New-York tribune., 1868-10-22
A PEpURITE IN SPAIN,


found, so unquestionng we may say so un-
reasoning that their dcsirabeness for every
people under the sun is assumed on the In
slant. And at first blush it seems to be JUST
fled by tho conduct of the Spaniards them
selves The rising in Spain has been SO gen
eral, aud so popular in its character; its speech
has been so bold; It's immediate action 50 dem
ocratic the reforms proclaimed have been so
radical, as to encourage the anticipation OIL
complete revolution, civil, social, and religious.
Despotism escapes from the back door, carry
ing a few necessaries in a carpet-bag. 1t asks
its rich neighbor to take it in. The Jesuits are
sent packing. Freedom of thought and speech
is declared. The dccrees of the Provisional
Government look to the wholesale eDfranchise-
mcnt of body and mind. How republic would
work in Spain might he very inter
esting speculation. But aprevious inquiry pre-
sents itself-is the Republic likely to have
chance to work at all 7 The deeper indications
are not SO favorable to this chance as may to
some appear.
The audiences Of the rising is against 1t
for sudden it is, though IL has been preparing
for two years. A movement two years old is
instantaneous in q country that has been im-
movable for centuries. The revolution is an
outbreak against q system of active plotting
CALLING despotism not quiet, plOdding despo-
tsm-that might have been endured longer
but malignant despotism. that rasped the
country. Ever since the party misnamed "Alod-
erater came INTO power. in July, 1865, under
the leadership of Narvaez and Gonzales Bravo
the reactionary policy has been eager, nggrcs-
siye. yitrioc, TO q degree that stung the yet
az. hnp n ~ afn
matte tyranny. Liberal men of every shade of
opinion were spotted and pursued. Prisoners
arrested at night were shipped off without form
Of trial to tho Canaries, the Philippines, or the
African Fernando Po Liberal papers were
suppressed. Members of Congress commis-
stoned to present petitions TO the Queen were
dragged from their beds by soldiers and ban
ished from the country before their errand
was performed. Gen. Serrano, President OF the
Senate, was arrested and shut up in military
prison for the oflcnse of petitioning the Queen
to assemble the Cortcs. The new Cortes OF
1861, formed without the aid of the Liberals,
who refused to vote, approved the course OF
the Government, and ratified It's whole policy
of despotisin. The Spaniards are not passion
ate people, but this mad persistency OF outrage
made thom angry. The death OF NaryaeZ IN
the Spring weakened perceptibly the party OF
the "Moderates.n Bravo maintained the pol
lev but did not possess the force to make it
absolute. And the tide OF passion surged III
irresistibly because Unexpectedly, Its violence
being proportional to the stubbornness 1t had
To overcome and the evaporation To which 1t
had been wrought up. No deep background OF
thought or of discipline or of organized states
manship lies behind the revolution. And this
is inauspicous to its result in republicansm.
Under ordinary circumstances, there wOnld
have been none; and governments are strong
only "a they represent the people under their
ordinary conditions of experience. Revolutions
may be inflated by passion. They must he
legtimated by conviction, or they will pass by
like n gust OF wind.
The sweeping nature OF the reforms an
nounced by the insurgents must, again. be con-
strued as an unfavorabe sign for the Republic.
Such Wholesale overthrow of institutions and
usages, such rapid substitution Of n new order
in place of m old one commonly proceeds from
feeling enthusiasts and the leaders. Enthusi-
esm carries away the people. The enthusiasm
is fine. There is conviction mt the bottom Oh
it, The substance of 1t is solid faith In reason.
But until the faith in reason is strong enough
10 net without the aid of enthusiasm, the level
touched is not maintained. The French revo-
luton of 1913 gave us an example OF TINS.
Iamartne and his compatriots proclaimed
democratic principles with eloquent lips, and
lnauguratcd democratic institutions with hearty
purpose. Ii was very magnificent. IL was very
inspiring 1t made our hearts burn. 1t called
forth predictions Of the speedy establishment
of liberal governments all over the earth. But
n few months were sufficient to prove how
bascless Twas a Republic that had no seat in
the intelligent minds and traditional feelings
of the people of the country. The French
were not Republicans either by nature or
by grace. Less demOnstrativeness OF Radical
ism in Spain would be more encouraging to
the permanency of Radicalism there. The
masses OF men feel great deal further than
they think. But they rest at last on their
thinking, not on their feeling. Nor must it be
forgotten that the revolution is the result of
combined action on the part of three parties
which joined forces to meet an emergency, but
are not politically or socially in accord with
one another. These are the Pro0reSsistas, the
Democratas, and the Unio" Liberal, the last
probably being the strongest. The three
united were powerful enough to overturn the
dynasty of the Queen and her Ministry, but
the three will hardly be able to cOalesce in the
maintenance of another. Tho Progressistas
would prefer q mild form Of monarchy, cay
under King Louis Of Portugal The Union
Liberals are conservative Of the existing Con-
stitution, and would Ike princely ruler, the
Duke of Montpensier, for example. The Demo |
oratas alone are Republicans Should the
Union Liberals unite with tho Progrcssistas, |
as they well might, owing to the general
tI,oi nj tba raauIt would |