The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-22
Rhetorical Sketch Of the Spanish COrtes.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

NEW YoRK, Feb q, 1896.
The Spanish nation lie just passing through pc
Rod Of great trials The she is defending OF
ifc and death for her future.
The natives Of the bcrian Peninsula are generally mis-
judged, without taking into the circumstances
by which they surrounded They are unjustly de.
prcciated.
The Spanish pearle are, generally speaking liberal in
their convictions their character and in the very
letter OF their Institutions; but deploabe conflict has
almost always existed between the magnates aud the
people, between the thought and the practice of those
Institutions struggle in fine, between chimcras
and realities Span Is ever desrous Of reaching that
beau da for which the greater part Of the nations into
which Europe divided have sighed in vain
In the way England obtained under the reign
OF John Lakeland, q magma charta in 1918, which
confirmed afterwards by his successor Henry H. and
whence the liberal institutions Of that great people
may be said to proceed.
Just as France obtained In 1914 q charter given by
Louis XVIII, and remodelled 1880 BY King Louis
Philippe l., falling once more with the same king in
ls4s.
In the same manner and with better right than any
other power Spain boast Of her celebrated
blies denomnated Cores, famous the history Of
the kingdoms Of Aragon and CASTLE.
In early times the Cortes consisted Of the feuda
princes Of the monarchy and high dignitaes Of the
church. who In those days the grand power, many
OF whom were Of brilliant genius and distinguished
o. pablo representatives.
Later the eleventh century middle classes began
TO have place In these Cortes Of Agon. and TO
else considerable authority but their influence rapidly
dmnshed In proportion TO the increasing power Of the
crown which crushed ell before H. until The middle Of
the fifteenth century, when the union took place be-
their Catholic Maesties Of (ase and Increased
still with the accession 10 the throne Of Charles
The tores has numbered among It's members heroes
and martyrs TO the cause Of their liberties and presoga
lives.
Everybody remembers the uprising Of the commoner
In Ava the 10th Of June 1890 and how after the ap
poinment Of Juan Psda a. leader by the city Of Toledo
70 sustain ,ne nas'ona party against Charles w. the In
psdIis .coE the sovi S Of ronesl~ and valladod,
the represent aives Of ali The nsurTent Cities and hav
ing seized the person Of Dona Juana Ia Ioca mad Jane)
monsrs oSisins Charles v. 70 make coscsssons
Afterwards the raitorous conduct Of Pedro Girou md
Pedro I.sO rendered the ,svo,uon seOrtvs and PadA
near vilaler, gave battle on ths 2sd Of Ap!s', 1s1
prisoner and decapitated the following day.
Charles v 4 assumed absolute power and thence
forward tho Cortss was only convoked for the pur-
pose Of deibcrasion upon Affairs Of an extraordinary
In 1910 tho corsss was 70 established and in 1919
sentative monarchy, acr the style Of the French
| Of 1871.
hut In 1914 Ferdinand VII abolished the constitution
that had served bond M union for the termination Of
| the war against the usurper Napoleon.
Five ycars had scarcely elapacd whom tho Corcs,
through the movements Of General Rieso restored
togshcr with the consitution OF 1914 In the town q
Las Caberas dc San Juan and confirmed by Ferdinand
VII himself who w compelled thereto by the force Of
circumstances.
hut shortly afcrvard the Court itself called TO he aid
foreign army, which, under the command Of the Duke
Of Angoulcme, overthrow the liberal government and Its
constitution.
Ferdinand again had absolute government, and he
sonagce among the liberals
would BE- too diffuse 70 cnumerAie the glorious
victims sacrced n the shrine Of liberty thai period of
blood and gloom. The martyrdom Of the celebsated
Mariana PincdA, who finally hanged 1t the age OF ~
years for having been found In pcssesscn Of nag she
had embroidered for The proclamation Of liberty In Anda
ldsia the Pga, Tonos Rego and Lacys who shot,
and an Infinite number OF other martyrs 10 national
lherty, stiI live In the memory q hberss
After the death Of the absolute monarch Ferdinand;
constant struggle was kept for tho space Of seven
yeAs between carliet0e and Cnsnoe between retrcgA
ders and hbera BY the pinclpes and 10 hs hops Of %
| Last obtaining liberal institutions algl- 81 a i.
10 true thai the Costes was restored IN 1893 and
constitution enjoyed under Queens Cfnfiua and Isabea;
but the enjoyment Of ihs rights Of epiimais Mssssy has
only been Of, 10 speak, intermittent Duration; and
the greater pa1 Of the privileges accosdsd bv that same