Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-09
SPAIN-THE RE vOLUTION-CUB
THE FILLIBUsTERS.

THE FILLIBUsTERs.
For some time past we have seen the ap-
proaches of the Spanish revolution Indeed,
without vanity, we may say that we were the
first to foretell it. This, however, was not ow.
ing to any intuitive sagacity of our own, but to
the fact that we derived our information from
| those who had access to the best sources of in
formation.
1t is not astonishing that there should be a
revolution in old Spain so glorious under Fer
dnand and Isabella, and so illustrious under
Charles the Fifth. She has not kept pace with
the popular progress of the age. She has not
proited, as have some of the other European
nations, by the new ideas that improved the
politics of the world. She has adhered to old
notions, old formulas, and old institutions.
She has conceded but little to the people. She
has sought to degrade the masses, to elevate
the mobiles, and to invest royalty with absolute
immunity from all responsibility, political and
social.
Cursed with Queen mother, ambitious as
she is vile, she has been equally cursed with q
Queen regnant, young and lusty, weak and un-
principled. The vices, of the court more odious
even than its unpopular politics, have infected
with corruption nearly all ofthe nobility. Some,
sagacious and selfish, have joined others pure
and patriotic, and these two classes together,
have headed the honest and incorruptible
masses, who would make their monarch not
only the director of their politics, but the ex-
amplar of their morality.
The news that we published in our issue of
yesterday, and that we present in our issue of
to-day, will show the great constituencies that
prevails among the Spanish masses, to the cor
ruption, debauchery, and misrule of their court
Prominent among the insurgents are the fe
males who seem to be even more elamorous
and destructive than the males. They seem to
feel that their sex has been outraged and their
purity soiled by the gross debaucheries of their
young Queen and the acquiescence of a corrupt
court. The Queen, however, does not seem to
be the chief object Of attack. The heaviest
curses are called down on the head of the Queen
| mother, who first debauched herself and then
debauched her daughter.
The insurgents in Madrid were guilty Of
many excuses They not only destroyed the
palaces of those who were odious to them, but
they are said to have consigned to destruction
| the most costly furniture, the most beautiful
works of art, and what, perhaps, will be more
| needed than either, money and plate. The
| insurgents seem to have carried everything be-
fore them They have driven the Queen mother
from Spain, frightened off the most odious of
the ministers, and forced the young Queen Isa
bella to respect their demands. Whilst there
has been much destruction Of property, and a
great amount Of clamorous Indignation, there
has fortunately been but little bloodshed.
The rigid honesty and love Of order of the
insurgents was sgnally illustrated in the prompt
staying Of one Of the insurgents who endea
vored to purloin from sacked palace q valua-
bic article that vas destined to destruction.
The cry is not for bread-it is not for pillage, it
is not for this demagogue or that demagogue,
it is not in behalf of any foe to the throne, or
any favorite Of the people-it is for the laws
and for morality. The nation has been hum.
bled under the voluptuous excuses and the
| dsgraceful debaucheries of the court. All
Europe has rung with the degradation Of Spain.
The better sort ofthe nobility feel it. The masses
suffer under it. This effort Of the people, this
revolution, is the result Of outraged decency
and violated morality.
In one sense it cannot be called revolu-
| ton. Revolution means not only a change OF
government but change Of rulers. All that
seems to be demanded by the Spanish insur-
gents is the expulsion of the Queen mother,
the dismissal Of odious ministers, the resttu.
| ton of the national guards and the preserva-
ton of the Cortes. The Queen is to be saved
and to be retained. If we can credit the latest
news, the revolutionary movement is not to
displace and to disrobe her, but to separate
her from profigate court and corrupt advi.
sers. Yet this news would seem to conflict
with the terrible storm Of Kisses with which she
was assailed about year ago, when she en-
tered one ofthe theatres.
There is one thing certain, and that is, that
the Spanish people are tired Of the vices an !
corruptions Of their rulers. They feel that they
are degraded in the eyes Of the world, and they
are anxious to do something that will restore
them to their lost position.
Spain is an old and efete country. Her
glories are in the past. She gave many great
names to history until one or two centuries
ago-great names in war, craftsmanship, liter
AZURE, and discovery. She has stopped. She
seems to have exhausted herself. Her vigor
has departed. Her influence has died out
Her colonial possessions have dwindled down
to Cuba. From first rate power she has sunk
into one of the feeblest European powers. She
is ruled, too, by a sort Of old and effete fami
ly-that Of the Bourbons. She was once the
, head Of the church, the head Of the family o
nations, the fountain Of literature, and the very
} examplar of morality. Now there are none Sc
} low rs TO do her reverence. If Cuba SHOULD