The national Republican., 1869-02-02
ruE srsxAp or rrEE IDEAS.

beventesnth ana Etknteentn.
TEE sFnEAD OF RREE IDEAS.
Tho light Of the nineteenth century Is Civ.
ing force and potency to free principles and
correct Ideas, and II Is becoming an acknowl.
edged fact that the Old World systems oi
government are crumbling 10 pieces, and fast
giving place TO better state Of things. Tho
United States, by the activity Of It's people,
the progress Of free principles, and the moral
force Of its opinions, is contributing much
towards the furtherance and spread Of bet.
ter civilization.
Kings and the governing classes Of the
Old World find II impossible to check the
growth Of new and correct IDEAS, or to pre-
vent the spread Of free principles. Tho CIV
nixation Of tho fifteenth and sixteenth cen.
turios is no longer suited to modern times.
The incompatibllity Of the old civilization Of
the dead past with the wants and necessities
OF these times, Is seen and beginning to be
acknowledged everywhere throughout the
world.
Prussia some time ago caught this idea
and acted thereon, and as Q result of lie
wise forecast and action Il Is enabled to day
10 exercise controlling power over the Ger
man States, and there Is now no mightler OF
superior power In Europe.
Long degraded and down-trodden Italy
accepted the fresh impulse, and rose In its
day to Its place among the foremost nations
OF Europe. These new and free Ideas have
permeated Austria, and the modification Of
her internal policy is seen In tho bestowal Of
larger liberty and freer scope upon her peo-
pie.
The Sultan Of Turkey seems determined
TO resist the advancing march of free prin-
ciples, but Turkey must succumb to the In
evitable progress which characterizes the
age, or go down In ruin and cease to mo-
lest the freedom Of Europe.
Spain Is In the midst Of revolution, and
the latest news from that country, II 1t does
not deyelope clearly what Is to be her future,
assures us nevertheless that her crisis is az
preaching to elimination. We do not ac-
cept as entirely correct the announcement
which is Just published in this country that
tho provisional government have resolved to
make the Duke dc Montpensier the King Of
Spain. It may be true; but II SO, both h,
and the provisional Junta will find that sun
easy lies the head that wears a crown
There will probably be at no distant day
meeting Of the Cortes, and though there may
, be some disagreement among the members O
that body, still we cannot reach, as at pres
cnt advised, the conclusion that they will
sanction this action Of the provisional gov,
ernment II Ii be what has already been an
nounced as stated above.
1t Is true that before the meeting Of tn,
Cortes the present Government may attempt
o coup d'stat In favor Of their fayorite. Il
they try this II Is by no means certain thai
they will succeed, for 1t may result In th,
establishment Of a despotism, with Prim a,
their chief, or anarchy may ensue. In tn,
long run, however, freedom must triumph
even In Spain, as 1t Is triumphing elsewher,
In the Old World. Ifdespotism triumphs ever
temporarily In Spain, 1t will be because re
publicanism has been betrayed In the house o.
Ito friends, and because the Government ant
the press In this country have not spoken
with that emphasis which the necessities oi
the hour demanded Of US. While we will
not predict, we will wait In hope for tht
triumph Of democratic ideas even In long
oppressed and benighted Spain.