New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-10
TEN DAYS IN SPAIN.
vpou sANrANDER TO MADRID.


rn.vrrIys-AscERrAINING PUBLIC OPINION In
pra.Rp TO THE PROSPECTS OF THE REPUBLIC
Gain acouaints one with strange bed-fellows
,1nro ia an nntirng industry about them worthy oil
h.,,o, canse. Would that the Republics Minister
~ Finance and its commanding generals possessed
al. activity of its fleas Why will Nature DO sucn
.,.nathrifti Were she to economic on meas 'peie
night be sufficient energy in the Peninsula 10 star
tbe trains punctually and occasionally turn promises
into deeds Why there should be so many SpahiSh
Aeas weird William Blake would quickly zen us.
When completing his curious drawing Vi i"o "''s'
~ Flea. the lively ghost informed biake 'n"' Ill
Aeas we're Inhabited by the souls OF sucn men rs
xere NV nature blood-tbirsty to excess, ana were
therefore proyidentially confined to the SIZE and
farm Of insects. With this strange light thrown
non Spains largest population it Is most wasteful
anapemept that fails to utilize floas for war pur-
Noses Placed at the head of the army, they would
.oon drive the Carlists bowling into the Bay OF
Biseay.
Idoubt whether The Blnker's repose were more
tranouil than my own, for at an early hour NC i"-
t,rmed me through the key-hOe that ORDERS hau
A.en issued to detain the luggage Oh Inc roui
friends three DAYS in quarantine. so, madaih
ve must remain here for your trunk. MY carpet
- hos been given up" Three days! Never
T1,raah
uodr;d AZ n IN. Meanwhile. will go to the
- onthorities and demand my property" The
Rl;nker mutte:ed something in opposition Tie
.lvavs was in opposition He contradicted by I'M
r.lse That woman, not yeta grandmother shouiu
have "yiewsr seemed to him revolutionary vi we
.rounod ~ o o'clock without breakfast WIN
.moll heocor 70 show us the route. lie was an III
aonanaent hegcsr. Though politely requested 10
- boste onr ragged ccerOne sauntered along
rooondIess of his followers, who were somewhat
amazed when he suddenly disappeared Where mao
he gomez Into a shop to buy some paper WIN which
IN make a cigarette that, on his return, ne SLOWLY
unified in our faces Ii struck me az the coolest per
tormanoe at which | had ever assisted. 1t also
rtrpek me as the keynote to several Spanish prob
kms.
Santander is not big town, otherwise we might
be wandering about to thus hour. When cigarettes
are 10 be smoked with tender appreciation distances
heeome great but we found the sanitary bureau
and harangued the mighty potentato thereof
was an American whose stay in Spain was limited
20 few days Couid | have my trunk No
why noti~ Because there is cholera in Paris
But Eve not come from Paris nor have any other
pasSengersn ut matters little. We are held re-
vponsible for the introduction of cholera into Span
and every province exercises its own discretion III
this matter "Where is the logic or discretion of
allowing passengers TO land with all such luggage as
can be carried by hand, and only retaining trunks
for fumicationl Is the cholera locked up in my
trunk and not in my courier's carpet-bagY Had !
known the marvels of Spanish quarantine, I'd have
brought my clothes in a newspaper" The potentate
needed neither argument nor sarcasm. He smoked
cigarette and seemed perfectly resigned to my fate.
i wrestled with the Spanish intellect. l tried to
hot no nf Euronp
America would be everastingly fixed upon HIM if he
forced me to go to Madrid with gown. At this
final threat the potentate relented. You cannot
have YOUR trunk" he said. THAT would cost me
ny office, but will give You such paper as will
enable you TO take out its entire contents" And the
potentate gave written order addressed to the
quarantine officers To the last he did not seem 10
appreciate the absurdity of prosecuting my innocent
trunk.
Thanking the potentate went II search of
banker and American consul, it seemed to me that
such ridiculous law might be Overruled by power
full influence. The Spanish bankers received me
with stately dignity, looked at nv letter OF credit
the utter wOrheSsness of which neither he real
ized-heard my pathetic story. and sand he could do
nothing Law was law This from IA native of the
country that makes more laws and fulhlls fewer
than any nation in the world impressed me. We
bade one another farewell with profound bows, aud
soon stood in the small Office of the American Con
yuate OF course the consul was Spanlard who
could not speak English but am assured that he
j. Efficient and that his assistant understands our
language. Half-a-dOzen men were smoking, all of
whom stopped putting as the thrilling tale was told.
They examined the order and then the consul said
MADAM don't know how you have obtained this
document, but you are given extraordinary prv-
leges. No human being can obtain more. Take
your clothes and / will send the trunk back to
BayOnne. There was no power behind the consul.
The telegraph wire TO Madrid was cut and gave up
the contest. Then fell to questioning. What did
the mercantile community think of Castelar, a
great orator, good man, one who would do every
thing for Spain if he could but he cannot lie lacks
executive force. He is a dreamer, not statesman
"What are the chances of q republic" They are
Email. We have a republic without republicans.
We are opposed to Carksm We want peace, and
will accept whatever gives it to u.s." And with this
confession of faith ringing in my ears we left the
Consulate
What next was to be done To 20 in search of
The -Four Friends. And where was il Somewhere
in the neighborhood of quarantine. And where was
qasrsntinei Across the harbor five miles away.
Hwas half past ten O'Clock and the Madrid train
started at two. How long would it take to 90 and
return About two hours if nothing happened As
something always happens when is i'll hurry,
begged The Blinker 10 the lightest boat and
strongest rowers. He smiled, went to the quai re-
tnrned and escorted me to heavy tub commanded
by an old man and manned by a small boy. / said
hothng Of what use 7 The Blnker would have
nsureu me mat the boat was the best in the harbor
NO" my good friends, hurry. I've no time to lose"
nhereupoh man and boy sat down to indulge in a
analogue as to whether they should or should not
carry sail Deciding affirmatjyely. the boy went
In search of one and in the course of twenty min
nies the unwieldly thing was in place. Now we
are OIL" thought. No we were not Then began