The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-06-07
SPAIN.

view of the present condition OF that un-
fortunate nation.
The writer's remarks create the i'm.
| preston that only visit to Spain can
give thorough understanding of the
wretched state OF society there. He
opens with the assertion-"BoOks Of the
sunniest character are written about
Spain, giving not the faintest notion of
the real state OF matters below the sur
face" and he gives fair evidence that,
in contradicting their gorgeous" state-
ments, he is guilty Of neither presumption
nor untruth.
he proceeds to relate how "the plains
of this sunny land are neglected, or half
titled; her mountains in the Northwest
swarm with contending soldiery; there
is hardly house where there is not one
dead; works of charity and beneHcence
are wholly at stand still; education is
making little or no progress; man Is
mistrusting man; patriotism is dead;
nothing save utter apathy, fear and in
difference has saved the country from a
religious as well as a political crisis |;
and the very Sierras, the haunt of many
a sportsman in happier days, are now
the abode of thousands of escaped con.
-victs, political adventurers, and runa-
way soldiers, all Of whom live entirely
by pillage."
He tells Of the notorious "fghting
cura," Santa Cruz, whom he calls un-
natural, bloodthirsty and brutal, that
"With his own hand he set fire to the
house that, to his knowledge, sheltered
his aged and paralyzed father"
The Government conscriptions have been
very severe since the revolution COM
menced. A recent one called tor every
man between twenty-one and thirty-four
years Of age, or in default to pay q
sum amounting to two hundred and fifty
dollars of our money. The writer was
present on this occasion in town whose
quota was one hundred and eighty.
When the drawing took place strong
military force, guarding every street,
was necessary to prevent riot. "Of
the entire number, whose names were
drawn, all except about fifty fled to the
hills" ''No patriotism or sense Of honor
inspired them, and they chose to join the
bands of wild and reckless men who
lived by plunder in the Sierras rather
than serve in their country's ranks"
The frequent change of government
has had most demoralizing effect in
many ways. One of these is: "AL who
are suspected of hostility to the new
government are at once thrown into
prison, while those imprisoned by the
outgoing government, no matter for what
offense, even criminals OF the worst type,
are liberated unconditionally. The mis-
cradle results of such custom are only
toe apparent"
The writer pays tribute to the lower
order of Spanish ecclesiastics, in the
declaration that, among the poorer
classes of the country, of those in the
northern, or what he calls "prfest-
ridden" provinces, one in four can read
or write, having been instructed by the
priests, while in the other districts the
proportion is one in seven.
Since the abdIcation Of Queen Isabel,
the writer says, the religious feelings Of
the people have undergone complete
revolution. This, however, does not ap-
ply to the Northern Provinces, where the
..old faithn still holds absolute sway.
"Madrid is the most atheistieal capital
in Europe" "About three-fourths of the
male population of the Southern aud
Central Provinces have passed from
Catholicism to the other extreme. They
are now-gentlemen Of rank, profess
sonal men, tradesmen, artisans, what
is styled in their language 'ateos,'
a word synonymous with our English
word smaterialists,' or 'free-thinkers.' "
"Another large class who pretend to ad-
here to Mother Church, are not back
ward in expressing total Indifference
to religion OF any kind"
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of England
and Scotland had established, previous
to the accession of Alfonso to the ethrone,
q number Of Protestant missions and
schools in different parts Of the country.
But their converts have been few and
far between. The cold services and long
discomses of Protestant worship sotll necer
sait the Spanish race"
The writer's data were obtained by
close personal observation during long
sojourn in Spain. In his narrative he
.evinces undoubted candor and impair
tlality. We have been able to give but
"a faint sketch of the manifold and ter
ribie evils and disorders he describes as
prevailing in that distracted country.
In the midst Of these the Government OF
Alfonso stands powerless. "This new
Bourbon experiment" the writer re-
marks, "will, in all probability, termin-
ate as did the Italian one, and, it may
be, in as short, if not q shor ter period.n
--------.-ese~---
A correspondent writes from Naples:
The Campo Sante Becchio, the great
charnel house of Naples, contains three
hundred and sixty-fve pits under q
paved square. Every evening the stone
which covers one of these pits Is re-
ALL, Aao "A ,e< . 4, <,;e