, 1866-05-10

North, Central and South America, than
Spain. Spanish moparchs assisted Columbus
in the fitting ont Of his expedition for the dis
covcry Of America, and her occupation Of
large portious of the new world, soon raised
Spain to the front rank among the nations Of
Europe But these adventurous expeditions
led to the neglect OF the agriculture and the
industry Of Spain, and the expulsion of the
most bus,ness-like anc skllfu1 classes. (the
Jews and the Moorsl, gave still heavier blow
TO her material Progress, while priest crast
md dcspotism combined to retasd the moral
and mental progress Of the Spanish people.
Protestantism which proved to he tho great
harbingcr Of @iril and religious liberty, was
crashed IN Spain by the InqutsltIon. Philip
II. attempted to stife liberty. not only In his
OWE country. but in the Netherlands aud all
'pver Europe, and the consequence was that,
while other countries advanced under the In
6uence Of the Reformation, Spain retrogrcssed
under the blighting effect Of Popery and IT,
ranny, and has been mainly going backward
ever since. There has scarcely been In history
another 50 conspicuous an example Of noble
capabilities OF great nation, and stnl1lf3ed as
are those Of spam by the biSotlr OF her priests
and the stupidity and cruelty Of her rulers.
Yet Spain boasts Of literature, which Is
truly remarkable for Its intellectual trca surcs,
and Of population renowned for Its proud
character and gallant bearing, but priest-craft
sap6 the intellectual life Of the masses, aud
the traveller In Spain in 1865 finds the vil1agg.
ers In as benighted condition as IN the times
Of Ienatius Loyola. There are upward oftwo
millions Of people IN Spain who cannot read,
and a still larger number who cannot write.
Yet eveu those who caH read or write, are az
estranged In their minds and hearts from the
civilization of the nineteenth rs were their
frcfathcrs Of the ninth century. Domestic
virtues and piety may thrive, but political
and mental aspirations are crushed.
In the university towns, Seville, Saragossa,
Barcclona, Granada, ValeDcia, Valladolid,
Oyiedo. Salamanca, Santiago. and above all,
in Madrid, there is Of course lesser degree
ofetnguation, but while journalism has been
progressing in the Spanish capital, there has
not been any indication Of q revival Of letters
to my considerable extent In politics,
there is grcater activity displayed than at
arg previous time, and the Liberal party Of
Spain includes mnny able patriots, but
thcir hopes arc dashed By the military aud
EENlISAAot4eRA AESEO4A1A44 "AANA Ah3Ns 49, o4@
prcmc under The reign Of TIC second Isabella
as centuries ago under that Of the first. md
which NOW strives In vain to obliterate the
sense Of Its wrongful administration At home
in the pcrpetratiou Of sill greater WRONGS
abEoad.
Spain is more accessible now than ut any
previous time Of her history. Railways arc
increasing In every direction. The direct
route 10 Paris YVES opened last year, 30 that
the Spanish capital may now be reached from
thc French in about sixty hours, and for
about thirty dollars. Madrid hes some
brilliant streets, always crowded with gossip
ing cot1ee-house politicians, many Of whom
gcstIculate and dcclaim Just in the
proportion that they do not think ind
act Whatever good qualities the politicians,
Journalists and political economists may pos.
seas. their writings, and talk: will prove oil
little avail SO long as they dc not succeed to
make m elective revolution against herotten
throne Ct the Dourbons.
Among these men, and among the lawyers
and litcratcurs Of Madrid, there are not few
talented persons but the power Of tho old
clergy, the old nobility, bureaucracy and
\ army still continues to malntaiu its social
mud political supremacy over the men OF ths
new regime. Not only in politics, but
also In industry, Is this element
of the younger generation shining only by its
absence. The cotton manufactures Of Spail
are positively declining. More than hnlf oi
the soil of the country is desert without
Inhabitants. Financial business is monopo
Lied by the Rothschild's . Madtid agent Weiss
weller, and by Salamanca, while the latte
also mouopolizes railway enterprise; but Il
must be said Of the Spanish, what cannot b.
said ot the Jewish, banker, TINT he is mun1
t1cent patron OF letters md art The quick
silver mines are also mouopolized by tn
Hothschiids, and though this and otbc
foreign capital has done good /
developing resources, II has failed to pro
ducc emulation on tho part Of natfye enter
prise. The Madrilenos hare the same tast
as Tie Parialans for dnbbling in shazos Of IL
! dus!ria1 assonations, public work schemes
and insurance, pnd financial companies bu
this Is mere craving tor excitement, and no
a real desire for the advancement Of nAtiona
, interests. The consequence Is that while th
. Madrid Stock Exchange Is full Of sue
J gamblers, there is Little dpue to i,nprov
tho agricultural, meteorological an
i industrial resources Of the country
and though rich IN wine, oil, 1eathe
| wool, etc., and capable Of producing excellct
+ SILK and cotton, tthe raw material as well +
s the manufactured nrticle,} there is hardly m
. country In tue world in which commerc