The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-10-14
Spain Her Present Condition and
Glorious Past. z.ss. ..-..

SkoAtouo 2dbI ft ..
The prominent position accordud TO E,p,r.
tero, IN the present Spanish insurrcction. gives
II "A dignity which il docs not derive fru5 tho
name Of deneral Prim, who has no polit;caI
or military record, and who does not com.
mand the confidence Of the intelligent middle
ciasscs of Spain. General Espartero is now
sevepty-siS years old, and Ia what is called In
our country ga selfmado man." being the
son OF whce'>wrigbt, and enlisting as com
mon soldier IN tho army in 1903. He after.
wards went to a military school, and pa.se,l
through the various grades of the service to
the highest rank. Ho has hecn the original
ana most steadiast champion that Queen 1sa
bella ever, had, and the sway of absolutism
must have bccome intolcrable, which aliena.
TED such friend and arrayed him against her
government. 1t is not, however, true, n.
seems to be assumed by some Of the press
that kspastero is Republican. His regency
was disttnguished by his opposition to the ex-
tremes OF that party. though there is no doubt
OF his moderate liberal tendencies. f'''-
whilst u is still dificuh to ascertain what
may be the designs of the present insurr,c
uonnry movement in Spain, there is no coun-
try OF Europe whose national character com
hiues more Of the qualities which arc requisite
TOR tho success Of FREQ constitutional govern
mont. Tho intelligence and culture Of her
leading and upper middle classcs, the pride
and dignity OF personal character, exalted
Noei"So "ho otcTHy uuy1ciulnX perseverance,.
common to the whole nation, give hopeful au.
curry OF her future. The past history Of
Spain Is an attestRtion OF the sterling virtues
OF her people, which, however she may be de-
pressed for the present, invests with unusual
Interest every struggle she makcs for liberal
ana material progress. Can England itself
show such a record of vitality of race. and
OF stubborn and eventually successful resist
nnoe to foreign invasion rs Spain Gun exhibit ?
Far from il.
England was succcssivcly overrun by Danes.
Saxons, Normans; but Spain, invaded by the
M"ors in III, despoled Of her finest proyin
ces, her people compelled TO find n reiure in
tue mountains of the Asturins, and her 'furi-
tive chiefs holding n council in q cavern. kent
uT war o; resistance with but littlc inter
mission till 1892. The annals of history NAV
be searched in vain fer n contest as long, as
| bitter and involving so many nntavonistic
clemens Of race, religion, temperament and
| interest. For seven hundred and eighiy-oue
| years the Spanish nation struggled TO throw
oh the Moorish yoke, n grand consumnation
! which was accomplished in that magnificent
reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, rcsplcndent
with the glorics Of two hemi.pheres.
Scarcely had Spain emerged from this long
night of centuries, springing, like the tropical
sun, suddenly and full -orhed from tho dark
ncss, when she, who had for so long a period
been convulscd in n life, and death struggle
f"rher own existence, gave birth, through the
enlightened patronage Of her court to Chris
t"rhcr Columbus, to n new world. The name 8
OF her great captains, De Leon and De Cor
d"va, and Of her illustrious statesmen, Men
d"za and Nimencs, are iudissolubly link cd
with that brilliant period Of her history. and
! gave the impetus to that career Cf greatness
which made her FOR two centuries the first
! country OF Europe. Notwithstanding tho
| subsequent decline of Spain in mater ial
! strength, her insurrcctiom against French rule
| in 1908, when half million oT cornhatants
/ wHSod II fierce guerilla warfare for four years
! against the usu-pcrs, and illustrated their he.
| rnism by the immortal defence ni Saragossa
| SCrona, Cadiz, THrr0gonn and Ealeucia, dem
onstratcd that the lofty courage and iniicxihlc
purpose of the Spanish nature had survived
| the 'lccadcnce of itS political power With d
national character that has much Of tho grav,
nnstcrity, pride and perseverance of the r.
mans, modified in some degree by the pacih,
and practical tendencies Of :hc age, with one
OF the finest climates and most fruitful coun-
tries IN Europe, and n consequent ply sica
development not surpassed by any race on tht
continent, it is reasonable to conclude TIM
there are elements Of rccupcration and rescu
in such a people, which not only give fai
promise Of their capacity to sastain a consti
tutional go 'ernment, but to regain much O
their old military aud commercial asccndcnc,
in Europc.-Baitimore San.