340

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

confirmed ; it throws a new light upon a very importanttransaction, involving abdications, dethronements, wars,battles, and revolutions, of ten years duration !

“ To the Grand Duke de Berg.

“ Sire, my Brother I have reason to fear that de-ceiving yourself you are also misleading me, as to the realstate of things in Spain . The 20th of March has renderedthe future very intricate, and has left me in much per-plexity.

“ You must not imagine yourself to be in the midst of anunarmed nation, wherein the mere display of your troopswill ensure submission. The revolt of the 20th March,*is a proof of the energy of the Spaniards. You have to dowith a new people; they will have all the courage andenthusiasm of such as have not been harassed and disgustedwith political passions and changes.

“The Aristocracy and the Clergy dominate in Spain .These fear for their privileges and existence; they willresist us with ‘ Levies en Masse,’ which render a warinterminable. It is true that I have partizans amongst theeducated classes, hut were I to come forward as a con-queror, I should lose them.

“ The Prince of Asturias,f has no one quality befittingthe head of a nation; hut, nevertheless, were he to heset up against us, he would be made into a hero. I willnot have any coercion towards any person of the royalfamily. We must not give the slightest cause of offence,—much less of hatred. We must take people as we findthem with all their ignorant prejudices. Spain has above

* That of Aranjuez above mentioned,i The King’s rebel son Ferdinand.