The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-10-23 00:00:00

Ely .tourVibge qstrinr.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1809.

SPA/N.

In the Itiatorr of the world an inaurreetion has
often developed into a revolution; the instirrec.
Om has proved successful ; it has no longer been
called an insurrection or n rebellion. but a revo.
lotion, and a change of dynasty, or the substitu-
tion of a republic for rt monarchy has followed.
But Spain. whose history IlaS alwayepreaented
so many anomalies, now presents the anomaly of
a revolution retrogruding into an inanrreetinn.
The rest of Europe. which hes looked on with
interest. has been disappointed unto the present
time in the result.; of the revolotinn which not
very long ego excited !such high hopes of nation,
al progress. It would almost seem as though
there had been a great national rising for troth.
inv. The people appear to have thrown off the
noarhnn ynlo, soul sent the Queen to exile. for
rn better regult than internecine warfare, which
in itself worse than royal despotism. Tho whole
country is at the present time in a most nnset-
tied state, and in many parts of it thete has re-
cently been, or still is, netnal warfare between
the riling aethoritios and the inmrgents. The
news from Spain always has been of so doubtful
R character that we may rely on the authenti-
city of the telegrama that have jest reached us,
but they are at least so fir reliable that we may
feel assured that the country is in a state of seri-
ous disoi der. We bear from Madrid that in the
Trovice of Barcelona upwards of 1,000 rebels
have laid down their arms and claimed the in-
diligence of the novernment; in Tarragona, 1.
(400, in Gerona, ; and in [Acids, 000. It
Is reported that confidence in the anthoritine is
mestahlished in Laragnaa; in Andalitala It Is
said the rebels are disheartened and pursued ;
from Oranada we hays similar reports; other ac,
counts show that the inserventa have had vary.
Into success in varioal parts of the country ; but
that there is a common object and an uniform
pourer among the insurgents would be too much
to aftirtn. Their ontbreak spears to be in a
measure time result of that restlessness of dispo.
pition which has been so remarkable in pain
ever since the revolution. It is the reuetiun
from a long period of political stagnation. The
11,,5t RMOOGI outbreak luta he4-,n that at Valencia.
A revolt broke out there R few claya ago, at
. .

. .
time when there were only 700 troops in the eity,
torae quite inadequate to eope with the volun•
teers and the people. Tim first thing that the
• insurgents did was to rut the telegraph wires
and tear up the rails on the railway, so that noth•
frig could readily be known at Madrid, and no
reinforcements could speedily ho sant from
thence. But ill news travels' feat somehow or
other. and the Government of Spain, such no It
10. heard of the revolt at Valencia. and the One.
eminent army nude due preparations to bring
the rebels to reason and submission. On
.Tlmrs-
.

day lost the Government troops completed the
blockade of Valencia, occupying all the gates of
the city; the insurgent chiefs were called upon
to surrender, but se there was no mailed:4 of
this, the army before the city pretrired to be-
aiege it vigorously and simultaneously on all
sides; on S.iturday morning the lrmthardment
cm nenced, and after being kept lip for three
hours, the insurgents surrendered at discre-
tion.

We must bear in mind that most of the tele-
grams which we get from Spun are either di-
.

reetly from a Government source or are tam.
pered with by the existing Government, Art that
strict reliance cannot be placed upon them; but
making all allowance for this, it would seem
that the insurgents are getting the worst of it.
Be this as it busy, however, the entire condition
of the country is most lamentable. Monarchy
has been changed for a something which is
neither despotism nor liberty. neither represen-
tative government nor a lepublie, but a chance.
medley of fighting factions. A corrupt govern-
ment has been disolved, and a Queen whose an-
tecedents will not bear examination was de-
thrmoul, and in place of them we have tyrannous
millitary despotism, so far as the Government
has the power, awl licentious disorder among
the people, And this alternation, this miserable
game of see-yaw—now the Government and now
the governed getting the upppr hand—has been
going on for many months, and Spain seems no
nearer a settled form of popular government than
ahe was months ago. The is a lamentable re.
suit of a glorious revolution, as it appeared to he
when it broke out, and when it peacefully and
bloodlessly worked out. Europe, in fact, is get-
ting siek of the news from the Peninsula. Spain
do. a not know her own mind. Whether she is
to have a constitution king determined to rule
with vigour, or by a sovereign with a regency,
or a republic, she does not appear to know or
even to deliberate upon; and while the more
solid part of the nation is waiting helplessly, the
populace is indulging its love of excitement and
rebellion against uti/ or tiny authority no matter
what, The situation is a sad one, but it is not
without its cause and its moral. Spain has been
ao long without a really representative assembly,
and has had such a pitisbly sham press, that the
teal and genuine opinion of the country finds it
difileult to assert itself andulst the din of popular
tumult and military repression, lint ere long is
earneutly to be hoped that constitutional libertv
luny :militant anarchy, and order come out of
elms, To use a mum= phriae, the Spaniards
it must settle it among themselves." The other
nations of the world are initialing aloof, and al-
lowing Spain, if elle eau and will, to work out
her own salvation.