New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-09

element in the ancient constitution OF the CORES
viz: the clergy, enlisted since Ferdinand the
Catholic under the bsnnerof the lnqulsuon' had
long ceased to identity It's interests with those OIL
feudsl Spain. On the contrary by the lnqalsl'
ton. the Church was transformed into the most
formidable tool OF sbsOlutism.
If after the reign of Carlos |. the decline oil
Spain both in political and social aspect exhio
tied all those symptoms ef inglorous and pro-
trscted putrefactiOn so repulsive IN the WORST
times of the TuIkish Empire, under the Emperor
at least the snciest liberties were buried IN
magrifcent tomb. This was the time when 'asce
Nu5oz Balboa planted the banner OF CASTLE upon
the shores of Dsrien Cortez in Mexico, and PI'
zsrro in Peru; when Spanish influence relgued
mpreme in Europe, and the Southern imagination
of the Iberians was bewildered with visions OF
Eldorados chivslrous adventures, and aniyersal
monarchy. Then Spanish liberty disappeared I'M
der the clash of arms, showers of gold and the
terrible illuminations Of the auto-dsfe
But how are we to account for the singular
phepomepon that. after almost three centuries
of Hapsburg dynasty, followed by Bourbon
dyna.ty-either of them quite sufficient to crush
people-the municipal liberties of Spain more
or less survive that in the very country,
where of all the feudal states absolute moR-
arcby first arose in its most unmitgated form,
Capitalization has never succeeded in taking root
The answer is not difficult. Ii was in the SIX
teenth century that were formed the great mon
arches which established themselves everywhere
on the downfall of the conflicting feudal classes
the aristOcracy and the towns. But in the other
great States of Europe absolute monarchy pre-.
sents itself as civzing center, as the initIator
of social unity. There it was the laboratory, in
which the various elements of society were so
mixed and worked, as to allow the towns to
change the local independence and sovereignty
of the Middle Ages for the general rule OF the
middle classes. and the common sway ef civil
society In Spain, on the contrary, while the
aristocracy sunk into degradation without losing
their worst privilege, the towns lost their me-
deyal power without gaining modern impor'
tance.
Since the establishment Of absolute monarchy
they have veeetated in a state OF continuous
decay. We have not here to state the circum-
stances, political or economical, which destroyed
Spanish commerce, industry navigation and sgrl'
culture. For the present purpose it is sufficient
10 simply recall the fact. As the co nmercial
and industrial life of the towns declined internal
exchanges became rare the minging OF the IN
hsbitantr of different provinces less frequent the
means of communication neglected, and the great
roads gradually deserted Thus the local life OF
Spain, the independence OF its provinces aud
eommupes the diversified state of society orig
inaly based on the physical conGguration of the
country. and historically developed by the de-
tached manner in which the several provinces
emancipated themselves from the Moorish rule.
and formed little independent commonweaiths-
was now finally strengthened aud confirmed by
the economical revolution which dried up the
sources of national activity. And while the
absolute monarchy found in Spain material in its
very nature repulsiye to centralzaton, it did al
in its power to prevent the growth of common
interests arising out of national division of
labor and the multiplicity of internal exchanges
the very basis on which alone UNIFORM system
of administration and the rule Of general laws
can be created. Thus the absolute monarchy in
Spain, bearing but superficial resemblance ts
the absolute monarcbes Of Europe in general,
is rather to be ranged in a elias. with Asiatic
ferns of government. Spain. like Turkey, re-
mained an agglomeratiOn of mismanay yed republics
with q nominal sovereign at their head. Des-
potism changed character in the different provin-
ces with the arbitrary Interpretation OF the
general laws by vceroys and governors; but des-
pOtc as was the government il did not prevent
the provinces from subsisting with different laws
and customs, different coins, military banners Of
different colOrs, and with their respective sys-
tens of taxation. The oriental despotism at
tacks municipal sefgoyerDment only when op-
posed 10 its direct interests but is very glad to
allow those institutions to continue long ss they
take of its shoulders the duty of doing some
thing and spare il tie trouble Of regular admins
tration.
Thus it happened that Napoleon, who, like all
his contemporaries, considered Spain as an inao.
mate corpse, was fatally surprised at the dis
cOvery that when the Spanish State WAS dead,
Spanish society was full of life. and every part of
ut oyerfowing with powers of resistance. BY
the treaty of FoDtsneblesu he had got his troops
to Madrid; by alluring the royal family into al
interview at Bsyonne he had forced Carlos " to
retrac. his abdicston, and then to make over to
to him his dOminions; and he had ntimidsted
Ferdinand VII into similar declaration. Carlos
", his Queen and the Prince Of Peace, conveyed
10 COmpiegne, Ferdinand VII and bis brothers
imprisoned in the castle of yalencsy- BOnsp.rte
conferred the throne of Spain on his brother
Joseph, assembled Spanish Junta at Bayonne, aud