The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-04

piaurtNe RIO popHpe. ktSg wouiu naruiy teee
bineef q king II hs had not power over the lives
and r.petty OF the people. Without tbs,
be would be nothing bat q limited monarch.
Accordingly, kings in this day in Europe are hit
tefiy hostile to Limited monasches and representa-
tive goven ents, and leave no efforts uCexercised to
reduce al go' OF nments TO the model Of despotism
o. absolute naxcbies. We should, however. he
rather inclined to suspect that instead Of becoming
ai,el wigs, Us elf. Sumner stated, an instrument
OF the priests, the two parties. the King end the
priests conioiDt coDspirsd against the people and
Effected its establishment together. No doubt the
king desired It for the purposes Mr. Sumner stated,
b 1t 10 probable he could not effect il without the
aid and G. nsent Of the priests. Also, doubt. the
priests desired it. as means OF esta olshing their
power ana OF putting down even the breath Of OppO
si,ion or censure; and they too could not effect it
without the aid and consent Of the king. The two
parties, therefore, in oil probability sped togo
ther, a. they usually do AID its institution we may
believe was the effect OF their mutual and joint
bis,on hbG lust OF power That Afterwards the
rrests got II all in their own hands is natural for
no king or potentae ever assisted them TO mower
without telling himself under the power be had
ai0ed in prom Oting.
There ia yet another aspect or point Of view in
which SPAN presents large Geld for observation
end reflection, In ages pest Spain has been the
county of revolutions and the theatre of Political
iBrRues and disturbances These revolutions have
lb1eed teen aboqtiye COMMISSIONS, sprngiDg out Of
little and unworthy causes, having had no national
purposes, nor emanating from the united and en-
liehtened will of the people. Her political agita
mons nave Tor the most part been the effect of
een intrieaes and interference. Yet it is chiefly
IN view OF 'hese domestic troubles and changes that
Spain has OF late engaged the public attention and
tie,eby made her existence to BE- known. Probably
bat Tor tasee little squabbles and court in
uigues snd- military proDuIciamentos, Spain
would De as Little known or heard of among
or the Kingdom Of Abyssinia Mr.. Sumner discuss.
ed this subject in his lecture in clear and lucid
manner, and In few sentences succeeded in giving
q correct idea of the intricate history Of Queen
Christina and her troublesome career. Politically
speaking much was to be learned from Mr. Sum
Der's lecture. The history of Spain and her great
fall, is copous political lesson; it affords warn
ing to all nations who are in condition and disp0
siton to profit by the lessons of the past. How
Spain lost her liberties, which, though not the
cause OF the Impeachment OF her people, Il the
cause why they cannot remedy the evil. was very
happily explained by Mr.. s. How the House
though it still for some time remained in
Dame- how the power and liberties of the people
were gradually cut short-what efforts the Executive
made TO control the Cortes, and how it succeeded
was shown with great cearness. Mr.. Sumner
traced some of the important facts of this history
II, m original documents in the Spanish archives.
He showed, by the course of events, that when the
repr sentatives of the people allowed themselves to
be bulied into an abandonment of their control over
the Army Ill., the country began to decline, and
from that day went down to utter ruin. No sooner
had the representatives voted the Army bill before
grievances were redressed than the king and mobiles
plunged Spain into succession of foreign wars, the
natural effects Of which were in the of time.
crime, debt oppre ssNc taxation, and the downfall
of INDUSTRY. To these causes Mr. Sumner attributes
the decadence of Spain, which he sums up as fol-
lows First, the absorption by the Executive branch
OF the government of the powers Of the popular and
representative branch, which was consummated by
HIS obtaining the control over the Army bill; and
secondly, the policy Of the court and Of the laws,
which directly tended to make labor disgraceful;
q ITHI In or Qaf pTFlras md 10
ton.
No doubt Mr.. Sumner il correct in his views in
this respect, as far he goes. To go further. in
deco would hardly have been possible in the course
OF one lecture, and would have been incompatible
with the programme Of the topics Mr. s. proposed
lea his exam nation. They were large enough, and
he banded them with the knowledge and ability Of
q scholar. We do not for o moment suppose that
in the enumeration OF the causes he gives, it was
his intention 10 exclude all Others. There are in
deed, many causes which have jointly operated in
the Work OF reducing Spain to condition. perhaps
worse than if she had been by some great natural
CONFUSION suddenly blotted out from existence for
ever On the earth like the vast antediuyian people
OF old. But Of all the causes united the greatest
most certain. most elective, and which also was
tho parent Of many Of the minor helping causes
wos demonstrably, VIC believe, that 70 which VIC
have advcItod.
The hopes OF Spain fer the future, IA represented
by Mr.. Sumner, may be comprised end summed up
IN the .ollOwing:-
>. In her quick witted peasants just beginning TO
have schools for their children.
J. In Der industrial classes, who arc now making
Themselves felt, and asserting the dignity of labor.
4. In her woEen-against whom every ignorant
traveller has aimed his shaft Of mace--but who. to
rare degree, possess grace with dignity, and afec
ton with consistency great native talent, patriotism,
self-sacrifice
From what We have alreaty observed we need
not here remark that the reasons given by Mr..
ScmDer IS grounds OF hope for the revival Of Spain,
seem 10 Us inefficient and inadequate. Al that Mr..
sun ntr gives rs grounds OF hope appear TO us only
as reasons for lamentston. IL is lamentable that
quick vitttd pcasantry that Industrious people
that fine and ainablc women should be 20 unhapply
situated, 20 badly governed reduced 20 the abyss
In which the people Of Spain are plunged. But We
are inclined to fear that wit and industry, and
beauty, which, no doubt, do adorn the misery NJ
Spain, yet afford very little hope Of ever being able
to abate that misery or to do more than adon and
rpGer il the more TO be lamented. Virtue and ma
terial wcltbeiDg with the working masses, the
power Of industry TO command with ease and GER
rainty a comfortable existence; such l., VIC believe,
the rs and greatest element in national prosperity.
We place virtue along with welbeing, because with
OUT IL, the utmost abundance, wealth with
ont anv stint, can lever ensure hsppincss TO any
one. without IT, industry itself con have no exis-
,eDce in nation, for IL Is part Of virtue to be in
dtiious. An industrious people are the wealth and
glory OF anfion, and 40 long az people are babi-
tualy industrious, so long are they comparative
~ and proportonatey virtuous Both indus
Try. and virtue, however, are undermined
end destroyed when labor Is robbed and
plundercd by the indirect taxation Of barpies,
who every week make the laboIer Of every degree
and kind pay 70 them bali the proceeds OF his indus
W.! or hisTol IN prices which 20 ~ enrich and az
graDdze the unseen plunderer. When the food of
tho PEOPLE is thus made an object OF gambling, and
pombltrs seize upon IL by the Instruments they hire
80 bank counter passing il from one TO the other.
It'd each o. them j. gutted with fortune at the cost
~ the peope-wben those harpies can command the
mtans regularly 10 carry on these oporations--ope
nations by which they bleed every man. wo nan and
c.. ID in the community, and are literally enriched
with blood IN heaps upon heaps, extracted from the
pcoPle-when this IL done In nation, and the laws
cOrspire against The people TO assist in destroying
them by creating those establishments which, for
profit out oil the spoil hire out the means of perpe
rating tins iuin--no nation, however witty or in
dustTious the people, can long continue Industrious
and yiriuCus. So we have seen Il in Spain by the
pxces@ 81 money mace OF gold-so see that u Is
IN England by an excess Of money made OF paper.
N the wit Ct the peaantry or the labor of the work
nr classes, or the fine and lovely qualities of the