The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-04-17
For the st. Cloud Journal.
SPAIN.

H.
For the st. Cloud Journal
SPAIN.
VIII the Spanish Republic prove a
success or a. failure Io balancing
probabilities on this question, the mind
recurs to the history of that country
aud the character of its people. At
tn close of the Fifteenth century,
tae vista shlch opened before the Span.
'sh people was of almost dazzliog bril-
liancy. Tie Spaniard of that period
vas in all respects equal, in some su-
perior, to the Englishman, the Freoch.
man or the German. His political in.
st'tutioos were the best then known IN
Europe, and the manly bearing and
fearless eye Ct the. Castillan peasant
gave evidence of selt.reliance end of
self'respect. A prolonged aud hually
victorious struggle against the Meslem
power had developed in Spain the most
formidable infantry which Europe had
seen since the fall of the Roman En-.
pire. Granada, the last stronghold of
the Moors, capisulated in I491, and
Columbus under the banner of CASTLE
boldly steered into unknown seas and
"lifted the veil that covered half man.
kind" Literature and art, the com.
panions of military glory and successful
ent rprise, fourlshed on a congenial
coil and gave promise Of goodly fruit.
What changed ihis brilliant dawn ia
to gloom What turned the vintage
into ashes, mingled with blood p? What
turned the gesereus and compassionate
castlliao ioto savage, and taught
Christian people to flock to the awful
spectacle OF an auto de fe as to fes.l-
val! What depopulated and .uroed iu-
to desert the tairest districts of Spain,
by the baaishmeut OF the gallant and
unfortunate Mor,scves, with circun-
stances of hideous barbarity rever
equaled before or since in any chris
tan and I Il was the spirit of bigotry
acting on the convictions and appeal
'ns to the passions of an earnest. SIN
cere and devout people. Political liber-
ty persisted with freedom Of thought,
and this noble country resigned itself
to its fate. Nations, like individuals,
are ameuabIe to the moral government
OF God, and 10 great national crime
was ever committed without sooner or
later entailing severe national pun.
ishment.
Pass from the Fifteenth Century to
the beginning of the Eighteenth and
behold the result B'gotry and absolu-
tism had done their work and had con-
Quoted Spain to the brink Of ruin.
That splendid infantry which for
century and a-balt was deemed invin-
chile, which had broken aud scattered
the bravest soldiers Of England, france
aud Germany on many well-fought
field, bad desenerated ioto miser .ble
rabble. The once renowned navey of
Spain, which had saved cbristendom
on the glorious day Of Lepaoto, now
rotted in its harbors, or if it ventured
to sea, was beaten in every. encounter
With the fleets of England and Hol-
land. Commerce languished, manufac-
lures were ext1ct, agriculture was
barely alive, and robbers thronged
every highway. This frightful state
of affairs gave birth to liberal party
which, di~cer ming the cause of its coun
try's woes, has for several generations
maofuIly struggled in the cause Of
freedom and progress. Napoleon I.
clearly saw what Spain needed, aod ho
would have been successful in the ua-
tioual regeneration if he had not in
suited the national pride and love Of
'ndepend encc.
The earliest movement represents
the party Of bigotry and absolutism.
Uotaught BY all the trightful evils
caused by a union of Church and State,
this party which, like the Beurbous,
"bas learned nothing and forgotten
n nhing," seeks to throw yet more ir.
removable chains over future gener-
atious Of mep. The mooarchies of
Europe, including aristocratic England,
would rather see Spain doomed to eter-
aal degradation than to see her emerge
from the shadows and stains OF the past,
clad in the republican mantle. But
yet We are not without hope. The
Spauiard is ooustltu,ionally sober, grave
and temperate. The principles of hon
or, integrity and self:respect-those
which ennoble our nature, are AZ firm
Iy. interviewer in the Spanish character
al in those of any people upon which
the sun ever shone. What fa,rer chance