The national Republican., 1868-12-18
SPAIN.

marvels OF modern timos' Nnat INV Vef ehu
corrupt dyna,ty Of Spain sueeumbsd and
passed away almost without q struggle to save
itself. The revelation which sent Queen Iss.
bella q fugitive to foreign lands was . blood.
less one, and the whole world was startled BY
its suddenness, and the lovers Of freedom
throughout the world were made to rejoice
thersat.
The only question now Is, what next? As |
Wendell Phillips, after our Presidential cleo |
tion, pertinsntiy inquired. Grant, and what
then 2" So tho world now asks, after the
flight Of Isabella, what thsn7 Is this great
achievement to be merely nine days wonder,
and q great nation, which was born In day,
to fall back into dsspotism which Is only .
slight remove from the tyranny which char
actorized the old regime.
With the proper settlement Of thi, question
we Americans have very much to do. We are
the foremost Republic of modern times,
and we have only to speak to make our power
felt in behalf Of republican Installations
throughout the world. The trouble Is that
We do not speak, or II We speak, II 10 not In
tone, sufficiently decided and emphatic 70 give
effect to our words. The fact Is painfully
patent that the American press and American
statesmen have, in most instances, failed to
encourage, by the right words and BY the
proper influences, the struggles Of foreign pso-
pies in thei reaorts to FREQ themselves from the
crushing despotism Of ages. Just here Is
our mistake.
misohiovous notion prevails In this country
that the millions who constitute the subject
masses OF Europe, are not sutficiontly intelli.
gent to construct and maintain a republican
form Of government. We cannot help charac.
tsriring this idea as a strange haliucination.
1t is certainly, in our opinion, unworthy Of
the American mind, and i'll becomes US, the
citizens Of the freest nation on the globe.
wheu,in lsis, France, or the mon In blouses
In that land, drove old Louis Philip from his
throne and declared for Republic, the Amcri.
can press, and many Of our statesmen, were
in state Of doubt, though they expressed
joy at the result still 1t was, on all hands,
announced that France was not suti eisntly
enlightened to maintain q republican form of
government.
wo forget in all our learned disquisitions
about the amount Of intelligence it requires
to be n republican and democrat, and to
maintain intact republican Institutions, that
liberty is the normal condition Of man, and
thstit Is ono Of those iutuitive perceptions Of
his moral and mental nature, which inhere in
him as firmly as his animsl instincts. The
fact is We are mighty slow in comprehending
this ono primal truth, and that Is that all meu
have intelligence enough to know what liberty
is. Man Is naturally q democrat. He need,
no education to teach him democratic ideas.
He must DO educated out Of democracy, moi
into IT. and 1t is just here that we blundel
when We say that such people are not cspa
bic OF free government. We said tais Abou
the French people in As. We are saying q
about the Spanish people now, and thus ",
are Strengthening that JHntg at MadriC
which, under Phm and his colleagues, viii
crush ou. the last yestige Of republication II
Spain.
We recognize the new provisional govern
ment Of Spain, but let US be careful what ",
do through this recognition Don't lot u.
crush the struggling democracy Of that cOun.
try by our sympathies for JaRta which per.
adventure may prove worse dospotism than
that which the licentious aud perfidious Isa.
bella exercised over that land.
We shall do we'll to remember that the mo
complete despotism Is not uufrequentiy mani
fesled through the most loud and boasttul pro
fsssors of liberty. This provisional J"nta a
Madrid needs watching.
We wish Mr.. Sumner would SO change hi
resolution in Its wording as to declare ths
the American Government and people no
only favor liberalism abroad, but that we be
lieve in democracy, and give our hearty ap
provh to the struggling peoples Of the worl'
in their Efforts to establish republican govern
ment, and that We cannot favor anything else
Gas. HESRY D. WAsuBuRS. Tho name q
washburn to the people Of this country 10 4
familiar as a househ old word, +" aud 1t 10 n
less so We imagine In foreign countries, wher'
ever the English language Is spoken. It
intimately connected with the history an
welfare Of tho Union, and the name Of th
gallant gentleman at tho head Of this par
graph adds new lustre and honor to the lis
though the youngest on the record. For son
reason best known to himself he dec lined
reelection to the Forty .arst Congress. Ill
ho only placed himself before his constituent
there Is very little doubt that he wou
have bOsn triumphantly reelected. Bell
the Chevalior Bayard Of the House Of Repr
sentatiVes, his name Is mentioned In come
tion with tho ONCE Of sersesnt.at.Arms-
position for which he Is pre-eminently htts'
With Gen. Washburn's services to his countr
in the field aud in Congress our readers ar
already familiar, and need no reminder.
We have heard great deal about ingrat
tude to the soldisrs-those who bore the bru
of battle, and barred their bosoms, as 1t wer
to the bullets aud bayonsts Of the ensmy.
remains to be seen whether the House Of Re-
rssentatlvss will set the righteous example
rendering "honor to whom honor is due"
cOnferriug upon Gen. Wasbburn the office {
Sergeant. alarms. lie Is q staunoh Rspu
lican, but is extremely popular with portion
Of all political adiuitiss, and any gentlem
who may feel disposed to run against him "
have the agreeable pleasure Of being dofsats
for against the enemy o. bsfore tho poo pie
all his undertakings he has proved himself
be inyineible.
Tue BosroS MUSICIPAL ELECTIONS. II
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