Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-12-18

SeSSed nearly the whole OF South and large por-
ton of North America, with the addition, also, of
most of the principal islands In Europe she an
nexed the Kingdom of Portugal, as well as HoI-
land and Flanders, to her dominions-a consider
able portion of the Italian Peninsula under her
influence and her banner was trumphantly dis
played from the Rock of Gibraltar, that impregna-
BILE fortress that commands the entrance from the
Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. In Asia and
Africa she had vast possessions that were only in
terior to her American acquisitions. Her COM
merce was uptn scale fully commensurate with
her immense colonial facilities, and it was an un-
failing source of wealth to her opulent merchants
There was waited into her ports the products of
every cline, and every luxury then known to civ
zation and refinement. She had larger guam
tity of the precious metals than all of the other
European powers combined, and every year her
treasure which their sway extended, and which
was the greatest that had been seen in modern
times. But two hundred years of wretched mis-
government and tyranny has entirely destroyed
every veStige of her greatness, and her weakness
and imbecility have long been notorious through
out Christendom The Spain of the sixteenth
century is no longer in existence. She has long
been blotted out among the nations of the earth.
From the distinction of being first rate power,
able to maintain offensive attitude TO the whole
world, she has sunk to an inferior position among
independent nationasts and is to day hardly equal
in political strength to the little states of Denmark
or Sweden. Of her immense colonial possessions
which we have described, nothing now remains
subject to her authority but the beautiful island Of
Cuba, the Queen of the Antilles as it has been
POLITICALLY known, and the smaller possession of
Porto Rico. They are the sole relics of her for
mer greatness, and even their retention she owes
more to her weakness than her strength, which has
prevented her from being an object of jealousy
to her more powerful and enterprising neighbors
From being the wealthiest she has become the
poorest nation of Europe, and her credit has long
been at the lowest point of depression.
No treasure ships from Mexico and Peru now
replenish her exhausted exchequer, and her i'm
polite legislation has nearly, or quite destroyed
all her other national resources. Her restrictive
and prohibiting tariffs have ruined her commerce,
beggared her people, and impoverished the country
in every respect. She has been so long subject to
civil wars and factional strife that peace and secu
rity to individual rights, well property is al
most unknown. In the arts of agriculture and
manufactures, she has made no advancement for
a hundred years. Her immense navy has rotted
away at the docks, unemployed, or has been cap
tured IN unfortunate wars until naught remains
but few hulks, almost unfit for actual service
Her standing army has long lost the reputation for
bravery and steadiness which it once possessed
and would stand little chance for success were il
brought into conflict with an equal number Of the
Anglo Saxon race. Imbecilitv and inefiGency
have been, for great many years, the character
lstc features of its government. Not only the
mother country, but even its American posses
sions, which have become independent States,
seem to have inherited its weakness, and are tran-
gers to anything like prosperity Indeed, Spain
has appeared for great while, to be in the last
stages of natural decline and to be almost beyond
the hope of regeneration. The enterprise that
. sent COLUMBUS in search of new world, which
impelled Spanish adventurers under CoRTEz, to
advance into the interior of powerful and hostile
empire, has entirely disappeared, and given place
, to the most extreme lethargy.
The burst of national feeling which was called
: forth by the usurpation of the kingdom in 500
: by NAPOLEON was but a ftful gust of passion,
famed by fanaticism, and subsidized with the cause
that gave it birth Spain possesses nothing of hel
: former national character, but the same indomi-
table pride and haughtiness which distinguished
o her in more prosperous times In her intercourse
: with other nations, she does not abate one jot OF
title of her pretenson and her rulers appear
as if they swayed the Spain of the 10th century,
n which kept all christendom in awe. The most in
: sulting arrogance marks its diplomatic policy, as
: the experience of the United States for the last
fifty, and more especially for the last three years.
o will abundantly testify. The American govern
|. ment has sustained more insults and indigntes
from this out and imbecile power, than it has
: ever received from any other nation. Instead o.
# endeavoring to cultivate a good understanding
with the United States as a neighboring power to
d her remaining American possessions, as good poll
S cy would dictate, Spain has done exactly the re-
Il verse.
d We have always been subject to every kind o.
It annoyance from that quarter. When she possess
: ed the Floridas her authorities were constantly
! stirring up the Indians in the adjoining States O.
S Georgia and Alabama to make war and massacre
our citizens and her territories were always safe
d place of refuge to them after they had committed
: their atrocities. During our contest with Great
: Britain in 1919, Spain used her thinly-veiled leu
e trality to our great detriment and prejudice, sc
: much so that our immortal commander in the south
: ern section of the Union, ANDREW JACKSON, was
d compelled to hoist the stars and stripes from the
= battlements of Pensacola. Since the purchase Of
Florida in 1919 by our government, the principal
object of which was to get rid of bad and trouble
some neighbor, the Island of Cuba has been the
source from whence diplomatic difficulties with
t Spain has arisen. Her officials have neither re-
spected the faith of treaties or the laws of nations
but have repeatedly violated both at their pleas
d ure. There can be but little doubt that in so do
ing they are pursuing course calculated to expel
y them entirely from this continent. Could they
: succeed in embroiling Spain in war with the Uni
: ted States, the star-spangled banner would soor
# wave in triumph from the castle of Moro at Ha
: vana. Even in the most favorable aspect in which
S the matter can be viewed it seems impossible tina
9 the weak and imbece power of Spain should mucl
i longer retain the Island in subsection. 1t vii
doubtless follow the example of the other colonia