(572 The Campaign of ike Spanish Constitutionalists. DEC. 



means of coming to a knowledge of the truth ? Such is precisely the 

 aspect in which the unprejudiced will view the argument in favour 

 of postponing Spanish liberty to a future period. 



But the Spanish nation is not, as it is gratuitously assumed, satisfied 

 with the present system of affairs unless, indeed, by a nation be meant 

 the swarm of reptiles who fatten on the ruin of the land unless by a 

 nation be meant the tribe of place-holders and place-hunters the syco- 

 phants, an indolent portion of the aristocracy and of a tyrannic and 

 vicious clergy and a degraded rabble, that care little under what 

 form of government they live, provided they can carry on their perni- 

 cious avocations. But if, on the contrary, by a nation is understood the 

 respectable, enlightened, and industrious classes of society, the balance 

 will weigh prodigiously in favour of liberal institutions. These and 

 other considerations had determined the exiled Constitutionalists, in 

 accordance with their brethren of the Peninsula, to exert their efforts in 

 behalf of their country, so soon as a favourable opportunity should offer 

 for carrying their undertaking into execution with any strong probability 

 of success. The late memorable events in Paris, which terminated so 

 fortunately in the overthrow of oppression, were the welcome messengers 

 that told that the long-wished-for moment was at length arrived, when 

 the energies of the Spaniards were to be called into action to break the 

 ignominious shackles which kept their country in more ignominious 

 thraldom. It was evident that, with the downfal of an obnoxious dy- 

 nasty in France, the chief support of despotism in Spain was also felled 

 to the ground. No longer would the patriots have to dread the scanda- 

 lous and unprincipled invasion of a hundred thousand soldiers, sent to 

 destroy the liberties of the land as was the case in the year 1823. Instead 

 of the agents and abettors of oppression, the liberals of Spain beheld 

 now friends and brothers, who, if they did not support their cause, 

 would at least throw no impediment in the way of freedom, much less 

 present themselves as instruments in the hands of tyranny to enslave and 

 oppress their neighbours. 



Strong symptoms of revolutionary effervesence in Spain became im- 

 mediately perceptible. A general movement took place among the 

 refugees individually, or in parties; they moved towards the frontiers. 

 "The public journals were filled with speculations relating to the question 

 at issue, and the state and prospects of Spain acquired suddenly a degree 

 of interest and importance which offered a striking contrast with the in- 

 difference formerly displayed towards the affairs of that kingdom. San- 

 guine expectations of success were entertained, and the internal intrigues, 

 occasioned by the Carlist faction in the Peninsula, reasonably enough 

 added another argument in favor of such anticipations. But among the 

 obstacles which were destined to impede and check the progress of the 

 constitutionalists, there was one more deeply deplored by the friends of 

 Spanish liberty, as they knew the fatal effects which it was sure to pro- 

 duce ; such was the disunion which became but too soon apparent among 

 the chiefs that were organizing the invasion into Spain. This disunion 

 was the more detrimental to the cause, as it originated not in the pique 

 or disappointment of the moment, but was on the contrary an evil of 

 long standing an evil which had been firmly established, and was now 

 systematically continued. That the reader may clearly understand the 

 original cause of this calamitous difference among the Spanish patriots, 

 it is necessary he should learn that among that valiant body there exist 



