, 1876-01-30

il that when dealing with the rights OF foreign
crs, the span!srds arc misled BY quality good
IN Itself. and bad only when carried to oxcess.
They areproud, justly proud, OF their great his
tory. In eplte Of civil wars, the loss Of colo
nies. the accusations of.tae Spanish bondholders,
and an empty e1cheque1, they refuso to bo-
heTe that they hare lost the greatness which
they do not need to assert in the time OF Charles
7. or Philip II. 1t would be ungenerous to
quarrel with SO natural feeling, and
mistake to forget tha: it may help
Spain to pull herself out Of tha nlire
which is visible to all eyes but her own.
Nor can We blame her dislike to foreign inter-
ference with her domestic Affairs, although no
country save Turkey has had TO bear it 60 oftan-
When nation loses its sense OF self Prospect it
loses much else. But. IS that Of Spain springs
in great degree from her ignorance OF other
countries, it ia very inconveuient whom their
rights come into conflict With hers. No nasion,
as NC have said. ia so feyerishly eager to assert
Its maritime rights. and hence the apparently
endleas series OF sqaabb:es between its cruisers
aud those merchant Ships which it suspects
to bo smnsgters. Such State ns Holland.
for example, does not give oue-tenth
part SO much trouble. although her traditions
Of maritime glory gro inferior oulr to our own.
Entirely in the same spirit is the neglect OF Spain
TO protect our traders from tho Carlist batteries.
She has no1er learnt tho duties she owes to
C,her ps.ious. They, III their turn, have done
serious injury to her by their mistaken forbear-
ance. Because she once WAS great and now lB
feeble q sentiment of pity sometimes prompts
them to let her of eaeily when she does things
th.t would be iotoler7ble it committed by power
States. Tho result Is that oven her responsible
statesmen presume on tho continuance OF q fool
is!, and treachorous lmpunity, aad that their sub
o:d,nates gat into the habit OF acting with
recklessness which would insure dismissal into
private life II they the servants of any other
State. It would be far Dettez for Spain herself,
Us we'll as for the world generally, ii she were to
be heId ss accountable al thu greatest OF Powers
The United States might set good example by
insisting that Cuba shal! not be allowed TO be-
corae the plague instead OF the pearl Of the An
titles; and We MAJ iitlv ineist that the Bscayan
por.s shau be guarded by u sufficient force OF
maritime police. Were' tho Cabinet OF
Madrid politely but firmly told that it
woald be held accountable for every
shilling Of dam.ge inflicted By Car:ist
SHELLS On English ships there would At first. no
doubt. bo loud outcry; but after little bius-
ter The vigilance Of the Spanish cruisers would.
we arc eure, be naryeIously qutckeuea. and
Whist had been rhetoricalir pronounced impcssl-
BILE would PRACTICALLY DO found easy. SPAN her,
SELF would pref: by such IN application OF e
little wholesome justice. She would more ciearlY
see tho danger OF dallying with civil war,
which. il it should las. much longer, will put the
embarrassment Of Lor finances bsvond the hope
Of amendment during any period With which it
is worth the while OF S,:anlsh Kings OF states
men to EecEou.