The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-01

Of the italian donation, choosing rather
to suffer privatiOn than compromise the
chariot St. Peter by recognizing the
spoliation of the Holy Sea. Spain, for
merly so devoted to the Papacy, has
cut loose almost as completely as Italy
from the Vatican, but the affairs of the
church are of secondary importance.
Spain has even a more thOrny road to
travel than Italy. When Italian gene
ration began and for years after, Victor
Emanuel leaned on the strong arm Of
bayOnets were*Teady to make good the
unity they had accomplished for the
house of Savoy, and though their aid
was not brought into requisitiOn to
prop the throne, yet 4 knowledge that
they would be if occasion required, pre-
vented disorder, insurrectiOn and cOun-
ter revolution. The dynasty which sue
ceeded to the crown Of Italy Val native,
and nestled among the rocks Of Sa-
voy and in the valleys Of Piedmont for
a thousand years. All their instincts,
all their feelings, were italian. Not so
in Spain. The expulsion of the old ne
cessitated the introduction of a new dy-
nasty. When, on the flight Of Isabella,
an attempt was made to re-establish OF
der, there was no foreign support on
which to lean no outside pressure to
assure internal quiet and smother the
a foreign dynasty took the place of the
old, q dynasty to which no Span
ish loyalty clung, around which no pan
ish associations gathered; identified
with her history neither in its glory nor
its perls; q dynasty parVenue and
cheap, and we can easily understand
the restless unrest which BATTLES all at
tempts of ministers and crown. Cuba,
well-nigh the only colony left of that
once magnificent colonial domain which
embraced half the western continent,
has been in revolt these four years, and
Spanish pride Obstinately refuses to
adopt the only measures fOrrepairng the
disasters which Spanish incOmpetency
and misrule created. Unable to sub
due and unwilling to confess her ina
bllity, the weary, atrociOns war goes on,
with no speedy prOspecteither of suhju-
we hope is, working out her Tegenera-
ton as optimist enthusiasts would have
us believe, but we must confess we see
little to hope for from the events of the
last year. Attempted assassinations,
chronic instruction, a rapid success
sion of ministries each more pOWerIess
than it's predecessor, discomfort at home
and rebellion abroad, with an empty
treasury and bad credit, is about as for
bidding a picture as n would care
to contemplate.
The chief matter of international in
terest in Great Britain in 1872 was the
final adjustment of the Alabama Difficult
ties. The declaration Of the Geneva
tribunal finding Great Britain culpable
for the escape of the cruisers and adj
Judging her in the sum of $15,500, 900,
hurt her pride more than her purse.
against it, she knows and the world
knows that the price was none too small
for the prospective advantage she is
likely to reap from the principle O
for the first time defined and incorpo-
rated in international law as between
Great Britain and the United States.
Englandis well satisfied to be so comfort
ably rid Of a standing claim which did
| duty for seven years as q firSt-c1ass
grievance, and formed the vulnerable
point in her foreign relations. The as
sassinati0n of Earl Mayo, when on a
tour of inspection in the Indian EN-
pire, created some excitement and some
alarm till it was known to be the work
of a fanatic of the type FELTON,. Beyond
the value ofthe individual life, valuable
as it was, sacrificed, the event was only
significant as indicating the temper of
the subject MOhammedans; but, when
known to be the result of private re-
first felt subsidized. The railway system
of British India is now so complete,
and the Himalayas constitute so fOrmi-
dable a barrier, that only the Russopho-
Dist feels n alarm at the progress of
Russia in Central Asia. The India
Board are on the alert, and a trained
staff of officials, whose business it is to
keep the Government advised on Cen
trail Asiatic affairs, suffice to give the
Indian Government timely information
on all that transpires beyond the
HindOo Koosh. To be forewarned
is to be forearmed, apd, should the
shock of battle come, the descend
ants of the Gives and Wellesleys will
not be unprepared to meet it as become
Englishmen.
Ireland is the despair of English
statesmen. Every effort has been made
to osnciliate her in vain. She has been
by turns hattered, bullied, courted and
caressed. Remedial legislation and
coercive are equally unavailing. Wheth-
ct the ill-assOrted couple are likely to
live any happier in future than in the
past is more than we can tell. We sus-
pect, however, that Englishmen OF
Irishmen or both must be made Oye1
again ere they live together in peace.
On the other side o the globe Japan has
entered on q career of progress which
bids fair ere long to distance all he1
contemporaries. Feudalism has been
abolished, the power Of Damios reduced
The MikadO has become supreme, the
Zioogan is a dignity of the past. The
army has been reorganized on European
model, navy, including several pow
erful iron-clads, created, railroads built
telegraph lines established, light,
houses built along the coast, a mint
erected, dry docks constructed, and
all the appliances of modern e~iviliza-
ton adopted. Colleges have been bull
and endowed, and hundreds of youth
sent abroad to be educated that they
may educate their fellows at home
Much of this has been done within the
past year, and to day, all things consid.
cred, Japan is the most progressive ma,
tionSon the earth. Though peace haf
generally prevailed in the Old World
during the year 1872, we can scarcely
hazard the prediction that it will con.
tinue. France is uneasy, and a revolu.
ton may be precipitated any day
Prussia, Austria, Russia, Italy and ever
Spain are arming. Imperial conferences
cannot guarantee peace. A spark may
at any time light a conf1agration whief
J will lay half the continent in ashes.
We car not close our summary with,
, out allusion to anotable event, in which
{ we are proud to say, an American wa
principal-the discovery OfDr. Living,