The New York herald., 1869-06-23

The New Spanish Formula for che Eu.
ropean Problen-Cuba Its Touchstone.
While Europe is oscillating between Bour-
bonism and Bonapartism, each claiming to
possess the only bridge that can carry the ma
tions safely over the gulf of anarchy which is
supposed to separate the future from the
present-while in America democracy, run
riot with the unrestrained tyranny Of Q nu-
merical majority, is budding through radical
ism into Imperialism or an oligarchy, the old
Gothic spirit of the age of the Wittenagemot
and of the barons of Runnymede is cropping
ont in Spain and presenting to the phi
losophers, statesmen, politicians and peoples
of modern times a new political formula for
the construction of States-a formula which
holds promise to all of Europe, and may at
no distant day involve solution for its politi-
cal problems throne without a king and
regent without q crown open to every
people broad and safe pathway from the
royalsm of the past to the constitutionalsm of
the future, without appealing to Bourbon, a
Bonaparte or Sans-culote.
Spain is one of the most fruitful countries of
Europe, and the modern Spaniard, descended
from the Celts, Goths, Suevi and vandals,
mixed with the Iberian, Carthagenian, Roman
and Moorish elements, Is one of the most
vigorous Of modern races. 1t retains the old
Gothic pride, austerity and perseverance in q
large degree. The cave of Covadonga Is as
religiously remembered as the cradle of Span
| ish liberty; as is Faneuil Hall as that OF
| American freedom and the old Arragonese
coronation oath, which is remembered by every
Spaniard even to the present day-"We, who
are each as good as thou, and together are
greater than thou, take thee for our King if you
respect our rights, and If not, no"-contains
more political freedom than any constitution oi
ancient or modern times. Representative in
most ancient traditions, and the Cortes Is now
the oldest representative body in Europe, il
not in the world. In the ancient times 1t con-
tanned four houses-the lords, the gentlemen
the towns and the ecclesiastics-the consen,
Of all of which was required TO enact any law
and all petitions and grievances had to b.
disposed Of before the Cortes voted the supplies
for the service Of the State.
The decay Of Spanish freedom came will
the close Of the Moorish conquest and the ris,
of the American colonies. The willy and false
Ferdinand and Isabella laid the axe at its root
with the introduction Of the Inquisition and o
the policy which afterwards guided the hous.
of Hapsburg, and ne enormous S no Is wealth whici
Mexico and Peru poured into the roya
treasury enabled their successor, Charles
Of Spain and V. Of Germany TO suppress th,
attempts Of the Spanish Commons to defen,
their rights and to augment the powers of tn
Grown. BUT the old Gothic form Of muncipa
organization has always been retained and th
memory of the ancient privileges preserved i,
the hearts of the people. To what small ex
tent modern ideas Of individual freedom have
mixed with the elements Of liberty in Spain /,
evinced In the small number of republicans
ffty-fve out of total of over three hundred
elected TO the present Cortes. The death o
Charles H., the last OF the Bapsburgs, in 100
marked the lowest ebb of Spanish population
and Of Spanish freedom. With the coming o
the Bourbons better era began to dawn
which has shone through ftful intervals in tn,
last and present centuries. The Inquistion wa
restricted and the Jesuits were expelled
in 1867 with intense popular salts
faction, and the transitory constitu
tional governments Of 1912, 1920 an,
lsss exhibit bs anacity Of w Spanish miat