The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-12

the facts in the case, and give expression
to the voice of the entire community, which
demands and will insist upon an explanation.
The Best Government for Spain.
In is significant fact that not only the most
intelligent, coolheaded, and experienced of
the leaders of the Spanish revolution, but
nearly the entire press of the United States,
have pronounced a republican form OF govern
ment for that country to be inexpedent and
impracticable at the present time. There was
time when the majority of Americans were
not content with enjoying the blessings Of
their free institutions and chanting their
praises, but they were ambitious to have
them initiated all over the world; and in the
minds of many there was an idea that it was
the mission of the American people not only
to maintain their own form of government
intact, but also to propagate republicauism as
the best means of securing the happiness Of
the human race. Have we retrograded in our
ideas, or lost confidence in our boasted insti-
tutions, that we now hesitate to hold them
up as objects for the admiration and imi-
tation of the Spanish people? or is 1t that
and the experiences of an embittered civil
strife within our own borders have taught us
that republicanism may not be the best thing
at all times and under all circumstances,
Fourth. of-July orations to the contrary not
withstandipg? The great object of all good
government should be to secure to the citi-
zen the largest personal liberty consistent
xpith ha Va how
faith in the republican form of government,
and the events of the last ten years have more
than ever convinced us that the free nstitu-
tions of these United States are the best cal
culated for securing the 'inalienable rights of
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
Whether under less favorable circumstances
republic would be success, is a question
of craftsmanship for intelligent men to con-
slider in an intelligent manner, and it is out
of the range of the mere party politician or
the buncombe orator.
The unanimous opinion of all unprejudiced
ard thoughtful men is that of all the coun-
tries in Europe Spain is, with the exception
perhaps of Russia, the least fitted for the
enjoyment of the benefits of republican form
responsibilities which free institutions entail
upon every citizen can only be understood
and appreciated by course of education; and
it is certainly no disparagement to republican
ism to say that it is inexpedient for the people
of Spain to leap from bigoted and blighting
despotism, which weighed them down
body and soul, into the light of the
them to be prepared for such a transition.
What Spain wants, after having been relieved
from the weight of Bourbon misrule, is long
period of rest and quiet under a constitutional
government, that will guarantee the freedom
of the press, freedom Of speech, the free exer-
else of every form of religion, and yet be
strong enough TO restrain the excesses of fana-
tics and ambitious men who seek to stir up
dissension for the purpose of accomplishing
their own selfish purposes. We believe
that these objects could be gained at
the present time under liberal CON
stitutional monarchy, with an able aud
enlightened man on the throne, better
than in any other way. When the spanisrds
have enjoyed the benefits of free public
schools, uninhuenced and uncontrolled by
priestly dictation, free press that represents
every shade of public opinion and which gives
all the news of the day without distorting it
to suit particular ends-as some of our Demo-
cratic contemporaries are in the habit of doing
and they have become accustomed to ex-
pressing their preferences and opinions at the
ballOt-box, and peacefully submitting to the
will of the majority, whatever it may be,
then can the idea Of republic be entertained
with safety and advocated without reserve.
There is to-day a strong republican party
in Spain, and Notwithstanding the fact that
the more cautious and prudent of the revolu-
tionary leaders would prefer to take gradual
steps in that direction rather than endangs
tie good work which they have commenced ia
well by too much haste, it is possible that
they may be overruled by the voice OF popular
opinion. And il the majority of the people
are anxious to try the experiment, let the
great Republic OF the West give them every
encouragement and bid them GOd-speed. Tht