New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-25

papers 10 one OF the public squares and sacri-
feed them there a. q political snto da-fe, after
which high mass was performed and the Tie Deum
sung As Thanksgiving for their triumph More
importsnt perbsps-slnce these shameless demon
STATIONS of the town mob, partly paid for their
performances, and like the Lazz,roni of Naples,
preferriDg the wsnton rule Of kings and monks
70 the sober regime Of the middle classes-is tie
fact that the second general elections resulted in
. decisive victory Of the Services the constituent
Cortes being replaced by the ordinary Cortes on
Sept 90 1913, who transferred their sittiDgs from
Cadiz to Madrid on Jan. Is. 1914.
We have shown in former articles how the rev.
dictionary party itself had participated in rousiug
and STRENGTHENING the old popular prejudices,
with view to turn them into 80 many weapons
sgainst Napoleon. We have then seen how the
Central Junta, at the only period when sochl
changes were to be bler ded with measures Of IA.
toual defense, did ell In their power to prevent
them, and to suppress the revolutionary sspira-
tions of the provinces. The Csdiz Cortes, on the
contrary, cut of during the greater part of their
existence from all connection with Spain, were
not even enabled to make their constitution and
their organic DEGREES Known, except as the
French armies retired. The Cortes arrived, as it
were, post faetpm. They found society fatigued,
exhausted, suffering; the necessary product of
so protracted war, entirely carried on upon the
Spanish soil; war in which the armies, being
always on the move, the Government of to-day
was seldom that Of tomorrow, while bloodshed
did not cease one single day during almost six
years throughout the whole surface of Spain
from Cadiz to Pampeluna, and from Granada to
Salamanca. II was not to be expected that such
society should be very sensible Of the abstract
beauties of any political constitution whstever
Nevertheless, when the constitution was first
proclaimed at Madrid, and the other provinces
evacuated by the French, it was received with
"e1ultant delight" the masses being generally
expecting sudden disappearance Of their social
,uferngs from mere change Of Government.
When they discovered that the constitution was
not possessed Of such miraculous powers, the very
oyerstrained expectations which had welcomed
it, turned into disappointment and with these
passionate Southern peoples there is but one step
from disappointment to hatred.
There were some particular circumstances
which principally contributed to estrange the
popular sympathies from the Constitutional re-
sime. The Cortes had published the severest
DEGREES against the 1fraHees0dos or the Josephtes
The Cortes we're partly driven to these DEGREES
by the viDdctive clamor Of the populace and the
reactionists, who at once turned against tho
Cortes as coon as the DEGREES they had wrung
from them were put to execution. Upwards Of
10000 families became thus exiled. A lot Of
petty tyrants let loose on the provinces, evacuat
ed by the French, established their Proconsular
authority, and began by inquiries, prose ,ution,
prison, iDquisitorial proceedings against those
con promised through adherence TO the French,
by having accepted Offices from them, bought
national p, operty fro N them, etc. The Regency,
instead of trying to effect the transition from the
French TO the national regime in conciliatory
aud discreet way did all in their power to aggra.
yate the evils and exssperste the passions in
separable from such changes of dominion. But
why did they do Sol In order to be able to ask
from the COrtes q suspension Of the Constitution
Of 1872, which, they told them, worked so very
extensively. BE it remarked, en- passast, that all
the Regencies, these supreme executive authori'
ties appointed by the COrtes, were regularly CON-
posed Of the most decided enemies Of the Cortes
and their Constitution. This curious fact is
simply explained by the Americans always CON-
biniDg with the Services in the appointment
Of the executive power, the weakening OF
which they considered necessary for the
attainment Of American independence from the
mother country. since they were cure that an exec
utiye simply at variance with the sovereign Cortes
would prove insufficient. The introduction by
of lard, as well as upon industrial and CONNER.
cial produce, excited also great discomfort among
the people, aud still more so the absurd DEGREES
forbidding the circulation of all Spanish specie
coined by Joseph Bonapsrte, aud ordering its pos
SCISSORS TO exchange it for national coin, simulta
neously interdcring the circulation Of French
money, and proclaiming tariff at which il was
to be exchanged at the national mint. As this
tariff greatly differed from that proclaimed by the
French in lS6S, for the relative value Of French
and Spanish coins many private indvidu-
sls were involved in great losses. This absurd
measure also contributed to raise the price oft
first necessaIies, already highly above the average
rates.
The classes most interested in the overthrow Of
the Constitution of 1872 and the restoration OF
the old regime-the Grandees, the Clergy, the
Friars and the Lawyers-did not fail to ex-
cite to the highest pitch the popular discomfort
created BY the unfortunate circumstances which
hs5 marx cd the introduction on the Spanish coil
Of the constitutional regime. Hence the victory