Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-02-27
Spain.

Ihat tniS iSG!inT SnOuti pTeNdii IN
where even the more liberal
men, and men of advanced
ideas, have no faith in the capacity of
the masses OF the people anywhere, for
is not surprising; but
that it should exist in this country, and
should crop out even in Congress, where
two attempts TO Introduce resolutions
of sympathy with Spain have met with
sturdy and successful obstruction, is
matter for wonder and astonishment. |
The men who are now in power in
Spain are the warm friends of the
United States and admirers of our form
of government; and if the new Re
public had right to look for kind,
helping and encouraging word from
any quarter, it was surely from here.
England and Prussia might be excused
for doubling snake of the head; but
not America. r
That the Latin races are unfit for
lself-government and incapable of es-
tablishing Republican institutions is,
with some people a theory: but it is
by no means an accepted fact. We do
not concede it nor believe it. The
chronic state of disturbance in the
South American republics is pointed to
as evidence of the truth Of this theory,
and particular stress is laid on Mexico
as case in point but these are not
parallel cases to that of Spain, nor are
they near as bad as represented. The
South American States and Mexico
were peopled mainly by adventures
land uacivilized natives; but, as repub-
lies, they have been as successful as
Brazil governed by monarch, and
Mexico has struggled with all her diff
culties until she has overcome them.
During the lifetime of Juarez, a genu-
inc leader and hero, every little out
break against his rule WAS magnified
and dwelt upon in this country, until
the public mind was worried into be-
, lieving that the government was a
failure; yet he held on manfully, fought
steadily to maintain Republican prin-
, ciples, and was just On the point of ul-
. innate success when he died. Thanks
, to his persistence, courage, energy and
faith in the institutions he defended,
Mexico is now at peace and prospering.
> He is dead and other men have enter.
ed into his labors, but he saved his
, country from destruction and proved
the capacity of his government to sus
. tain itself. ls -,.tf-
y Spain, however, is not to be measur
ed by Mexico. Her people are more
f advanced and she has better men tt
{ the fore. With such leaders as Castel
r ar and Figueros, and the able mon they
have called around them, the success!
4 of the movement ought to be certain
n No nation in Europe can boast a no
bier set of statesmen than the Republi
cans of Spain have presented. During
y many years of doubt and uncertainty
$ they have bided their time quietly, in
r structing the people in devotion to re
i publicanism, but keeping down TIL
}. revolutionary spirit and teaching then
to wait for their opportunity. Tha
opportunity has now come, and, SO ia
o as we can see, they are equal to thei
TASK. The change from Monarchy f
: a Republic was made without q jar
and without bloodshed, and the ma
Ichinery of government goes on a
, smoothly in their hands as it ever di'
: in the hands of those who claim di
= vine right to rule. The people recog
nize the new authority with thankful
:, ness and joy, and everything betoken
a much more hearty concurrence in tn
4 acts of the new government than wa
n accorded 10 King Amadeus or that c
, the prufligate she-devil who preeede'
g him. 1t ought 10 succeed, and we hav
} faith that it will.
- 1t is pardonable, at least, TO wisl
these men well, and to hope that a bet
ter day has. daWned on that unhapp.
! country. With France on one side c
her tending surely and steadily, as W
, trust, to the final establishment Of tn
/; Republic, and without fear Of an al
i tack from other EuropeOn governments
y no one of which dare to go to war wit
s. her, why should not Spain succeed il
- laying securely the foundations Of fre
- institutions? Why should not Castela
become the Washington of his country
and why, above all, should American
= Republicans look coldly at this new
:, effort in the right direction and NEE
!, it with doubts and sneerS? If sucl
men as Espartero can send his greet
- ings to cheer these new champions G
- liberty, surely this Republic of ours
= just rounding into the first hundre
!. years OF its prosperous existence, shoul
be able to send a shout of welcom
across the ocean, such as those wit
which we greeted Kossuth, and Gar
baldi, and the heroes of I848. Castela
= and Figueros are to the full as worth
OF sympathy as they; and if the NeN
= Spanish Republic succeeds, as Go
grant it may, we shall have reason
y as a nation, to be ashamed to find tia
= it has struggled into being without
kind or cheering word from those fror
- whom it lad the best. right to expet
it. Led. .... r.t5
> HENDRYsBURG, Feb. "a, 1873.
ED. CuRONICIE:-Iu my former e.