Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-05-27
FROM THE PHILADELPHIA NORTH AMERICAN
The AnglO-SaxOn and the Spaniard.

IL the history o? nations were more accurately
written so as to depict the people, instead Of Civ
Ing us mere detail Of I nations conduct in a few
particulars, as the acts of Kings and Generals,
with the successive changes Of Government and of
Rulers. we should discover that nations, like fami-
lies, have their distinctive traits so inherent as to be
continually reproduced /; that some have the miqra
tory and colonial spirit strongly i'm planted in them
and others have remarkable attachment to
their country, and seek to leave it OF to en-
large lis borders.
The present posture of the United States OF
North America and of the United Mexican States
as they are properly termed, awakens attention to
the past career of the races thus involved in war.
and we give few very slight sketches Of what
might be wrought into an interesting picture OF ma
tional character and progress.
Considerably more than a thousand years 400
there dwelt in Spain race of men known as he
rlans, who were distinguished among all the west
ern nations of Europe for their warIIkc habits and
remarkable courage. They never acknowledged
the supremacy OF Carthage which had established
an empire in Spain, but they fought as allies and
auXiaries in her armies, aud Were sought also by
the Athenians, to whom their prowess had become
known. They were no less remarkable for their
courtesy and gallantTy TO their women. But yet
they had not the higher faculties of wariike com
binaon which give success TO n campaign, though
tiey hdu Ve inOSt uhIHlg resistance 10 INVASION
and when the masses were routed small bodies con-
tinued 10 fight independently of each other at eve
~ opportunity. They excluded from the
Mediterranean coast Of Spain, which was possess
ed by the Phenicians and Carihaginans, who gave
to the Spaniard his spirit of adventurous naviCa-
ton, but they possessed the whole interior of Spain.
and stretched on the Atlantic coast 10 the BAY OF
Biscay, whence colony has been thought to have
settled on the southwestern coast of England (the
Y ,nIo y 81. al.
the ancient races Of Britain.
| In the most northern parts of Europe towards
the confines Of ASA there dwelt another race of
men known as Cells, whose lives were devoted TO
war and pllage, in pursuit of which they were
ever leaving their own country and pressing into
| that Of their neighbors SOMETIMES supplantnu
/ them, at others merely subdung them. but always
remaining in the countries they visited and over
run.
/ AT the earliest dawn Of the history of the west
eTn nations of Europe, the Cells had become dis
porsed over great part of that continent. and al
the time of Julius Cesar they orcuped the princi-
pal portions of Spain, OF Gau, and Of the British
Isles In England they were known as the Anglo
/ SaXoDs; in rance as the Gauls and in Spain they
coaesced with the ancient race OF that country
and were known as the Cetiberlans. When their
numbers predomnated in the latter country. and
by a long career of arms, they had escaped the
shlpwreck Of liberty and religion in the mountains
Of Asturas, they gave more elevated character 10
the latter races, as in CASTLE so that the name Of
Castiliau has become tire cognouen of an elevated
Spsaard.
These ohshoots Of the Gothic race were both
trained 10 waTlike encounter with the Romans foi
more than two centuries. and finally. as the pow
or of that nation declined they advanced upon
them The Cells who peopled England, and thosr
who settled in Spain, both planted in their new
homes their peculiar systems Ofpohty and the euda
system afterwards modified them both--frst eleva
ting the nobility into military orders, and next con.
ceuiratng the people against them for protection II
Spain, however, the sway of popular institution,
and the creation Of corporate towns and corporate
districts, where the people chose their own munich