The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1872-02-14
National Decay.

some interesting statements respecting
the population of Spain at various periods,
ancient and modern, have recently been
published, which trace its gradual decline
from an extraordinary height to point
Indicative of decay Some accounts as
sert that before the Roman conquest Spain
had nearly $4,000, 900 of people, and that
at the time of Julius Caesar the total was
81, 900, 900, though others make it 100000
600. A careful census, made in the time
of Ferdinand and Isabella, showed a pop
ulation of 10000, 900, but it had declined
so rapidly by 1858 that it was then only
100000, and in 1900 it had fallen to
100000.
There can be no difficulty in account
ing for this amazing decline, when we re-
call the events of Spanish history-the
long and terrible Roman wars, the inva-
sions by the barbarians, the Moorish con-
quest, the long war which finally led to
the expulsion of the Moors, the horrors of
the Inquisition, the wars of the subsequent
centuries, the unprecented drain caused by
the conquest and civilization of America,
and the prostration produced by enormous
taxation and the loss of the colonies on
which so much dependence had been
placed. The facts seem to show that no
matter how great pitch of prosperity
and population country may attain, it
may be reduced to the depths of adver-
sity, and its population wasted away by
long course of war, rapine, persecution,
foreign colonization, and misgoyernment.
1t will be observed that if the estimate
first given above of the Spanish popula-
ton before the Roman conquest be cor
rect, it was about equal to that of the
whole vast Russian Empire. Such a den
sity does not exist anywhere in Europe at
the present day, but there can be no
doubt that it did exist in Italy under the
Roman Empire for long time This is
by no means impossible. Spain has always
been a fertile and productive country, and =.
could easily support very large popula-
lion, and doubtless that constituted the
chief attraction for successive conquerors.
Under the Moorish Kings of Cordo-
va, there were twelve hundred villages
on the banks of the Guadalquiver, where
now only about two. hundred can be
Tound. This ruin was iudisputably pro
luced by the Inquisition, which, besides
he deaths it caused that were numbered
BY thousands, led others TO emigrate to
Instant countries. Spain was made Ro-
nan Catholic region at a fearful cost. The
peculiar to the original Spanish
population had perished long before, and
he persecution carried on by the Inquisi-
ion crushed the civilization introduced
" the Moors, so that Spain was left poor /
indeed.
OF late years, the Peninsula has shown
nmistakable symptoms of recuperation,
aving increased in population from IL /
10000 in 1850 to 100000 in 1870,
mainly because the government has, under
Il vicissitudes, devoted itself to the cult
alton of home industry. In former eras
he taxation rendered necessary by wars
{ an extended character, weighed heavily
pom all the productive forces of the king
ON, and the discouragement was general.
similar result ensued in Italy under some
the emperors, in consequence Of the ex-
'eme pressure Of taxation rendered nee
isary by constant war. But few coun-
les have ever suffered under such COM
ication of troubles, continued for so long
series of centuries, as Spain. Italy found
} refuge from her Affections in exile, and
erefore her population survived, and the
'untry has remained strong and prosper
Is.
The one lesson that stands conspicuous i
'ove all others in this Spanish record is,
at peace is the true secret of a nations I