Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-02-13
Politioal oondIt,on OF Spain.


same error as the preceding one-that OF attempting
to govern. not according 10 it's own principles, but
according TO those of the party or faction destined
to supplant it.
1854, he absolute master cf the destinies OF
Spain. The whole power of the State was in his |
hands. The people who had triumphed over the
THRONE the army and the ar .ocracy, was ignorant,
unaccustomed 10 power knew not how to use il and,
in its simplicity, called upon him and the great
men of the old Progresista party to accept the |
Government, constitute the State, and give them.
according to their wisdom, free institutions and
the guarantees of civil Observation-Disclosures and
guarantees which they knew not how to give
themselves or to preserve in their keeping, but
which they imagined might consist in certain forms
and systems which these wise men were to devise
and put in operation. And they pinned their faith
to the skirts of these old names which had come
down from former struggles abandoned the work en-,
tirely to them, them triumphanly installed in
that power for which they had not lifted finger,
and then quietly broke up the barrcades, laid down
their arms, and retired each man to his own house.
! They had left the Queen in her palace
II is beyond doubt that at this time, the Spanish
people had not dreamed Of republic. They had no
customs no thoughts which were not monarchical.-
The revolution bad been spontaneous rising of the
people against tylanny-not procured effort for the
propagation of republican ideas, any ideas 1t was
defence by the pressed against their oppressors-
not an attack bv party sect for the triumph of
q principle. Thus the Spanish people left the Queen
and were content 10 destroy her government. When
they had reduced her to such that she could not
dispose of ten men in any part of Spain for her own
purposes, they knew not what more to do. They
had no ideas, no instincts which led them further;
and they went to those whom they supposed wiser
than themselves asking them, virtually, to furnish
those IDEAS and their practical expression in politics,
which were lacking 10 themselves.
Thus Espartero and the old Progressta party,
which had triumphed over Don Carlos and the In
QUESTION, came into power, The administrative
ganiZaton of the government remained as it was
sBut the very movement Of the revolution had brought
to light ideas. Some young who had
thoughts of their own began to be seen and heard
Some who had read Proudhon and Ledru Robin began
to retail their erudton. Other men, who had been
kept in a corner, began TO be listened to The per-
feet freedom of speech an spread thoug hs
like electric shocks. The people began to have ideas
individuals became masses and party ready
to be horn. This Was democratic party--a party who
believed and were ready to carry into action the prin
clple that the people ought 10 keep The guarantees of
!, liberty in their own hands, without delivering them
over 10 any; and already, the Both of November,
1854, when proposition was put to vote in the AS
sen.b y invited TO form Constitution, to the
effect that the basis of the work should be the Throne
Of Isabel H., out of 300 members, nineteen were
found who voted The Republican party was
born and the CONSERVATION of the Old gentlemen, and
the followers of the old gentlemen, into whose hands
the people had put their cause, was not less than
that of the Queen herself.
Then began that remarkable series of political
changes which, in two years, has carried the Span
ish monarchy back to The height of simple des-
po:ism, and which, perhaps, in less per. 3D. will
sink it in the great CONFUSION OF radical revolu-
ton
An abyss had opened side of the old Pro,
gresisa party, and they leaned to the other. Es.
partera ought to have governed according to the doc
trines of his party it was the only firm ground for
him 10 tread but the Progresista Liberal Const-
tutionaI party stood on the verge of Democracy
the heads of The old gentlemen swan they looked
into the depths, that side, and they began to
over TO the ground occupied by those next farhes
= removed from the danger.
ODOnnell the leader of set of come cutters
: from the old Moderado High Tory party. Men
who, in the arstocatc Senate of 1854 had resisted
the arbitrary dctation of Minister'S and when they
were pursued, had set foot detection in the
army, and headed the military instruction of Vi
cavaro. These come cutters from the old Modera
do party, had imagined species of fusion with the
more retrograde elements of the Progresisa party 10
which Was g ven the name of the Liberal Union.
\ Esparero was weak and vascillating. The firm
y ground of the Progresista party began crumble.
Every day some of those the abyss slid off
Espartero and his Ministers abandoned the princ-
pies of the Progressta party, and began to govern by
! those of the Liberal Union.
a But that political amalgam had its chief in o.
Donnel. EsparIero made repeated efforts to check
the personal influence Of ODonnel whilst he the
same tme every day yielded implicit ohedi-
ehce to the principles which ODonnel repI esented.
His position was unsusainabe. The influence of
4 ODone increased whilst that of Espartero dmin.
e ished, and the inevitable result was by every
body months before the event of July 18th, 1856
e The fall OF Espartero was the death of the Pro-
n gressta party. The more retrograde elements had
already become assmilated to the Liberal Union, and
n now the waves of democracy swept clean over the
remaining portion ltIis true O'Donnell was able to
stay the tide, and in the streets of Madrid and Bar
celena saved the monarchy in July of 1856 But the
abyss had widened terribly. The barrier of the
ProgresIstas once swept away, the advancing waves
now licked the very feet of Donnel and the Liberal
Union,
ODonnel fell into the same error his predeces-
sors. Instead of making firm ground where he stood,
he abandoned the principles and doctrines OF the Lib
eal Union and began to govern according to the sys
!, TEN of the Moderados. This not making frmer
resistance, it was losing his own ground The Mod
it erados had their recognized chief and party leader
Il Navarez Had ODonnell stood firm on the doctrine
out steadily in practice. he night have been in power
today. But when he had passed the whole govern
ment over into Moderado conditions, then the oil
S chief of the Moderados supplanted him, between
O nightfall and morning.
e But the most notable part of this history of error
Isl that Narvaez has already committed and is COM
IS hitting the same.
dorado party, which is his only support That party
though an arIsocrac or high tory party, is still
constitutional perlya Parliamentary, or, rather,
J. Senatorial party.
= They have never proclaimed nor accepted the right
of the throne to legIsate without the concurrence Of
" Legislature. This check upon the royal authority
" no matter how aristocratic or how little popular il
may be, is fundamental principle of that party
6 But Narvaez is governing by royal decree and he
y will not convoke Cortes. The Absolusts have fat
tered him ana he has aattered them, till thew have
y him already in their power