New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-23
SP A l n
whole evening

In the southwest of Europe, between tho
Pyrenees. the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
lie the Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal-the
latter insignificant in area and being hlstori-
calIy as well us geographically an Offset from
the former. Spain, renowned from antiquity
for its gold and other minerals and as the nat
ural arena of desperate contentious between
dominant European and African races, Is diyid-
ed BY lofty mOuntain.chains into several prov
inces or kingdoms having little intercourse
and but a sluggish sympathy with each other
Hence arose the jealouses and riyalries which
rendered the ancient Iberians, though hardly
less numerous and relatively more powerful
than their modern descendants, an inevitable
though not easy prey to Carthaginan, Roman,
Gothic and ultimately to Saracea rapacity and
ambition This natural weakness was over
come during the thirteenth andfourteenth cen
turtles BY the intense aversion OF the various
Christian populations to the Saracen yoke, and
the absolute necessity Of Q concentration Of
authority and effort to break il. United by a
common hatred and IA common danger, tho
more primitive Spaniards not only conquered
the Saracens, but expelled them, compelling
al who would not submit to baptism and pro-
Tess faith in Christianity quit the country for
ever
Thus enc formidable evil sas yanquished, but
TWO others were planted IN its ssead-Bigotry
and Despousm. The spaDlaTds, from the IN
tensity of their hatred OF the Moorish inidels,
became intolerant Of any alteration from tho
Catholic Faith, and the InquisitiOn arose and
f0urished quite as much a National as Papal
institution so the UNION Of all Spaaiards
under one leader, TO make head against Sara
cen hostility, implanted the sentiment Of
Loyalty deep in every patriotic heart, aud
Spain remains TO this day the most thoroughly
Msnarchieal though among the least AristO-
cratic, Of all civilized nations. On this foun-
dation Of undoubdng Faith, nshrinkiDg 10y
ally ard ardent devotion 10 National integ-
rity and unity, IL was very easy TO raise
supersrueture Of unlimited DespOtism.
The discovery Of America soon followed the
consolidation Of the Monarchy, and spain, by
right of discovery, exploration and conquest.
speedily became possessed Of the richest and
most inviting half Of the New World. This
rapidly enriched, for season, aggrandized,
and ultimately ruined her The naturally no
bic, simple and generous Spanish character
was deeply corrupted by the deluge Of I'm
earned gold that Oyerflowed her from her
transatlantic possessions. Home Industry,
in all its departments, languished, because all
her aspiring and energetic youth were lured
away from her soil by dreams of dominion and
plubder 10 be won by bold hearts and ready
hands beyond the Western main. Mines which
had been worked for twenty centuries wero
abandoned and closed the money prices OF all
products were exorbitantly enhanced wars
multiplied on every hand; manufactures Ian
gushed and decsyed, for the highest duties
only served, among people thus corrupted BY
luxury dominion, and love Of adventure, to
stimulate the audacity Of the smuggler rather
than the ingenuity of the inventor or the in
dustry Of the workman.
Thus Spain gradually declined, until, at tho
commencement of the present century, with
her immense American possessions undmin-
i.hed in extent and uuimpsired in productive