Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-12-18
From tie Cincinnati Enquirer.
Spain--ItS Former Power and its Present
Weakness,

Two hundred and fifty years ago the Kingdom
of Spain was the most powerful State that then ex
listed in Christendom. Her commerce whitened
every sea, and in the arts and manufactures she
had no rival. She had colonies in every part of
the habtable globe, and with perfect proprety
could it have been said that the sun never set
upon her dominions. Her wealth was boundess,
for she had the treasures of the Indies at her CONTROL
and the gold and silver of South America and Mex
leo found its way into her exchequers, and replen
ished the Golfers finer ships, loaded with gold and
silver from the mines of South America and Mexi-
CO, performed their annual voyages across the At
lantic to the mother country.
If there ever was a nation which appeared to
have attained the height of prosperity and great
ness, it was Spain at the period alluded to in the
commencement of this article. The title which
the Spanish monarchs assumed, of "Kng of Spain
and the Indies,' while it indicated no little AFRO
gance and pride, was quite descriptive of the mag
nifcent Empire over mobiles. She was the wonder
and admiration of the surrounding nations, who
coveted the immense advantages she possessed.
Her monarchy, and her colonies were guarded by
the largest, the best disciplined, and the most eff
cient army that had existed since the downfall of
the Roman Empire. The Castian infantry had
acquired the reputation of being invincible, and
entered the capitals of numbr of European States
in triumph. Her navy was larger than that of all
the other States in Christendom combined, and
possessed every other element of strength that
could be desired for maintenance of maritime SUI
periority. No other power could vie with her Ell
Their in the size or equipment of her Gallons, as
the larger ships of war were then called. When
the 'Invincible Armada of Phillip the Second
bore down the English Channel, which it whiten-
ed with its Sails during the reign of that high spir-
tied Princess, Queen Elizabeth, the people of the
British realm were greatly alarmed for their ber-
ties, and only saved from great national ca
lamity by the winds of heaven which dispersed
the mighty armament relied upon for their sub
lection.
A Spanish army about the same time advanced
to the gates of Paris, and all Europe wassalarmed
at the predominance of Spanish greatness, which
seemed to be aiming at universal dominion. 1t
was Spanish enterprise that listened favorably to
the geographical theories of the great Genoese
navigator, Christopher Columbus, after he had
been repulsed by the other nations of Europe, and
sent him on that memorable voyage of discovery
that gave another continent to civilization and com
merce. In literature and science Spain was pre-
eminent at that time and the scholastic lights of
the schools of Seville, Salamanca and Madrid, IL
umined the continent. The Spanish marines
were confessedly the most hardy and enterprsing
of any of the European nations, and encouraged
by their unprecedented success in making mari
time discoveries, they fearlessy ventured out upon
the unknown and trackless ocean, with a conf
dence in their skill, and reliance in themselves
for every emergency that sublime and emo
bling. The masses of their countrymen caught the
same spirit and were animated by it, as was stri-
kingly evinced when Cortez, with an inconsidera-
BILE band of few hundred men, invaded the pow
erful Mexican Empire, then ruled by the Aztecs
burned his ships in order to cut off the possb-
ity of return to Spain in case of adversely, and
fearlessly marched into the interior of country
that numbered its millions of inhabitants About
the same time, too, and with a still less force, Pr
zarrO, another Spanish adventurer, landed in Pc
ru, and with the most unparalleled daring record
ed in the annals of history, seized its King and
ruler, and made himself master of the treasure as
well as the government of the country.
These instances attest the energy and boldness
of the Spanish character at that time, which, in
pursuit Of national object, was restrained by no
obstacles, and deferred by no dangers. nsearch
Of gain and national acquisitions. the Spanish ex
plored the innermost recesses of North and South
America, and the isles Of the ocean, with hardi-
hood that was unparalleled and surprising. The
might Of the Spanish power was felt ii al parts Of
the globe, and the flag Of CASTLE waved over m