The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-10-01
spain---HeE Present Condition and
- Glorious Past. ~, -

spain--HeE Present Condition and
4 Glorious Past. ~ n -
The prominent position accorded
to Espartero, in the present Spanish,
insnrrection, gives it q dignity which
it does not derive from the name OF
General Prim, who has nc political
or military record, and who does not
command the confidence of the in.
telligent middle classes of Spain,
General Espartero is now seventy-six
years old. and is what is called in our
country ia self-made man." being
the son of wheel-wright, and enlist
ing as common soldier in the army
in 1908. He afterwards went to a
military school. and passed through
the various grades of the service to
the highest rank. He has been the
original and most steadfast champion
that Queen Isabella ever had, and
the sway of absolutism must have
become intolerable, which alienated
such friend and arrayed him against
her Government. It is not, however,
true, es seems to be assumed by some
OF the press, that Espartero is Re-
publican. His regency was distin
guished by his opposition to the ex-
tremes of that party, though there is
no doubt of his moderate liberal ten
denotes.
Whilst it is still difficult to ascer-
tain what may be the designs of the
present insurrectionary movement in
Spain, there is no country of Europe
whose national character combines
more of the qualities which are re-
qulsite for the success Of free consti-
tutional government. The intelli-
gence and culture of her leading and
upper middle classes. the pride and
dignity of personal character, exalted
courage and stern, unyielding perse-
verance, common to the whole na-
ton, give hopeful augury of her
future. The past history of Spain is
an attestation of the sterling virtues
of her people, which, however she
may be depressed for the present,
invests with unusual interest every
struggle she makes for liberal and
material progress. Can England it
self show such record of vitality of
race, and of stubborn and eventually
successful resistance to foreign inva-
sion as Spain can exhibit? Far from
it.
England was successfully overrun
by Danes, SaXons, Normans; but
Spain, invaded by the Moors in I'll,
despolled of her finest provinces, her
people compelled to find refuge in
the mountains of the Asturias, and
her fugitive chiefs holding q council
in cavern, kept up a war of resist
ance with but little intermission till
1892. The annals of history may be
searched in vain for n contest as
long, as bitter and involving SO many
antagonistic elements of race, reli-
gion, temperament and interest. For
seven hundred and eighty-one years
the Spanish nation struggled to
throw off the Moorish yoke, grand
consummation which was accom-
plished in that magnificent reign of
Ferdinand and Isabella, resplendent
with the glories of two hemispheres.
Scarcely had Spain emerged from
this long night of centuries, spring
ing, like the tropical sun, suddenly
and full-orbed from the darkness,
when she, who had for so long a pc
riod been convulsed in a life. and
death struggle for her own existence,
gave birth, through the enlightened
patronage of her court to Christopher
Columbus, to a new world. The
names of her great captains, De Leon
and De Cordova. and of her illustri-
ons statesmen, Mendoza and Kline
mes. are indissolubly linked with that
brilliant period of her history, and
gave the impetus to that career of
greatness which made her for two
centuries the first country of Europe.
Notwithstanding the subsequent de-
cline of Spain in material strength,
her insurrection against French rule
in 1903, when half million of COM
batants waged fierce guerilla war
fare for four years against the usurp-
ers, and illustrated their heroism by
the immortal defence of Saragossa,
Corona, CadiZ, Tarrogona and Va
lencia, demonstrated that the lofty
courage and infexible purpose of the
Spanish nature had survived the de-
cadence of its political power. With
q national character that has much of
the grave austerity, pride and perse-
verance of the Romans, modified in
some degree by the pacific and prac.