1830.J The Campaign of the Spanish Constitutionalists. 673 



two distinct parties known by the denominations of the Masones and the 

 Comuneros. Without entering into an examination, or presuming to give 

 a judgment, concerning the merits and demerits of these parties, it will 

 still be necessary to afford some idea of their character, views and pre- 

 tensions. The Masones possess the moral, and the Comuneros the nu- 

 merical majority among the refugees. Though we must not infer from 

 this, that there are not many Comuneros who have and will adhere to 

 the operations of the other party when they perceive inefficiency or fault 

 in their own. The Masones contain in their ranks the greater proportion 

 of the influential names among the liberals. The members of the Cortes 

 of the year 1812, the old generals and patriots, &c., belong to this party.* 

 That part of the aristocracy which entertains liberal opinions, also 

 adheres to the politics of the Masones, as is also the case with the men of 

 science and letters that have espoused the cause of freedom. The party 

 of the Comuneros is of more modern date than that of the Masones. Its 

 members profess more decided opinions, and its leaders are more strongly 

 characterized by vehemence and impatience. The military chief of the 

 party is General Torrijos, a gallant and enthusiastic young officer, who, 

 during his sojourn in London, displayed an unusual activity and rest- 

 lessness for carrying his plans into effect. The partizans of Torrijos, of 

 greater note, are Palarea, Gurrea, Vigo, and F. Valdes, the leader of the 

 late unsuccessful attempt. 



We will now proceed to give a rapid sketch of the late events which 

 we have already asserted have given to the cause of Spanish liberty a 

 degree of high interest, even at a time when the affairs of France and 

 Belgium made so powerful an appeal to the attention of the public. 



Immediately after the glorious events at Paris, the Spanish patriots, 

 resolving to make an attempt in behalf of the liberty of their country, pro- 

 ceeded without delay to take the necessary steps to carry their design 

 into execution. A provisional junta of government was formed, com- 

 posed of Isturiz, Vadillo, Calatrava and Sancho, who proceeded forth- 

 with to Bayonne, to fulfil the duties incumbent on their station. In 

 every undertaking, even of a trifling nature, the necessity of a general 

 leader is imperiously felt ; and without unity in design and in execution, 

 few probabilities of success can be reckoned upon. Deeply impressed 

 with this truth, both the provisional junta and the refugees individually 

 perceived the urgency of naming a general-in-chief, on whom the 

 supreme command of the various bodies preparing to march into Spain 

 should be invested. Among the various brave, experienced and other- 

 wise distinguished chiefs, the general opinion ran, more especially, in 

 favour of Mina, and he was accordingly elected. No choice could argue 

 at once more justice and discretion even putting aside the extraordi- 

 nary merit of that general even passing over in silence his abilities as a 

 soldier his rigid discipline consummate prudence and fertility of 

 expedients in cases of emergency even, we repeat, making abstraction 

 of so many claims which pointed him out to the preference of his brother 

 liberals, the very name of Mina was in itself a host a name not 

 merely respected among the Spaniards, but justly admired and appre- 

 ciated in foreign countries. The friends of liberty hoped that such 



* Such as Don A. Arguilles, Don C. Valdez, Count Toreno, Martinez de la Rosa, 

 Calatrava, Cuaclra, Galiano Isturiz, &c. Among the generals Mina, Espinoza, Pla- 

 censia, Castellar, Butron, Quiroga, Lopez, Banos, &c. 



M M.. New Series VOL. X. No. 60. 4 Q 



