The New York herald., 1869-06-25
Prominent Arrivals in the City.
The Reconstruction of Spain-The Trans.
formation Of Europe.

formation Of Europe.
Spain does well. What impartial onooker,
qualified to Judge, can say she does not
When in September of last year the revolution
in that country startled Europe and the world
by its suddenness and completeness, birds of
i'll omen were numerous, numerous that
they darkened the heavens, and evil prophets
who were abundant, were loud-mouthed in
their utterances of despair. Spain had abused
her privileges. In that grand transition period
when the old Roman empire had crumbled to
pieces, and the modern States system was
taking shape, Spain had a glorious opportu-
nifty, but she knew not how to turn ii to ac-
count. Succeeding as she did to the inheri-
tance and prestige of the empire, ii was simply
question how she should mould the world to
her will. France and England were her only
rivals, but France and England could only be
formidable to her through union, and union, in
consequence of jealousy, was impossible.
When in 1916 Charleslv. became King of Spain
as well as Emperor of Germany, the Moors had
no longer a foothold on the Peninsula. Naples
had been conquered by Gonsalvo de Cordova,
and the American Continent had been dis
covered by Columbus and taken possession Of
in the name of the Catholic King Ferdinand
and his Catholic Queen Isabella. Spain, in
fact, had no rival among the nations. By
common consent she occupied the first place
among the Powers OF this earth. Under the
reign of Charles, who gave to Spain the full
benefit Of the prestige Of his imperial position,
Spain had every opportunity that a nation
could have to leave her impress upon the
world. When Charles retired from the cares
| of State in 1866 and left Spain and her i'm
mense possessions to his son Philip H., it
had become the privilege of the Spanish
monarch to boast, or for others to boast in his
name that the sun never set on his do
minions-a boast which it never had been the
| privilege OF any monarch to make before him.
| The history Of Spain, in fact, during the
greater part of three long regns, is a history
| of almost uninterrupted success. In I47s the
| Peninsula was broken up into Independent and
hostile States. The Mohammedans occupied
| Granada. and CASTLE and Aragon were
| ruled by separate princes. Before 1890 divi-
| sions had disappeared and Spain had become
unit, powerful in herself and dangerous to the
rest of Europe. Accessions were things o
daily occurrence. by force or by diplomacy
she had become mistress Of Portugal, Ma
varre and Roussillon; OF Artois, Franchs
Comte and the Netherlands; OF the Milanese
Naples. Sicily, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands
| and the Canaries. One Of her kings had, al
we have said, been Emperor Of Germany
| Another had been husband Of the Queen o
England. The Turkish Power, which she ha'
found so formidable, had been beaten back o.
every side, and mainly through her individual
energy and perseverance. France had bee
humbled and French king had actually bee
captured aud led prisoner to Madrid. in tn
, | New World the Spanish possessions covere
sixty degrees of latitude and included both th
3 tropics. In addition to their possessions o
the mainland the Spaniards had made then
| selves masters of Cuba. San Domingo, il
r | maca and other islands. In Africa the
a had obtained Ceuta, Melllla, Oral
n Boupah, Tunis, and had overawed q
= y whole coast of Barbary. In Asia the
Of possessions were 10 be found on bo,