Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-30


Among all these Princes there was not
one really great, and several that count
among the worst In the modern history
Of Europe. Beside the personal diaquali-
fication Of the Princes for the admins
tration Of so large a country, several
ether causes hastened it's decline. As,
after the discovery of America the most
active spirits among the Spaniards
crowded to the New World, the soil Of
Spain and its mineral treasures, both
ineXhauslibIe sources of wealth, were
neglected for the riches Of the fancied El
Dorado where, as every one believed,
gold was more plentiful than iron In the
old. The expulsion of the Jews and
MoOrs was also productive of the direst
results. The enormous war expenditure
settled upon the country by frequent
foreign wsrs largely added TO the paraIy-
zation OF commerce and industry, and
the InquisitiOn, which put an end to all
independent and free thinking, consuna-
mated the ruin of the country.
SPAIN UNDER QUEEN ISABEL.
The reign Of Isabella II. belongs among
the most unfortunate ones which Spai1
hss witnessed. She Is the oldest daughter
Of the late King Ferdinand VIZ and
could ascend the throne only because her
father had changed the ancient law of
succession prevailing In Spain, and ac.
cordlng TO which the brother Of Ferdi-
nand, Don Carlos, should have succeeded.
Don Carlos naturally raised the standard
of revolt, and for five years (IS34-IS39)
vslisntly, but unnecessarily, fought for
his rights. The disturbance caused by
this war had hardly ended when EspRr-
tero, the Regent, and the Queen Dowa.
ger Christina, began the contest for the
supreme power during the minority. of
the Queen. EspaFtero was successful
from 1910 TO lS43, but was compelled to
fee before 0'Donnell and NarVsez. and
was not restored until l647. FREQUENT
changes OF the Ministry, occasional re-
volts, and the bAaishmsnt OF Queen
Christina, were marked events in the
his.Ory Of the folio wing years. A num-
Der of political parties were disputing
among each other the aseendancy. The
Car lists, even after the end of the var,
remained numerous party, especially
in the Basque Provinces, and had the
sympathy OF large portion of the clergy,
The M0deFadOs Or Conservatives party
were for stE0 8. royal power and but
few rights OF paS 0ortes. The Liberal
Union advocated more liberal lav of
suffrage. The ErOgresistas favored the
introduction OF radical reforms, The
Democrats openly pFofessed republi-
can ideas. The New-Oatholic School
counseled complete submission to the
church. Hardly year has passed in
which not the one or the other party
caused some disturbance. In 1854, the
Progressists had majority in the Lsgis-
latiVe Chamber, and introduced 8 num-
Der Of salutary reforms ; but their power
was soon broken, and the chief contest
has ss.lee been between Marshal Narvsez
as leader Of the Moderator, and Marshal
O'Donnell ss the leader Of the Liberal
Union. The leaders OF both these great
parties are now dead. Since 1865 the
Moderados have been in power, at first
under Marshal Narvaez, and after his
death (l858) under Gonzalez Bravo. The
administration of the Moderados has al
ways been noted for despotisEn and vio-
lence. They have repeatedly changed
the Constitution, without observing the
way provided for in the Constitution
itself. The Democrats and Progressists
have. therefore, for several years, taken
no p9rtin the eleotions. They have sew
ersl times attempted to reco1quer their
rights by revolution, generally under
the leadership of Gen. Prim. Thus far
the government had succeeded in sup
pressing every one of these movements
before I! had had time to spread, but the