The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-28
The Chastisement of the Basque Prov
inces.

The Carlist war, just ended, found It's
nucleus aud main support in Bscay, and
how 10 deal with the conquered district is
the question Of the hour in Spain. Accord
ing 10 late teleg ans. the NJ nistry Of
CANovAs DEL CASTILLO means to solve the
problem 10y the abolition OF the fucroS or
immemorial privileges of the Basques, and
the Cortes appear to welcome any policy
which aims to incorporate in fact as well
us name the mutinous provinces with the
body of the monarchy,
For the first time in the history Of the
Basques they have put themselves decs-
lively In the wrong, and they must expect
to pay the penalty OF folly. The form of
self-government, of which their unpro-
voked revolt is likely to deprive them, was
one of the most genuine IN Europe Their
faeros constituted veritable magma
charta, embracing almost all the tights
guaranteed by tho Constitution OF the
United States. Thus they chose their own
municipal councils, In whose election
every householder had vote. BY the
municipalities a provincial Legislature was
named, exclusively charged with the i'm
position of taxes aud with the functions
of administration. No taxes, except du-
tics upon imports, could be assessed by the
royal authority, Government mOnopolies
aud excise regulations being imperative
within their territory. The Basques, more
over, were exempted from Consumption.
In word, their connection with the mon
archy was merely nominal. They enjoy ed
nearly all the privileges possessed by the
~ a -.
munity from most OF tho burdens which
Cypress the rest OF Spain.
The anomalous position OF the BasQucs
was the fruit OF the infieIble resolution
with which they had at all times man
tanned their liberties. The Romans failed
to suhdue this handful OF mountaineei's
the Nandals and Nlsgoths left them unds-
turbed, and the Moslem conquest was
stayed at their frontier. When the Gothic
strength revived, however, in the north,
gradually shaping the kingdom of Leon,
the countships of CASTLE and of Barcelona,
aud the Kingdom of Navarro, the Basque
provinces as matter of policy accorded Il
sort of suzelnnty to the latter power. Ia
course of time this titular authority passed.
to the soyercign of CASTLE and Leon, who
was oHclally alylcu iNtHOf OF BlrcaN, PIE
clscly us the PLANTAGENET kings of Euehnd
| termed themselves lords of Ireland. The
scope and nature of the royal pTcrogatvc
was of course very different in those de-
Tendencies, being vigorously defined for
! the Basque provinces, whose liberties were
scrupulously respected until the covert =
nent of the regent, Queen CHRISTINA, UNI
| dertoOk their summary Ctutallment.
This measure determined the attitude Of
Bisoay during the first Carlist war, and in
that struggle the Basques undoubtedly de-
served the sympathes Of Europe. Neither
was the action of CHRISTINA approved by
patriotic and liberal Spaniards like EsPAR-
TERo; and at the close of the war. though
the CarlisCcause succumbed, the fuerOs
were suffered to remain unimpaired ex-
cept In some unimportant particulars.
| There were not wanting far-sighted men
| who questioned the wisdom OF this course,
| but its justice was not disputed.
| The conduct OF the Basques in the re-
cent Carlist outbreak stands on a very diff
fsrent footing. Their independence had
been in no respect endangered, pqd,