National Republican., 1873-03-10


AT the present moment Spain presents q
spectacle unique lu history. A straddllng
nation she has always bcen-ouc foot on one
eide Of the Atlantic and one on the other; but
now for the nrst time We see her In dc char
acter Of stradding republic, attacked in
each limb by a disorder which no medicine
seems able 10 drive away.
Cuba, her sole remaining foothOld in Amer
lea, Is raeked by the spasms Of struggling
republican independence, while monarch
ical Gapgrcnc Is eating the very life out Of
Spanish power 10 the Old World. Ccspedes In
America and Don Carlos In Old Spain have
each maintained themselves In their mountain
strongholds long enough to Justify the most
serious apprchensions. The former never
seems to lose an inch. The latter grows morc
aud more formidable every day.
It Is impossible for any advocate Of gov
ernmcut by the people and for the people to
look upon this state Of affairs without deep
concern; and this our knowledge Of the
characters Of the Spanish leaders Is little cal
culatcd to allay. At such critical periods
everything depends upon the men at the
helm. Who are they7
Unquestionably the most prominent figure
Is Emilio CASTELAR,, In namo only the Minister
Of Foreign Affairs, but the real soul Of the
undertaking, Yet his qualifications arc not
precisely those which people should seek In
their rulers. 4 brilliant orator. a fluent
writer, an Ingenious thcorist, an aJcpt in
parliamentary tactics, q thorough master Of
all that relate TO the men and parties, the
aspirations and lntrigues Of modern Europe
lall fkla hn Il nA I,,N 80
pilot Spain through the breakers that bcsot
her on every hand he Is not.
II flashing thoughts, burning words and q
general flourish Of trumpets would answer
the purpose, Emilio Castelar, is the very man
for the emergency; but such Is not the case.
We arc told that the blowing Of horns proved
very cffectual In battcring down the walls Of
Jericho, but We nowhere read that breath
however muslcally expended, ever built up
anything. His nominal superior. Figucros
the president Of the Cortos, under the regime
Of Amadeus, appears to differ from him
chiefly In the degree Of his talents and not In
their quality. Ho has not won the other 8
worldwide reputation, because the silver
tongue and persuaylyc gesture arc not his,
nor has he Castcllar's wide range Of contem-
porary knowledge. But he, too, has been
educated In the visionary school Of Eu-
ropcan rcpubllcanism, and circumstances
have rather tended to aggravatc Its COM
munlstlc tendencies. Almost on his FIRST
entry upon life he entered also upon the
career Of o Spanish Rochefon-a writer
Of puugent articles, sometimes humorous,
sometimes weghty, but always scrutinizlng
tho action Of the Administration with q jeal-
Gus eve, and handling Il without gloves. In
a word, he became a radical oppositlouIst Of
the most extreme school, supporting as a
matter Of principle whatever was abhorent
TO the powers that were, and, perhaps, strain
Ing point now and then TO invent some new
scheme or doctrine which would rouse their
cholcr to a yet more fcrvcnt heat. These
characteristics he carried with him into a
wider field of action. In the legislative halls,
as In tho 5anctum, We find him manifesting
all the qualities Of clever partisan leader
but nothing more. His Is the hand 10 hold
the relns when the steeds are rearing and
plunging as they are at present.
The simple truth Is, the republic was
complete surprise, even 10 It's most ardent
supporters. II came upon the nation like u
fash Of lightning, and found 1t utterly un-
prepared. OF course every one turned 10 the
party whose principles had now so uuoxpect-
odly come uppormost, and naturally that
party sought guidance from those who had
been Its leaders In the hour OF adversely and
trial. They did not reflect what people ever
did1-that tho traits which ft men to be sue.
cessful partisan leaders arc precisely the
traits which unit them to be prudent, Just
and efficient rulers Of a nation.