Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-30
Affairs in Spain.

Affairs in Spain.
Matters in Spain arc growing worse very
rapidly And to most Americans it seems
inexpicablo that revolutions on the Conti-
ncnt, in the interest Of republican institu.
tons, so steadily aud certainly fail The
outward conditions Of success do not seem
to be wanting, but they are never fruitful
Of good results And in Spain, republic
canism is taking its usual course aud COM
ing to its usual eud. Yet the leading men
Of Spain are republicans the Acknowledged
leaders Of public opinion actually believe in
the government Of the people by the poo.
pie. Aud the people, the large masses of
the middle classes and the humber peasant
population, are always ready for a change
Of rule aud naturally disposed to democra
cy Probably there isuo country in Europe
more largely imbued with republicanism
throughout its male population. The work
ing classes have been dreaming Of unyer-
sal suffrage Of State without a king, and
very largely, too, ola church without priest
hood. They have been rolling themselves
rcstlessly in their beds aud dreaming Of a
republic as a remedy for all the ills under
which they were suffering. They rejoiced
in the abdicalon aud flight Of Amadeus,
as giving them peaeoably what they were
not ready to take forcibly. The Cortes al.
msst unanimously responded to the almost
unanimous wish Of the people. There was
no opposition, and the government seemed
to have met with a change, instantaneous,
hopeful aud successful
1t strikes an American with astonish.
mcnt that thercpublican ship should so soon
come to mutiuy and discord, and serious,
if not fatal, dangers. It is well enough to
advert to few Of the reasons Of this un.
happy result.
The Carisis in Spain are source Of
chronic discomfort With any form Of gov
ernmeut that may be set up. BY the Salic
law, no woman could succeed to the throne
of Spain. Ga the occasion Of the acccs.
sion Of Isabella, this law was violated, and
tn, legal heir to the throne, with his lneal
SUCCESSORS ever since, have contended for
the overthrow Of the reiguing dynasty.
They are determined TO secure their own
"diyine rights to the throne, aud hence
create Disturbances with all existing gov.
ernmcnt, ana maintain continual prcda-
tory warfare with the established author.
ties, 10 the hope Of rsganing their ancient
royal position. The more active popular
discomfort with the existing order Of things
becomes, the more active and dangerous are
the Carlisis. They are now more vigorous
Iy at work than ever, aud combine with all
the elements Of antagonism to the republic.
The army too has always been potent
element in Spanish affairs The action of
the goycrmeut has disorgauizcd the military
forces and separated it from the sympathies
of the officers When il abolished the con-
scription and took measures to arm the
people and organize militia, it seriously
disaiFected both the leaders and the rank
and Gle of the army Aud to this cause
may be traced the unusual successes Of the
Carists in the northern provinces. Whole
regiments aud battalons have deserted, and
Carism has been dangerously spreading
among the general officers.
Aud there is division also among the
republicans. Some Of the leaders tr3 in
favor of the federal system, like that of the
Swiss Can,ons, and others are in favor of
the principles of the Paris Commune
Some want municipal independence, State
sovereignty, hedging the general govern
meut round with local and independent SOW.
ereignties; and others desire pure and
unqualified democracy, establishing sort
of political church in which all men, and
especially the poor men, shall have all the
rights and property of the privileged
classes.
1t is this devil in European politics that
makes a republic almost impossible. 1t
starts with an old adage of Proudhon that
property is robbery" aud aims at univer-
sal piloge Of the rich and the distribution
of their effects. Respecting neither pro-
perty nor life, it is incapable of establish.
ing genuine republic.
Another cause of the failure of all rev.
olutions in Spain, is the influence Of the
clerical party. II has been in autagonism
to the people and their rights for genera.
tons. 1t is naturally and necessarily con.
sentative in the highest degree.
The instinct of sefpreservation arms the
clergy against the growing power Of democ.
racy. The success Of republieanism mean'
the overthrow of the privileges and fran
chises, the public property aud the o0icia
rights Of the clerical order. And as they
have access to large portion Of the popu.
ation, and especially to the female part OIL
it, in the most confidential manner, repub
licanism is very apt to be bored and cut of
a. the root while 1t is apparently flourish
ing in the branches. Their influence il
pervasiye, and always dead against popular
institutions.
Then there is the extensive ignorance o
the lower and working classes. They hay,
not the education or the intelligence need
ful to the wise charge and conduct of
) State. 1t is impossible that a republi,
should succeed where there arc ignoranc,
aud seldshness and vice prevailing tn,
great body Of the electors. In cases wher'
the people are unintelligent and imbruted
universal suffrage is universal anarchy, ant
democracy is disaster and ruin. Aud thi
makes the future Of Spain SO dark. 1t il
too uneasy aud restless to permit king
too ignorant and corrupted to sustain re
public. 1t seems almost as if it must b
beaten hither and thither at the mercy o
the opposing tides, until il is PRACTICAL,