Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-07


cgnomy ot The people ? Why is that ma
iion cipher which ought 10 play so great
part IN the political drama OF The globe
SpanlardS, the problem Is not of diff
cult solution. When nations begin 10 be
the absolute possessions OF one man,
they are buried. The public good no
longer occupies the hearts of the citizens.
he desire at aggramdizing the prince
lakes place al The sentiments ct patriot
Ism and al glory. Seduction, the arts oi
Intrigue, sortid ioac hinaiiuns, imposiure,
treason and prrtidy, like so many evil
gem surround the throne of absolute and
arbitrary kings. Spain suffered those evils
more severely than any of the other ma
tons, from the time that Ferdinand the
nth began Ia Jorge her chains. The prin-
! ces oi the house at Austria emulaied each
other IN raising the edltice of the domi-
halion and dcspotism so well known. 80.
Ike people were, 1henceIorh, reckoned
, as nothing IN political matters. The re,
representatives. Who main ained their rights,
disappeared. The productions OF genius
almost exclusively tended 10 tlatirr ihe
passions Ut The kings, and 10 offer incense
TO their os,nipojcuce. No one thought
81 The rights OF man. OF The happiness Of
Tue people, al the energy That makes states
powerful, ami The virtues which secure
! their happiness aud glory.
In vain Giii the nation show herself
great and worthy %! Ter name, when lac
wiio gave laws Ia Europe, endcavored To
tnsiave her by means Of machluatiou aud
| pcrfidy. The armies thar carried terror
every where, did no, suppress her gene
! rous efforts. The sword, fire, devasia
! lion. all The uuheard of horrors of warfare.
: appeared 10 her lfiiliug sacrifices Tor the
, sake OF rcfenging her desp,sed honor
| MOI content Ia c"uibai with external Gu
! emics, she end"avored 10 exiermina,e the
! internal ones still more hurlful, by means
OF a government That secured her civil
I liberty and prosperity. The Constiiu-
! ton was sanctioned in The face Of The en-
! emN's bayonris those bay oneis disap-
reaarcd from her soil, ard they then saw
the termination ot their power and OF
! their trlumphs.
What fruit has the Spanish people reap
ed from suci iulrepidiy and val0ur 3.
| What has become OF the ediiice Which
! HE law erected, and which ought TO have
/ been indesirurti..le The King who owed
! HE mosi 10 hiS nation, exhibited the first
! proof OF his power by demoIIshlng it,
| The fathers q; the country who had raised
II, were treated like wicked and faciious
wreichcs Ii was crime agaius, males.
| ~ To love aud desire The government that
could be made most useful 10 Spain In.
! s'llnllons which enlightened fines disap-
proved, and which had provoked lie late
nraSl"n. were renewed With fury, and
| distinguished lay the most detpsiable
! hypocrisy. Tie crime of disaffecIion 10
The Royal Person was invented, hitherto
nnkuownin Europe. Imprisonment, exile,
we're the rewards ofihose who llad desrry
cd best OF the country. Hearts inflamed
| with the past gloiies, we're frozen with
terror; and 10 The balmy air OF liberty
WHICH gives life to states, succeeded the
corrupted atmosphere OF slavery, which
carries civil death wherever il goes.
No; never waS nation treated with such
despotism and contempt. Spain gave th,In an
example OF suffering that ast0uiShed Europe.
hose who had wished 10 cause il TO ne he
heVed hat her iisng against Frasce had been
| the EJECT OF superstition triumphrd, then o.
! yer thUse who attributed il TO mnre generous
| sentiments. In tact, what could be suspected
| from so extraordinary all apathy 7 WHY did
| Tie nation snddcni, siuk. which had taken so
Sublime kigit! WY did she suffer to be
demolished the cd,fice raised at the exDcuse
OF so much tell and blood! WHY did she has
ten 60 the woke after lid wing spared no sac-
iince Ia order TO escape it1
Spanards. such fatal inconsistency led Won
TO slavery, and II you do not awake will be ycur
iuin. Shall place before You the said pic
iure ct its consequences But why should |.
When HEY are So apparent; Who has lot
been moved at tie sight ct COVE rnment tee
BILE. without character, without principles ard
without consistency, that renders the alton A
! cypher with respect to the pIipCipaI powers
OF Europe Who /. not iTritaIcd at bchoIdiug
| The corruption of her agents the criminal a
buse Vt power In so many of her fuuctiomaries,
ana Spain converted into a theatre of plnudey
aud piliage, in which he who obtains the most
booty Is the mort fortunate aud ;hc mo rsteem.
cd w ho las not groaned AT seeing he scenes of
public calamity ,thrtieids waste the CONNER ciaI
| places Abandoned, industry extinct the laws
without viger, lICeulionsuess unpuuishrd the
| pnbliC safely endangered. informers triumph.
| AM, the general JiseTy arrived at It's hrin hi
| lir corruption OF manners which is lis newt.
| able consequence, and IN short haiinn CON
'ctiPd INTO corpse that ought 10 have been
The lhs aIie OF ACTIVITY, OF life and of opuicucp2
These evils, OF which we present >nck fee
| Die sketches, grieve The hearts OF those who
| love their country. Some generous SpaniaIds,
who rose openly 10 eXteIminate them were
| The victims sf prT!ldN, and of the armed force
| converted lnto Scoufce OF The people, when
| the people were enSiaVed. puni,hm and
| exile, were the melancholy fruits of thcirl he
| rolC daring. The wicked triumphed in this new
augmentation OF misery. Good men niourued
! tjr theii worthy defenders, aud repeat their
name with the accent Ofddmii atirp, Of grief,
| aud 81 nierness due TO The unfortunate brave
| The misfortune OF those heroes has not in-
undated The VdriOHs corps of the national al
| my, who boldly appear in field so famous
| for cataSirophrs Tie mseries 81 their cumi,-
| Try oNtoTtrd the vow hich they have made
| either TO render Der happy, on TO die tor her.
| To fc-cstabiish tho empire of the law, and
| that the nation herself may recover the li2ht
| 10 determine her lot, were the only motives
| that have induced them 10 uniuIl the stapd-
| ard OF the country. Their first step after Ia
| King such determined resolution was TO
| proclaim the political constitution vt the
| SPanish m0narchy, the object OF the affection
| aud loSe OF all who wish Tor the success OF
| righteous cause All their other actions have
| been cOnioI Unable 10 what Is prescribed by
! thai sacred code Disorders and violence have