were placed under his command. Several days elapsed, in which the hostile parties remained inactive, in view of each other. The insurrectional troops only sent occasional detachments to collect provisions, and disappeared at the approach of the royalist forces. On the 10th, however, Quiroga's party gained a considerable accession in the regiment of the Canaries, which entered the Isla, protected by a sally of Riego, who repulsed O'Donnel's cavalry. On the following evening they obtained a still more important advantage. The great naval arsenal of the Carraca, situated on a small island close to the shore of that of Leon, contained an immense supply of warlike stores, and, by its position, checked the movements of the insurgent troops. The garrison being weak, a detachment had been ordered to reinforce it, but was not to arrive till the 12th. On the night of the 11th, 400 men embarked at the bridge of Suazo, and reached unobserved so close to the foot of the walls, that the batteries could no longer play upon them. They surprised the first guards; and before the strength of the garrison could be called out, were already in possession of the place. Besides stores, they found also provisions, and a ship of war of 74 guns, called the St Julian. The dungeons of this place contained also a great number of the friends of freedom, who were immediately liberated. The increased means thus obtained were employed in raising batteries, with the view of storming the Corta dura, and thereby obtaining entrance into Cadiz. The assault, however, given on the 16th, entirely failed, Riego himself being wounded. Notwithstanding, however, the most rigid precautions, an attempt was made in their favourin the interior of the city. On the evening of the 24th, a colonel of the name of Rotalde collected a mixed troop of soldiers, Catalonian sailors, and citizens, and led them, amid cries of "The constitution for ever!" towards the gate of the Cortadura. The soldiers on guard there, however, fired upon his detachment, which immediately dispersed. Several were taken; but the colonel himself escaped, and joined the army on the Isle of Leon. Meantime General Freyre had established his head-quarters at Puerto Santa Maria, and had assembled a force which, including militia, was supposed to fall little short of 20,000 men. He made his approaches, indeed, with extreme caution, and avoiding any close contact, the effects of which, in the actual temper of his own troops, might have been extremely perilous. He merely sought to insulate the insurgents from the rest of Spain, and to cut off their resources and supplies. He succeeded; and weeks elapsed without any change in the position of the contending armies. The insurgent chiefs began to feel that their affairs in this stationary state were becoming insensibly worse. The enthusiasm inspired by their first successes was gradually evaporating; they lost that opinion of power which was necessary to draw multitudes to their standard; and though they might be able to maintain themselves, in a military view, against any force that was likely to be employed on the other side, the narrow corner within which they were inclosed afforded no means of obtaining provisions and necessaries, the want of which must at length reduce them to extremity. Unless, therefore, something could be done to rouse the country in their favour, and to make a stir, they had little hope of final success. This could only be done by putting forth, at all hazards, a moveable column to traverse the neighbouring cities and districts. The lot here fell naturally upon Riego, always prompt to undertake whatever was hazardous and adventurous. On the 27th of January, having formed a small corps of 1500 men, he crossed to Chiclana, and proceeded in the direction of Algesiras. At Conil, where he spent the first night, his reception was discouraging; but at Vejer, or Bejer, which he reached next day, the bells were rung, and other symptoms of joy manifested on his arrival. Here he spent three days, somewhat idly, it should seem, in balls and civic fetes; he obtained a supply of money, not, however, adequate to the wants of the army. On the 31st, the troops left Bejer; and, after a very fatiguing march over the mountains of Ojer, reached Algesiras about seven in the evening. They were received with the warmest demonstrations of joy. Riego conceived the most sanguine hopes, having planned to make Algesiras a second bulwark of Spanish liberty, and expecting to draw from Gibraltar all the supplies of which he stood in need. The next day dispelled all these flattering ideas. The inhabitants, seeing no force which could afford promise of ultimate success, adopted a cautious and guarded system; while the governor of Gibraltar, determining to observe a strict neutrality, declined all communication with the insurgent force. Some supplies, particularly of shoes, were all the benefits which the army drew from Algesiras. While these operations were going on, General Freyre was not inactive. He carefully closed up all the passages by which this adventurous column could regain the Isla, and then dispatched Don Joseph O'Donnell in its pursuit. Quiroga, informed of these movements, sent orders to Riego to rejoin him immediately. Riego reluctantly obeyed, and, retracing his steps, cut his way through a column of cavalry that attempted to intercept him. On approaching the Isla, however, he judged the avenues to be so well guarded, as to make vain any attempt to reach it. Swayed probably, moreover, by his own bold and adventurous spirit, he determined to march upon Malaga, and endeavour to excite a rising in that city. able him to make head against the repeated assaults of a superior enemy. There appeared thus no prospect of safety but by quitting the city, and throwing themselves among the mountains of Ronda. From this moment their progress presented a series of adventure and privation, of which history offers few examples. Destitute of clothes, and particularly of shoes, they procured some at Ronda and Anteguera. At Grazalema they were received by the inhabitants with a welcome so cordial, as rekindled some degree of hope, and at Moron they were reinforced by 200 dismounted dragoons. On the 4th, however, they were attacked there by O'Donnell ; and, after a smart conflict, obliged to yield to superior forces. Closely pressed, driven from post to post, and his small band daily thinned by desertion, Riego saw no longer any safety but in seeking the heights of the Sierra Morena. These could be reached, however, only by the bridge of Cordova; and Riego formed the daring resolution of marching the remnant of his little band through that large city. This design was successfully executed. The column proceeded to Malaga by difficult roads, between the mountains and the sea, its rear being continually harassed by the cavalry under O'Donnell. At Marbella it had to sustain a very severe engagement, in which it lost 100 men, besides the dispersion of part of their number. It, however, shook off the pursuing column, and advanced upon Malaga. The governor had collected a few troops, and taken a position in front of the city; but, on the first fire, he retreated, and fell back upon Velez Malaga. The troops of Riego entered Malaga, which exhibited a singular and equivocal aspect. The city was il-"These imitators of the Sacred Bands luminated, and acclamations were heard of Thermopyla and Underwald" from the windows; but every door was ed through the streets, barefooted and shut, and no one chose to commit him- badly clothed, chaunting the patriotic self in a cause of which such unfavour- hymn. The few troops who were in able omens were already formed. About the city remained neutral; the inhatwelve next day, the columns of O'- bitants, assembling in crowds, viewed Donnell were seen approaching. The with wonder and admiration, though attack was soon commenced, and an without taking part in their favour. obstinate conflict took place in the The party crossed the Guadalquiver, streets of the city. The constitution- and hastened towards the mountains ; alists succeeded in repulsing O'Don- but at Fuente Vejuna, it was overtanell, who took up his quarters for the ken by the royal troops, and suffered night about half a league from Malaga. considerable loss. Reduced now to Notwithstanding this success, Riego, 300, destitute of every thing, closely in looking round him, could see no pursued, and hopeless of success, a hope of maintaining himself in his pre- consultation was held, and the resolusent position. No movement whatever tion was formed to disperse, and each was made by the inhabitants; and his individual seek safety for himself. numbers were quite insufficient to en- "Such," says San Miguel, the narra tor, "was the fate of a column, worthy by its patriotism and valour of the most brilliant triumphs. Where so many concurrent circumstances combined against us, it was morally impossible for the result to be different. Fanaticism on the part of an enemy always more than triple our number; dismay and timidity in the well affected; pusillanimity and weakness in those who abandoned us in the hour of danger; the violation of promises by those who had engaged in the cause; unheard of labour and fatigue in such rapid torrents and marches night and day, through a mountainous country, intersected by ravines,-all these circumstances combined must have disheartened the bravest troops. Wherever," he added, "the column of patriot soldiers passed, the people applauded them, gave them provisions, effects, and money; but no one joined them; at their departure they wished them success, and then proceeded to prepare lodgings for the troops that pursued them." The impression produced by these events in the part of Spain in which they took place, was that of deep despondence with regard to the success of the patriotic cause. The column of Riego, which had never presented any very formidable aspect, was now annihilated; while the mainbody, under Quiroga, reduced to 4000 men, still maintained indeed a defensive attitude, and repulsed all the attacks made upon them; but, inclosed on all sides by superior forces, they had no apparent means of extending their operations. In fact, however, the work was already done. Riego's expedition, however really abortive, made upon those at a distance an illusory and brilliant impression. His army, traversing the provinces of Andalusia, and entering their capitals, appeared to be in an imposing and triumphant attitude. In vain did the government journals pro VOL. XIII. PART I claim that it was a small flying column, driven from place to place before a pursuing enemy. The enslaved state of the journals, whatever benefits may be supposed to arise from it to government in the ordinary state of things, is fatal to it in moments of crisis and alarm. Every thing which it then admits against itself is considered as only a small part of the truth; while what it states on the opposite side obtains no credit. The supposed triumphant spread of the insurrectionary arms through Andalusia was sufficient to blow into a flame those combustible materials, with which the peninsula was so amply stored, and to prepare the downfal of a government, which existed only upon the supposed hopelessness of any attempt to overthrow it. The first quarter in which the flame broke forth was Galicia, where also it originated with the soldiery. The fate of Porlier had left here deep recollections, and many of the officers there had even been involved with that chief. The explosion took place on the 20th February, the very day that Venegas, a new governor, arrived at Corunna. While Venegas was giving his first audience, and receiving the congratulations of the authorities, the cry of" the constitution!" was raised in the square. A body of the military, headed by the colonel of artillery, Don Carlos Espinosa, and seconded by the multitude, disarmed the guards, entered, and invited the governor to place himself at the head of the undertaking. On his refusal, they laid him under arrest, and conducted him, with some others who adhered to the same system, to fort San Antonio. The prisons were thrown open, and several officers confined on account of their share in the conspiracy of Porlier were set at liberty; his widow was carried through the streets in triumph; but the joyful |