Litchfield enquirer., 1854-06-22
1yl)isesliang.
Tie Rise and Fall of spain.
A WARNING.

It is n popular error in America to be. jieve that the republic ean never be da. stroyed. Nor is the delusion exirnordil mary. The rise of tilsse confederaied States has beenso rapid. the elements of their prosperity continue to be 90 great, and their power has already risen 70 such a pinnacle, that it is not extravagant to .snppoae they will attain to sill greater spIendor and even defy the Nsual chances Of flute.
 But if there is anything certain. it isl Chat the life of notions. as well as Of in. dividuals, is subject 10 fixed and immu
 table laws. II man neglscis slle laws of health. premature decay is the con sequence; and # q nation commits sigt milar mistake, rapid decline ensues. No kingdom in modern times has sfufn. ished moro fofcible illustration of this than Spain. Three centuries ago 1t vas the greatest power in Europe. Iss posn sessions included iwo,thirds of America, and ne influence exlended oyer Belgium.
 Austria and Italy. Elsreyenue included the wealth of ths Indies. Its Armada
 threatened England. It literature oyer shadpWed that of any other country in Europe. But nov Spain is isnpoverish. Ied, torn by civil broils. Mithont posiaio1 among conlineptal powers. and actually dfiveh 10 beg from other pewers assist.
 asre tp enable her 10 retain the last of
 her once countless coionies. How has ale failen so low as5 ~
 We van answer the question best by showing how sbe rose 10 greatness. 0ris ginally. Spain consisted of independent Statcs. which, maiptaining constant Marfare against the Moofs, gradually eK~ tended tLeif boundaries as iiley ashieved
 naoie frequent successes against the in~. yaders h lhis way. from small begin. nings, tie whole peninsula uss recon
 gueFed from Inc Moslem. It is . miss thke 10 descfibe these long wars as q re. ligisus crusade merely. Ihe clement of |fseedom entered IargsIy into lhem. The Cid fought foT the iajiepsndsnce Of bis
 country quite as much ss Tor fhe eause of the Cbntch. It was the liberal institu- tions of CasliIe which ipfussd tte spirit into the Spanish people. which epahled lilem to endure priyalion, 70 braxe dsp> ger. t0 risk everything fheY possessed foF iheir county 4 great vIiter hAs truly sail that lie Spaniafds of tlle q. teenth century were what the Anglo. Saxon is in ne nineteenth, Their inian- sfy was lhe terror of Elrope, their ad- vepiurous keels plouehsd every sea, tlleir high spirit had passed into pfoyeTb 1; they seemed, indeed, nation of PaIas dins. Aissr diving the lasl Moor from the soil of Spain. they conquered Amer ica, and subiugsied half of India. But |this Nas sheir eulminstipg pcini 1; and from lbat have they begun to decline.
 ol pow, III ag once lbey have changed sheik policy Thsir fFee institnliqns had
 been ahs canse oi ghqse hafdy xirtnea
 which had made sllem great and hiihs efto the1 had uain,ained th0se ipalilu-
 slens Nish jealous SigoFs Bus wilh tiie discovery of Ameiios agoea ereed for gold and foF conquest and f0T forcibIe
 anne exniian 10 Qblai1 iss AHexieo mnS
 peized PsFn uas eubines,ed. sad ihs fss, bic lndifnb ySfs tnsinged e diS in t.sS
 mines Labor which La one bssn k9a< ofed. e mo disktts We>IIf asS &oIs