The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-18 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The correspondent of the Post endeavours to furnish a
key to that perplexing problem—the recent insurrection in
Cadiz. The people of the great Spanish seaport are re-
markable for their Liberal tendencies, and especially for
their advocacy of Free Trade. They are greatly discon-
tented because the Finance Minister has not fulfilled all
that he promised in this respect, and their Republican
sympathies have been not a little outraged by the frank
declaration of the Provisional Government in favour of
monarchy. It was while this discontent was at its height
that a question of wages to workmen, who were doing an
apology for work in the neighbouring town of Puerto de
Santa Maria, was agitated ; the municipality of the
place declared their inability to go on paying the same
rate of wages ; the workmen came to discuss the
question rifle in hand, for they had profited by the
revolution, as their brethren in Madrid did subsequently,
to get a supply of small arms from the arsenal. " The
military governor of Cadiz, instead of sending a strong
body of soldiers to the place, and disarming the population
at midnight, surprising each armed mutineer in his bed, as
Narvaez did the armed National Guard in 1843, foolishly
posted up a proclamation, and gave the lawless popula-
tion time to organise a successful resistance." Then,
instead .31 asking assistance from the Conservative inha-
bitants, the Governor declared the seaport to be in a state
of siege, and thus the soldiery and the populace were
brought into contact.

Unfortunately, the infantry employed in establishing
the state of siege belonged to that very regiment which
but three months ago signalised itself by the most shocking
barbarity in putting down the insurrection of the Andalu-
sian town of Bejar. Some petty quarrel caused the volunteers
of all political creeds to rush to arms, and the most
desperate fighting followed. " Even the Cadiz ladies,
with the outrages of Bejar fresh in their memory, fought
like female panthers."
The repression of this revolt reflects much credit upon
the Provisional Government. In a very trying emergency
they have exercised the most commendable foresight,
wisdom, and moderation. Their rejection of the Duke of
Montpensier's assistance does not promise much for his
chance of the crown.
• This insurrection is likely to be the cause of the first
press prosecutions that have been instituted in Spain since
the revolution. The Discusion and the Igualdad are to
be cited for having encouraged the rising in Andalusia.

AMERICAN LITERATURE.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

The Great Country; or, Impressions of America.

There are books which caricature a nation, and
yet do good ; for, though an exaggeration of the
truth, they are still so grounded on it that even
those burlesqued, recognize the likeness. The pain
is in proportion to the truth; but, if wanting in
that, the caricature becomes a stupid calumny,
which shows animus without ability, and may do
harm, but cannot do good. Such is this book, ap-
parently written by an English buffoon, whose
grimaces failed to attract in America, and who re-
turned home to make faces at those who could not
see the fun in their own country. Poor Arthur
Sketchley was dismissed from New York with a
little soothing ointment from the kind-hearted
Tribune, which attributed the failure of his Enter-
tainment to the mismanagement of his agents. He
is very grateful to the Tribune forbeing thus gently
let down, and writes of it, the Round Table, and
two or three other newspapers, as if they were the
only respectable journals in America. Indeed, they
are in this exceptions, not alone to journalism, but to
everything in the United States. New York is de.
scribed as filthy in reality, and mean in appear-
ance. From its churches to its theatres all are
alike bad. Its Government is the most corrupt in
the world; its merchants are swindlers ; and almost
all that remains of the society is composed of " beats,"
"bummers," "loafers," and "suckers." Even their
Presidents are seldom gentlemen, often scarcely
able to read or write, or, like the present incum-
bent, who is described as drunk, not only when he
addresses the people, but when he takes a part in
au imposing ceremony—as if there could be an hn-
posing ceremony in so vile a country. The men sit
with their heels at a higher elevation than their
heads, whittling and spitting, with the invariable
plug in their cheeks. The knives are plated, to
permit of their being stuffed with less danger half
down tobacco-defiled throats, whence they often go
into the mashed potatoes. The women love beads
and feathers, resembling in other respects Kea In-
dians. They clean their nails with penknives
table, call shrimps, bugs, and are otherwise little
attractive. After d.eplsiting the white of an egg
on her plate in a way not allowed in polite society,
one is thus described :--" She subsequently ate
ham and eggs, awl sausages, liver and bacon, fried
potatoes, and other delicacies, finishing up with
cakes and molasses, all of which she washed
down with coffee and several tumblers of milk,
into which lumps of ice are put, which
render it very agreeable." The women are
immoral, without even the excuse of attraction
in the men, who are " frights." Indeed they them-
selves, as if impressed with so much ugliness,