New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-10
THE SPANISH CORTES.

| by our people IN the cOnStltuent assembly
of that country, known rs the Cortes.
In the revolution, which proved to be a
| widely extended movement, most Of the
eminent Spaniards were active particip-
ants. The government passed into the
hands of few men, of whom Generals
Serrano and Prim are the best known, the
former ultimately becoming regent In
connection with the revolution, and one of
the prominent leaders in it, was Admiral
Topete, the. brave and magnanimous SOL
tlier who opened to the exiled generals
the gates of Spain, and made the revolu-
ton possible. When the Council Of State
was organized, the president of that
body, minister of war, captain-generalo of
the armies of Spain. the Count of Re,lss,
the Marquis of Castillejo. Don Juan
Prim until his assassination, was one
of the foremost leaders in the Spanish
Cortes. OF him it is said that lie was a
'soldier, conspirator, diplonlatist and
born ruler; Cromwell without convic-
tons; dictator who concealed his power
and Warwick who married king, better
than he made them.
The Cortes, as to its politics, was COM
posed of the irreconcilable republicans,
democrats Carlists, union liberal, and
the progressistas The revolution had
been mainly produced through the coali-
ton Of the prograssista. the liberal lnion
and democratic parties, and lasted for a
year and half after the provisional gov
eminent was formed. This coalition with
men Of opposite and extreme views such
as Martos, the abolitionist, and Romero
Roblado, the advocate of slavery: Eshe-
garay, the nationalist, and Ortiz, the ultra
montana: men who worship reason. and
men who worship the Pope: men who in
sist that human rights are above law, and
men who believe in the divine right Of
kinss-was kept together and maintained
its ascendency through the power
full cohesion of private and party interests
until March, 1870, when it fell to pieces
upon question of the financial admin
istration Of the country. By the vote of
the Cortes, consisting of three hundred
and twenty-four members the provisional
government and its cabinet was sustained
by majority of six. just sufficient to save
the cabinet and overthrow the incon-
gruous coalition. The republicans under
the lead of Castelar,. Figueras and Louis
Blanc, for this occasion, voted with the
ministry. 1t WAS a desperate struggle on
the part of Prim and his colleagues to
prevent their overthrow by the monarch
lists. Carlists and unionists who were bit
terly opposed to the radicals, republicans
and progressive monarchists. OF all the
men in this Spanish Legislature the most
distinguished. enlightened and eloquent
was and is the great republican Emilio
CASTELAR,. Says writer, describing him,
she reminds you instantly of Chantry's
bust of the greatest of the sons of men.
The same pure oval outline, the arched
eyebrows, the piled IN dome Of forehead
stretching outward from the eyes until
the glossy black seeing the hopeles,ness
of dlsputing the field, has retired discour-
aged to the back of the head"
As speaker he is described as one
that does not move with the powerful,
convincing momentum of the greatest
English and American orators. 1t is pos
sible that its very bri,liancy detracts some
what from its effect upon Legislative
body. When you sec Toledo blade all
damaskeened with frontage and flowers
and stories of the gods, You are apt to
think it less deadly than one glittering in
naked blueness from hilt to point. Yet
the splendid sword is apt to be of the fin
est temper He has transcendant ora
torical gifts. There is something almost
in his delivery. Robertson,
speaking of Pitts oratory. said, at was
not the torrent of Demosthenes, nor the
splendid conhasration Of Tully."
This ceases to be al unlneaning meta
phor when you have heard CASTELAR,. His
speech is like torrent in its inconceivc-
BILE huency, like a raging fire in its bril-
liancy of color aud terrible energy Of pas
sion.
Never, for al instant. is the wonderful
current Of defamation checked by the
pauses and hesitations. the deliberations
that mark all Anglo-Saxon debates. An
entire Grafton will be delivered with pre-
cisely the fluent energy which veteran
actor exhibits in his most passionate
scenes: and when You consider that it is
not coined beforehand, but is strucl, off
in the very heat and spasm of
ntterance, it seems little short of inspira-
ton. The most elaborate feeling of q
astidious rhetorician could not produce
phrases Of more exquisite harmony,
antithesis more sharp aud shining, meta
pbors more neatly fitting, all uttered with
l distinct rapiditv that makes the despair
Of stenographers. His memory is pro-
ligious and under perfect discipline. He
has the worlds history at his tongues
end. No fact is too insignificant to be
nor too stale to do service.
Any one who reads the great speech of
this Spanish Patrici, Henry, upon the oc-
casion when the Roman Catholic party in
khe COrteS SOUGHT to lnaintain their mower