126 Narrative of the late Conspiracy at Cadiz. (^August 



nothing to apprehend from that quarter. It was evident that the gover- 

 nor, naturally a man of a violent temper, and zealously attached to the 

 existing government, would not have consented to parley with a con- 

 spirator if he had been in possession of power sufficient to crush the 

 attempt by open force. The probability is, that the governor knew 

 nothing of the extent of the conspiracy further than that it was one 

 of a most serious character ; and he availed himself of the only resource 

 within his command — that of throwing indecision into the councils of 

 the conspirators, by affecting a knowledge of their operations which he 

 did not possess, and by attempting to intimidate one of the leaders into 

 a resolution to relinquish his design. In this raanceuvre he succeeded. 

 Sanchez-Reza, on quitting his house, instantly repaired to the junta, 

 and announced that the whole of their _ plans were discovered, related 

 the particulars of his interview with the governor, and signified his deter- 

 mination to leave the city that very moment. It was in vain that argu- 

 ments and expostulations were tried; the officer appeared totally 

 inflexible to both, and persisted in declaring that it was madness to 

 continue in their design — that, as far as he was concerned, he had 

 pledged his word, and that nothing should prevent him from quitting 

 the place. To this resolution he adhered. Not so with the rest of the 



conspirators. Captain R declared to the members of the junta that 



he was fully determined to strike the blow — that it was too late to 

 retract — and that, at the peril of his life, he was resolved to make those 

 attempts alone in which he was to have been aided by Sanchez-Reza. <>t 



The night passed in gloomy suspense. The inhabitants surmised that 

 some dreadful affair was in contemplation, and strange rumours began 

 to circulate. On the following morning, these symptoms grew more 

 decisive and alarming. Every one anticipated a blow ; but they were 

 ignorant how, or by whom, it would be struck. The governor then 

 sallied from his residence, accompanied by some attendants. He con- 

 ceived that his presence would be effectual in calming the anxiety and 

 effervescence evident among the inhabitants. Probably, too, he might 

 suppose, that, by patrolling the streets, he should check the boldness 

 of the conspirators, and defeat their plans. The city continued in this 

 dreadful suspense until three o'clock in the afternoon, when an incident 

 occurred that threw a fearful interest on the monotony of the drama. 

 This was the assassination of the governor himself, who, while pass- 

 ing through the street called Veronica, was assailed by a party of the 

 conspirators. The attack was instantaneous, and the governor fell. 

 His attendants had neither the power to prevent this catastrophe, nor to 

 avenge the death of their chief. The conspirators then proceeded up the 

 Calle Ancho, uttering cries of " Liberty ;" and rushed to the Plaza San 

 Antonio, the chief place of meeting, to incorporate themselves with other 

 groups. A crowd had already assembled on the spot, but neither effi- 

 cient in numbers, nor — to judge from the aspect they presented — pos- 

 sessing the resolution necessary for the desperate undertaking which they 

 had begun. 



The aspect of Cadiz at this time was singular. Every one seemed 

 afraid to pronounce himself on either side ; every one looked with a 

 kind of painful distrust on his neighbour ; and nothing can more effi- 

 ciently paint the terror and incertitude which must have reigned in the 

 city, than the fact that the corpse of the governor remained on the 

 spot where he had fallen until nightfal — no one daring to remove, or 



