Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-21
Tho Republic Of Andorro.


The little Italian village of San Marino is
shorn of the honor of being the only republic
in Europe which has survived the process Of
modern Capitalization. A writer in the Edin
burg Rspitw for April, 1861, has discovered end
exhumed, go to speak, little republic in the
least accessible regions Of the Pyrenees' which
has existed for more than thousand years. and
still preserves its ancient simplicity and inde-
uendence. II is called the Republic of Andorre'
OF its existence aud It's great antiquity, the most
satisfactory evidence ia produced On these we
shall not dwell, but pass to few more interest
ing details relating to it's geography, Its history,
government, and the customs and character oi
its people.
Andorre is isolated by mountains on every
frontier and included neither In France nor In
Spain, but intervening between the two. IL
lies between the Pyrenees of Arriege, in France,
and the Pyrenees of Catalonia, in Spain The
domain of the republic consists OF three Valleys
one Of which runs parallel with, aud the other
two transversely to, the great ridge of noun
tains that connects the Atlantic with the Medi-
terranean shore. Its greatest length Is under
thirty miles, its greatest breadth under twenty
aud the population is under eight thousand
Fifteen hundred men, or nearly one sixth OF
the population, are always prepared to defend
its independence.
The government Of this little commonwealth
L
is that Of an arstocracy legislating by represent
alton. II is formed Of six political divisions,
each of which is CO extensive with one of its
parishes. Each has it's subordinate, but dis
tinct, local legislature, formed OF hereditary
lland-holders. These bodies severslly elect two
consuls, who form the executive in each diVis
ion, and serve for year. The supreme legis-
lature consists of twenty four delegates OF the
six inferior legislatures-four being sent by
each of the local assemblies. These are the
two consuls for the current year, and the two
next ex consuls in each division. This assem-
bly,, which possesses the supreme authority,
elects, again, two Syndics, who are the execu-
tive Of the republic. In practice, however, the
first Syndic, commonly termed "The Syndic,'
transacts nearly the whole of the executive busi
ness of Audorre. But the republic has COM
plete administrative organization without a
single paid public officer, aud the largest pro-
portionate military establishment of Europe
(such as it is) without shilling Of taxation.
The fret credited tradition Of Andorre dates
from 77s, and the first written charter which is
known still TO exist, from sOl. In 778 two d-
plouas appear to have been issued BY CHARLE-
MAoSE, the one granting to the see of Urgel
(beyond the frontier Of Catalonia) the tithea
of the six parishes which now form the republics
the other granting their inhabitants distinct
military organization. In sOl, fresh diploma
was issued by LOUIS. King of Acquitaine, ex
pressed to be made in the right of his father
CHARLrMAosE, and constituting the people oi
Andorre an independent state. The Original
manuscript of this last charter is still preserved
among the archives of the Republic.
According to the advice Of their Emperor
the Andorrians instituted protector, and thei
choice fell on the neighboriDg Counts of Folk
In $50, CHARLES the Bald issued diplomi
wrongfully assigning the sovereignty Of Andorre
which CHAnLrMAosE had vested in the inhab
itants-to the Bishops Of Urgel But 1t was
never acknowledged in the republic. Henc'
arose war of Andorrian independence, whicl
asted for the unheard Of space Of four hun
dred years. It took the shape of triangular
. contest between the Bishops of Urgel as pre-
tenders, the republicans as lawful sovereigns
and the Counts of Folk, nominally, as protec
tors. But, like nearly all protectors of tha
age, the Counts merely ravaged the ecountry the
professed TO befriend.
4 Finally, in 1878, pacifcation was made, un
der which the Bishops and the Counts recede'
from the contest, under the title OF joint suzer
aims of Andorre; but their authority soon cub
sided into mere co.protectorate. By the transi
tions Of time, 1t has come 10 pass that tn
Emperor Of the French and the Spanish Bisho
of Urgel are now joint protectors of the repub
lie. Since 1878, no material charge has occur
red to the little commonwealth
: few words as to the customs and condition
! of the Andorrians must close this brief sketch
Five times year, on the occurrence of som
great festival Of the Church (for the people ar
all devout Catholcs), the four and twenty reE
resentstives to the supreme Congress assemble
at the village designated the Capital, to delber
ate on public affairs. Each delegate arrives o
horseback, and o national stable with four and
twenty stalls is prepared Each legislator put
up bis horse with his own hands, attends divin
service in the chapel, exchanges his peasant
dress for the costume, shoots partridge
and pheasants in summer, hunts bears and wolvt
in winter, passes few laws, and ventures upon I
reforms.
The dwellings Of the higher class Of land
n holders are Of the rudest architecture, and th
laborers live in huts, and sleep on the skins {
bears. Education is a thing almost unknow
: among the people Most Of their chief me
still sign with their "mark," after the good ol
. style of their imperial patron and fOunde
q CHARLEMAsNE
9 Two things seem tffec,ually to protect th
, Andorrians from the inroads Of their more cult
a waited neig ighbors-namely, the inaccessibility
q their situation and their extreme poverty.
/, ~
/ p The General Assembly Of the Pfesbyte
s rian Church 20. 81 Is now in session at PhilG
delphia. On last Friday the Assembly took u
!. the question of the place where the next GenerS