New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-27
REVOLUTIONARY SPAIN.
ffourts Art.eiel

..a,.in ara derived from the Iogados (ia~yors)'
A, ths head of the misclievous magsterisi hier-
srchy Of Spain was placed the Co"s9' "'I. -
Castle. Sprung up in the turbulent t'lae' ', -.
DON Jusus and the Enriqses, streng'nene' ~
Philiu III. who discovered in IL a worthy oo"p,o
mont If tbs santo o6feio, IL hsd improved oy tue
ealamities of the times and the "e"n"e 80
,atsr kings to usurp and accumulate ~ .' Aa"'
tAs most heterogeneous attributes anu W Suo /"
=. u, functions of Highest Tribunal 'no'e OIL
.ra of an administrative superintendent
~. ,inedoms of Spain. Thus it surpassed
49,, sven the French Parliament which it
-.I.,nbled in many points, except that it was
80, N be found on the side Of the people.
Having been the most powerful authority in an
,i,pt Spain, the Consso Real was, Of course, the
post implscsble foe to new Spain and to all
the recent popular authorities threatening to
cripple its supreme influence. Being the great
SigDitary of the order of the lawyers and the in.
carnste guaranty of oil its abuses and privileges,
the Cons.o naturally disposed Of all the numerous
and influential interests vested in Spanish juris-
prudence 1t was therefore power with which
the revolution could enter into no compromise,
but which had to be swept away unless it should
be allowed to sweep away the revolution in It's
turn. AZ we have seen in a former article, tho
Consejo had prostituted itself before Napoleon
and by that act of treason had Loot all hold upon
the people. But on the day of their assumption
of Office the Central Junta were foolish enough to
communicate to the Conseio their constitution,
and to AJAX for its oath of fidelity, after having re-
eeived which they declared they would dispatch
the for mua Of the same oath to all the other su-
thori.ies Of the Kingdom. BY this incOnsiderate
step, loudly disapproved by all the revolutionary
party, the Consejo, became convinced that the
Central Junts wanted its support; it thus
recovered from its dependency, and, sfter
an sff. cted hetitaton Of some days, rendered
a malevoent submission to the Juuta, backing
its oath by an expression Of its own reactionary
scrubles exhibited in its advice to the Junts
to dissolve, by reducing iss number to three
or FIVE members according to Ley 3, Partlta
2. Ttulo Is; and 10 order the forcible extinction
Of the provincial juntas. After the French had
returned to Madrid and dispersed the Conseo Real,
fhe Central Junta, not contented with their first
blunder, had the faulty to resuscitate the Con-
sejo by creating the ConsejO Reunido-a reunion
of the Cons,o Real with all the other wrecks Of the
ancient royal councils. Thus the Junta spon-
taneously created for the c0unterrevOlutiOn CEN
tral power, which, rivaing their own power, never
ceased to barsss and counterfeit them with it's in
trigues and conspiracies, seeking to drive them to
the most unpopular steps, and then, with show
of virtuous Indignation to denounce them to the
impassioned contempt of the people. 1t hardly
need be mentioned that having first acknOwl-
edged and then reestablished the Consejo Real
the Central JuDta was unable TO reform anything,
either in the organization Of Spanish tribunals, or
in their most vicious civil and criminal legislation.
That, notwithstanding the predOmnance in the
Spanish rising, of the national and religious ele-
ments there existed in the two first years, a most
decided tendency TO social and political reforms,
is proved by all the manifestations of the provincial
juntas of that time, which, though composed as
they mostly were, of the privileged classes, never
neglected to denounce the ancient regime and to
hold out promises of radical reform. The fact is
further proved by the manifestos of the Central
Junta. In their first address to the nation, dated
Nov. 10, 1903, they say;
"A
most incapable haDds shad brought them to the very
brink Of perdton; the nation alienated from its
Coyernment by hatred and contest. little time
only has passed since, oppressed ana oegraoeo igno
rrpt of their own strength and finding no protection
against the goverDme ntal evils, neither In the ins
tutons nor in the laws, they had even regarded for
eipn dominion less hateful than the wasting tyranny
which consumed them. The dominion OF VIII al
ways cspriccus, and most often unjust, had lasted
too long, their patience, their love of order, the
generous loyalty had too long been abused; It wa
time that Law founded general utility should com
mepce its reign. Reform therefore was necessary
throughout all branches. The Junta would form diff
fertnt committees, each entrusted with particular
department to whom all writings on matters OF Gov
eminent and Administration might be addressed"
In their address dated Seville 26th Oct, 1909
they say:
IAN imbecile and decrepit despotsm prepared tn,
way for French tyranny. To leave the state sunk il
old abuses would be crime enormous as 10 deiye
you into the hands Of Bonaparte.'
There seems to have existed in the Contra
Junta most original division Of labor-the 10
vellanos party being allowed to proclaim and Il
protocol the revolutionary aspirations of the
nation, and the Florida Blanca party reserving to
themselves the pleasure of giving them the lie
direct, and Of opposing to revolutionary fiction
counterrevolutionary fact. For us, however,
theimportans point is to prove from the very con
fessions Of the provincial untas deposited the
Central, the often denied fact of the existence OF
revolutionary aspirations at the epoch of the frs,
Spanish rising.
The manner in which the Central Junta made use
theopportuntiesf for reforms afforded by the good
will Of the nation, the pressure Of events, and
thepresence Of immediate danger, m,y be inferred
s,au L. al ~