The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-28
CENTRAL AMERICA.
The Rise aad Fall Of tho Spanish
American Republics.
INTRIGUEs OF THE ENGLISH
The Struggle Of Republicauism in Cen
tral America.
THE WARS or TEE sisTEs.,


THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF CENTRAL
AMERICA.
WRITTEN IN KNsE2SH BY AR. E. GEcaGa souyv,A
TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH BY A epNrp
AMERICAN, AND RETRANsLATED MIC, pNoIs
FOR THE NEW YORK RA2D.
CHAPTEN l..
rzE sPANzH AMERICAN REsvBLI0s-cAUsBs o.
DHEIR DEoLsrE.
The Spanish American Republics presented froa thar
srign, to the friends Of liberal institutions most sod
dsniDg and painful spectacle. Their general history
marked BY anarchy audboodshed few psess
which do not inspire horror and disgust The psr>v
struggles which in the North American Republic ressu-
BILE Summer storms asatAting for moment ths pxSAs
mi7d, but leaving it, After 1t has passed. state f
greater tranquility, sgnslizedin those vepsbhss
by ferooous intolerance and fierce antagenisn a
which but few persons here can form idea.
The first acts of party in those consist ast
only in Expressing, but In destroying. their Adversaes
they do not hesitate adopt the extreme measures q
conscaton, banishment and DEATH in order accom-.
psh their ends Once in possession of power they BE-
come absolute tyrannisal and dssposc. Whoever NO
fesses opposite principles and opiaioasto this governg
faction, is compelled to sep restraint over his thsugh
and actions at the risk Of losing propesty or life,
The consequences Of this things arc evident:
hatred mistrust intrguss and revolution. Ts bilious
valve Of the pubic press-the energy whchis oxpeaAs
IN courts Is Lost in useless Efforts hHAs
Of ofegative assemblies itself in the hes
OF him who feels himself the victim Of prescription O.
oppression, and urges him to action whilst or
most ezcitabe politicians would recover their calm
ness BY venting their feelings in article or spsecA q
hours duration.
This absence of toerstion is obstacle to the orA-
ton Of political parties (ss.we understand thern) whis
are the safeguard OF the common interests and
ry OF their permanent endurance Deprived Of free &
preston Of opinion and without any legal means Of &C.
ion all opposition tends to the formation osa
claves and their the character OF trs
son, they do not carefully aguise the,r spirit d.
covered they to be visited With persecution Or
punished with death-scarcely any other alternative Il
offered them and then revolution follows matter e
course.
easy to conceive that sucha detes.able system q
espionage on the hand, and intrigue on the other u
impossible to be maintained. The parzan, althsash
just and pure in his prooeedngs must necessariy b
consprator, and every conspaor ,mes by saEs
necessity, ferocious and suspicious aad 10 hts tura
when real orinsstnary dangers him. he has re-
course to acts Of cruel vengeance The disastrous sea
ssqnsnces Of this state OF things not only pref
TO the political system IN general but also to each II s
parts which constitute tho civil and social body ne
law-that. inviolable sanctuary which, next TO God.
ought to be respected and obeyed BY aoses its sacred
character, and is conounded with tyranny and with tie
eva passions Of the who ought its i'm partial
minister's is wasted corrupt objects and ita
respect and dignity sacrificed Religious defe
source of its msesy and strength without which It ds
generates into shams entirely sxtinguished sad
society falls back in chaos of confusion wherein the
masters place themselves above right aud law who're
neither life property secure and where neither
honor nor virtue wisdom can any longer exist.
The Generalization Of tho Spanish American epubNcs
without doubt the cause OF the intolerance alluded
But from whence springs this demerazatons The Spa
nsh character is not wanting in many of the bes. ate
butes OF human nature the Spanish people are no s4
susceptible Of great impulses than There neither
In their ndivdual in hsir collective character any
thing to render them incapable of exercising their ro
nor Of enjoying, In rational manner the bsnefts Of
proper government Those who impute the general Do
cay Of The Spanish republics radical or
defect Of the Spanish race, have fallen into serious but
very natural error. With the exception Of Chill all the
the others have gradually declined But ii must be rs
membered that the origin Of all these republics has bse
very different from We look In vain smoness -
the different motives Of colonization ON t continent k
any one of so high character that which animated
our forsathers. Amongst all the adventurers who came
to America, ancestors alone practically solved tAs
problem Of civil and religious liberty. Very aiersus
r6BOi1te men, oo6plao0
by and dsspsers Of kings who silently sought refuge
= new continent confding in theis, God aud In Their
arms from the warriors who the pride and flower
of SPAIN but who melted by avaice supported b.
the haughest monarch in the wor followed BY faith
ful proselytisn named BY saags ardor Of conausstc
and dazzed by the prospect Of universal dom;nion.
On the other side, the world cav people Jealous Of
their rights opening up . neN and untrcdden path.
planting themselves firmly foreign soia aboHshing
individual monopoies banssng religously from their
midst the arstoc forms Of the Old World and daily
growing resolute and welded to the spirit and rs
Of their system of goverent The essiugs and ad-
vantages Of liberty y recompeass to strengthen
and to aid them In their es and when they obtained
It, Ike the ripe fruit Of long and persistent labor hsy
were able to appreciate ia value and know how mako
q reasonable Of 1t.
Our Revolution The work Of centuries of rational
and well direced ef,rts. In Spanish America on ths
contrary, under magnificent tropical climate and suis
the relics Of aboriginal grandeur, settled populsuea
the reflex Of the spendor and corruption OF powexfal
court and of an arrogant ariscsacy Tho strongest In
centives OF actcn consisted Avors an artificial
and hereditary grandeur and In the accumulation by
all possible means, Of riches whereby hvors might b.
bought The glory of the which OCCUPY tire ars4
pages Of the history Of chat people merely shat Of
conquerors Surrounded BY unheard Of peris shey d-
played An energy without parable, in human bravery.
overthrew empires, and lett the traces Of ths blood
more than half Of the continent. Al this hswever was
done for the agsrandisement Of the cro-n Of Cstla
alone. The Of iron who achieved those great OK
poits knet down before the throne Of their sovsxegn 10
receive their rewards in marqusates large ransa a
lands and sines, and quasic espotic power all tAs
conquered Inhabitants OF tbs New wozld.
Then followed the vcersJs, Who euuated the Engs o.
Europe m their pomp ana initiated their courts By
auDg new arstocraey, moro strict and cereHanious
than The old one. In word there reprodussd In
many Of It's ost ocisus FORMS the msnarch system q
Earope, accompanied BY its whole train Of corruption
in church and StAtA Power and riches were again
cenratsd in the hands Of kw ignorance and superS-
tion spread thick veil over The intelligence of the ma-