hope of regaining her transatlantic empire, saw before them a prospect the most dreary and discouraging. Whether they considered the theatre on which the war was to be waged, or the enemy with whom they had to contend, there appeared equally little ground for animation or hope. The prospect of bidding adieu to their native country, to perish in the vast plains and swamps of the Oronooko, inspired a patriotic zeal, to which they might otherwise have remained strangers. The deliverance of their country appeared an object still more desirable, when it was to be combined with their own deliverance from such a destiny. The force collected at one point gave a full impression of their own strength; while the vicinity of Cadiz, a city which had long been the focus of liberal sentiments, was likely to inoculate them with some portion of its spirit.

In consequence of these causes, a deep discontent had long fermented in the minds of the expeditionary army. It had even, as observed in the former year, been organised into a formidable conspiracy, which failed only through the vacillation or treachery of the Conde de Abisbal. The yellow fever, which soon after began to rage at Cadiz, and among the troops, aided the views of the malcontents, by causing a general disorganization, and relaxing those strict precautions which the jealousy of the government would otherwise have prompted. Don Antonio Quiroga, a lieutenant-colonel, who had been deeply implicated in the last conspiracy, was only loosely guarded at the convent of Alcala de los Gazules. He had, therefore, the opportunity of communicating with Don Raphael Riego, commander of the second battalion of the Asturias, and with other officers who were disposed to engage in the enterprize. The military chiefs were seconded by the talents of Gali

ano, a citizen of Cadiz, and one of the most eloquent men in Spain; while money was supplied by Beltran de Lis of Valencia, a zealous patriot, who had seen a son die on the scaffold in the cause of liberty.

After many consultations, which happily escaped the jealous observations of the ruling powers, the 1st of January, 1820, was fixed on as the decisive day. Riego, stationed at Las Cabezas, was to march upon Arcos, the head-quarters of Calderon, commander-in-chief of the expedition, and was to be joined there by the battalion of Seville from Villa Martin. At the same time Quiroga, with two battalions, was to move from Alcala de los Gazules, upon the Isle of Leon, and upon Cadiz.

At nine in the morning of the day appointed, Riego put himself in motion. He called together his battalion, explained to them his design, and finding them disposed enthusiastically to concur in it, led them direct to the square of Las Cabezas, where he proclaimed the constitution. In the evening he marched with the utmost possible rapidity upon Arcos, in the vicinity of which place he arrived about two in the morning. The battalion of Seville having lost its way in the storm, was not yet come up. Riego waited its arrival in vain for four hours; then seeing day begin to dawn, and apprehensive of discovery, he determined upon at once proceeding to action. Though the battalion stationed in Arcos was stronger than his own, he completely succeeded. The officers were taken by surprise in their barracks, Calderon and all his staff made prisoners, and the Corregidor of the town shared the same fate. The battalion joined the insurgents, and every thing was completed before that of Seville arrived. Riego was somewhat disappointed to find only 12,000 ducats in the Treasury.

The success of Quiroga was not quite so complete. He made his escape, and placed himself at the head of his battalion at Alcala. To reach his destination, however, it was necessary to cross the Majeceite, which was rendered impassable by the rains. He was thus unable to set out till the afternoon of the 2d. At Medina, he found another battalion; and the troops pushing forward rapidly through roads that were knee deep, reached at nine in the morning the bridge of Suazo, which connects the Isle of Leon with the Continent. This important post was surprised and carried in a few minutes. The insurgents, thus introduced into the Isla, were equally successful in surprising San Fernando, its principal fortress, where they took Cisneros, Minister of Marine. They now pushed forward upon Cadiz, the main object of the expedition; and which being defended only by one battalion and a few marines, was thought unlikely to make serious resistance. At four in the afternoon, however, the governor of Cadiz received notice of the enterprize, and hastened with 500 men to occupy the Trocadero, a fortification commanding the narrow neck of land, by which alone Cadiz can be approached from the Isla. Being reinforced from the ships, he succeeded in completely repulsing the attack of the insurgents. The district in their possession was thus reduced to the Isle of Leon.

Riego in the meantime hastened to join his comrades, and on his way, proclaimed the constitution at Xeres and Santa Maria. The people, however, though they shewed an interest in his success, did not make any serious movement in his favour. On his arrival at the Isla the troops were mustered, and found not to amount to more than 6000 men. They were immediately organized, however, under the title of the "Constitutional army;" they were

formed into two divisions, one of which was intrusted to Riego, while Quiroga was made commander-in-chief.— Don Arco Aguerro was placed at the head of the staff, and San Miguel appointed his principal assistant Quiroga now addressed to his army a proclamation, in which he told them,

Spain approached to destruction; and your ruin would have carried along with it that of your country : you were destined to death, rather to deliver the government from the fear which your courage inspired, than to conquer the colonies, which is become impossible. Meantime, your countrymen remained in the most shameful slavery, under an arbitrary and tyrannical government, which disposes at will of the property, the existence, and the liberty of the unhappy Spaniards. This government must have destroyed the nation, and finally itself; it can no longer be endured. At once violent and weak, it can inspire only indignation or contempt; but a country cannot be happy unless government inspires confidence, love, and respect." He finally assured them, that the enterprize was at once easy and glorious; that union and discipline only were necessary; that not a Spanish soldier would oppose them; and that they would find brethren even in the ranks of those who were assembled for that purpose.

At the same time Quiroga, in the name of the army, presented the following address to the King :

"Senor-The Spanish army, whose blood and unheard-of sacrifices restored your Majesty to the throne of your ancestors the Spanish army, under whose protection the nation, through the medium of her representatives, sanctioned the code of laws intended to fix for ever her happy destiny, felt its honour and ardent patriotism wounded, when your Majesty, breaking the bonds, of

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 determination 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 represented, has solely the right of giving her self 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-promulga tion 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 an cient 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 draw. ing 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 disap. peared 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 favour in 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 en thusiasm 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, there fore, 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 neigh, bouring 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