Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-10-03
Price Two Cents.
Gbe 4ailpg Spn,
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3. 1854.


The Edinburg lScotland) Witness, takes &C.
casion, from the present condition Of affairs in
spain, to exhibit the contrast presented bythe
history of the Protestant and Ronish nations
of Europe, during the last three centuries
The sixteenth century started the Euro
pean nations in a new career, AND put it in
the power Of each to choose either the prnci-
pies OF mere ,cM or author0y-the one COM
pendous principle, according to which both
Church and State were governed under tile
Papacy-or that of lac; law expressing. not
the will of one man, but the collective reason
of the nation, the distinctive principle Of gov
eminent under Professionalism. The nations
made their choice. Some ranged themselves
on this side, some on that; and the sixteenth
century saw them standing abreast, like COM
pet,tors at the ancient Olympic games, ready,
on the signal being given, to dart forward in
the race tor victory.
They did not stand abreast, be it observed
The several competitors in this high race did
not start on equally advantageous terms. The
rich and powerful nations declared for Popery
and arbitrary government the weak and
third rate ones for Professionalism. On one
stood Spain, then at the head of Europe-rich
in arts, in military glory, i'll the genius and
chlvalry OF its people, i'll the resources of its
soil and the m stress, besides, of splendid
colonies BY her side stood France-the equal
of Spain in art, in civilization, in military
genius, and interior only to her proud neigh
Dor in the SINCE article of colonies. Austria
came next, and then Italy. Such were the
illustrious names ranged on the one side. All
were powerful, opulent, highly civilized,
and some of them cherished the recollections
of inperishable renown, which is q mighty
power in itself. We have TO such names 20
AZ
which entered the lists against the others were
but second and third rate powers. Britain,
which scarce possessed foot breadth of terri
tory beyond her own islands, Holland, a
country torn from the waves-the Neither
lands and Prussia, neither of which were of
much consideration, In every particular the
Protestant nations were inferior to the Papal
nations, save in the single article of their Pro-
testantism; nevertheless, that one quality has
been sufficient to counterbalance, and far more
than couuterbalance, all the advantages I,os-
sessed by the others. Since the day we speak
Of, what different ca Ger has been that of
these nations Three centuries have suiiced
to reverse their position. Civilization, glory,
extent OF territory AMI material wealth, have
all passed over from the one side to the other.
eff the Protestant nations. Britain alone is
more powerful than the whole of combined
Europe i'll the sixteenth century.
But, what is remarkable also, we find the
various nations OF Europe at this hour on the
same side on which they ranged themselves
in the sixteenth century. Those that neglect
ed the opportunity which that century brought
them of adopting Professionalism and free
Government are to this day despo,ic. France
has submitted to three bloody revolutions in
the hope Of reooy ering what she criminally
missed in the sixteenth century, but her tears
aAd her blood have been she'd in vain. The
course of Spain and that of the Italian States
have been not unsiluilar. They have plunged
into revolutions in quest of liberty, but have
! found only deeper despotsm. hey have
dethroned kings, proclaimed new constitu-
! tious brought statesmen and citizens by thon-
sand to the block; they have agonized add
bied; but they have been unable to reverse
| their fatal choice at the Reformation"