SOLANO’S DEATH
July 1808.—Mr. Campbell, whom we knew at Madrid, returned from Spain with the Deputies from Seville.[317] He remained at Cadiz during the disturbances, surrender of the French fleet, and murder of Solano.[318] The conduct of Solano he ascribed to the greatest infatuation, proceeding from a blind confidence in O’Farrill.[319] The leading people at and about Cadiz, as soon as Murat’s massacre[320] on the 2nd of May was known, urged Solano to hoist the Spanish flag alone, and summon the French fleet to surrender to the Spaniards. He temporised; he was at length threatened that unless he did something decisive against the French by the ensuing day, his life should answer for his conduct. The people showed great symptoms of discontent, called him embustero, &c. Amongst the mob many persons supposed of eminence were in disguise. During this period of hesitation on his part, young Perico Giron (whom we knew intimately at Madrid) escaped, upon hearing the events at Madrid, from his regiment at Badajoz, and arrived at Cadiz and challenged Solano. But no duel took place, for the fatal day came when the people assembled tumultuously around his house, called for him to appear and justify his inaction, none of the measures required by the inhabitants having been adopted. He appeared upon his balcony. The sight of him seemed to incense the mob; they attempted to force the entrance of the house, the gateways were barricaded. Upon seeing their fury, he got through the roof of his own house, and gained admittance into that of Mr. Strange (an Irish wine merchant), where he was concealed in a hiding-place so effectually that the mob, after searching, as they imagined, every place, were going off, when unfortunately a man, who had been employed only 14 days before to paint over a panel in order to cover a hiding-place, betrayed the concealment and discovered Solano. He made no resistance; the people hurried him to the place of execution. In going thither, some person said he ought to have a priest, upon which Solano said that it was unnecessary, as he had nothing to confess; this he frequently repeated, till at length the mob lost all restraint, and upwards of fifty bayonets were plunged into his body, and his corpse was hacked and mutilated shockingly in a moment.
As soon as this disgraceful act of cruelty was over, the necessity of having some Governt. was felt, and it was agreed almost by acclamation that Morla, Don Thomas Morla, who had formerly been the Captain-General of Andalusia, and had distinguished himself by the prompt and decisive measures which he had taken to prevent the progress of the yellow fever, was the best fitted to fill the station now vacant. Morla, it was supposed, had not entirely made up his mind as to the side he should take, and that, like Solano, he waited for Dupont’s[321] army. However, he had no choice, and accepted with reluctance the honour. He harangued the people with great ability and fortitude, assured them that if he undertook the charge he would fulfil it rigidly; that they knew him to be inflexible, nor should he depart from what he thought his duty, notwithstanding the dreadful spectacle he had just beheld. He gave an immediate proof of his cleverness and dexterity; during the tumult, about eight hundred of the Presidarios, galley-slaves, broke into the Arsenal, armed themselves and others. Morla was aware of the danger, and also of the impolicy of allowing such men to bear arms, and resolved upon disarming them instantly. He ordered processions to be made through the streets of the Capucins and other Franciscan friars, who were to chant hymns and prayers requesting the citizens to lay down their arms. By night almost all the inhabitants had deposited their arms at the feet of the friars.
DUKE OF INFANTADO
I was pleased to find such a favourable opinion prevailed with regard to the Duke of Infantado.[322] He had been exiled from his own estates, and lived at San Lucar, where he had acquired the esteem and confidence of all who saw him. Thus his conduct at Bayonne is conceived to arise entirely from compulsion. He was dismissed the Court in consequence of that affair at the Escorial in which he was involved, as there was a paper found in his possession signed by the Prince of the Asturias, nominating him as President of Castille, in which capacity he would have had the governt. of the country. The Prince contended that this instrument could have had no power but after his mother’s death, in proof of which he alleged that the seal was affixed upon black wax, and it was only to obviate the danger that might have arisen in the country should his mother and the Prince of the Peace have been able to shut him up and attempt an exclusion or Regency.
We went in July to Woburn; Mr. Brougham was with us. Our party consisted of Lauderdale, D. of Argyle, W. Elliot, Adam, etc. Extremely pleasant place, both grand and comfortable, and the park very pretty in some parts. Went over to see Luton, belonging to Ld. Bute. The house was built by his father, the Minister, and does no credit to his choice of an architect, the Adams. The collection of pictures is very numerous, the Flemish and Dutch schools are the finest, altho’ amongst the great number of Italian pictures some are good. The most remarkable portraits are those grouped with some malicious skill by Sr. Joshua. They are those of Ld. Bute and his Secretary, Jenkinson, now Ld. Liverpool.[323] The Prime Minister is represented with all the pomp and dignity of office, a splendid dress and commanding air; he is taking, rather than receiving, from his Secretary a bundle of papers, which the Secretary, with a most submissive air, is holding in his hands. The story tells itself,—the Duke of Lerma and Gil Blas; the abject, fawning, sly Secretary, and the haughty great man. People say Sr. Joshua Reynolds marked the characters so strongly in order to stamp the origin of a man, whose sneaking qualities he foresaw would raise him to distinction. Ld. Liverpool, I have been assured, offered frequently a very large sum to withdraw from the eye of the public this memorial. The Library is very extensive, and the three rooms which join it are handsome, altho’ it might have been infinitely better.
WILLIAM BELSHAM
We went to Hinckley to see Henry E., who had been there about a month with his aunt; his limb is not worse. From thence for one night to Farming Woods, belonging to Ld. Ossory; charming spot, fine trees, abundance of deer, and wild woodland scenery. Slept at Bromham, Mr. Trevor’s, a pretty water place on the banks of the Ouse. From thence for three nights to Mr. Whitbread’s at Southill. Ly. Madelina Palmer[324] was there. With the exception of the Trevors for one day, the rest of the company was remplissage of the very worst sort, fulsome flatterers, and disgusting dependents. Mr. Belsham, the gazetteer or pamphleteer, who calls his heavy compilation a History of England, was one of them; his manners and appearance are positively offensive to all the senses. He extols Whitbread to the skies, and makes him believe no man can serve the country with equal talents and honesty, and that nothing but Ld. Grey’s envy at his superiority could have kept him out of the highest offices in the late Administration. He has composed a virulent libel against the late Governt., which he circulates about the country, and boasts of his forbearance, that out of consideration to Mr. Whitbread’s affection for Ld. Grey that he does not publish it. It is particularly offensive to Grey, and the subject most urged is the failure of the negotiation. Mr. W. has an unfortunate relish for the society he indulges in at Southill.
Returned on Thursday, 11th August. On ye 19th August news arrived officially from Ld. Collingwood of Dupont’s surrender to Castaños in Andalusia.[325]
16th August. The Spanish Deputies dined here. They are five in all, viz., Visconde de Matarosa[326] and Don Andres de la Vega (these were the first, who came from the Junta of Oviedo). The Visconde is a very young man, not above 19; la Vega is a sensible, well-informed man, esteemed by his countryman Jovellanos. Sangro is the Deputy from Galicia; he had been named to go to Bayonne, but escaped and was sent with another, Freyne,[327] who has since returned to Coruña with arms, &c., &c. The Sevillian Deputies are Jacome and Apodaca. Jacome is a member of the Junta at Seville. The latter is the admiral who commanded these last two years at Cadiz, and to whom the French fleet surrendered. He is very lively and pleasing in his manners, and of the whole mission he is the one who has the most usage du monde.