New-York tribune., 1876-10-03
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN SPAIN

Little bv little. the unlearning and appa-
rcntly unteachable Bourbon element Is mani
Testing itself in the Spanish Government.
King Alfonso has been thoroughly disciplined
in the school of--one-haf of his ancestors. at
least the suppression of the Carlst rebellion
has given speedy confidence to the party OF
which he is the figure-head, and the designs
of that party are openly indicated before It's
lease of power is permanently assured Inc
11th Article of the Constitution when the
King swore to support, DEGREES that, " with
" out doubt, although those of other religions
" than the Roman Catholic may worship Ill
" their own way, so long as they do not ont
"rage public decency or Christian morality,
vet no public manifestations or ceremonies
" will be allowed save those OF the Mother
" Church. This was interpreted at the timc
rs securing liberty of worship to Protestant
sccts within their own churches, the malhte-
nance of Schools and the right to privately
sell or distribute Bibles. The fact that 1t
gaya such oiiensc to Plus TX. as temporarily
Disturbed the relations between Madrid ana
tbc Vatican. indicated that amount of liberty;
and. indeed less could scarcely be called
liberty at all.
Bnt the Government has already taken ad-
vantage of the indefinite phrase public mani
"frslatiOns or ceremonies" III the article ol the
Constitution, and shows the cloven hoof of that
principle which clung to the lnqulsltion until
it was oyerthrown by external force. The
Bourbon reaction began by forbldding any
name or sign up0n the outside of q Protestant
school or church: it has now reached the
point of interfering with the exercise Of cor
cregational worsnip; and it will probably in
the end permit only that individual form OF
worship within the souls of men, which no in
tolerance can reach. The Protestans of Port
Mahon, in Minorca, have been so molcsted by
the civi! authorities that many of them pro-
pose to emigrltc: an English gentleman who
supports school in Barcelona has been ad-
vsed to close it "for the presents" Spanish
Protestants are expelled from the Basque
towns for selling Bibles, and very severe
pressure is brought to bear upon the poor
converts by those who employ them. Yet
Canovas del Castillo declares that the Spanish
people are not prepared for even the limited
amount of religious liberty which the 11th
Article of the Constitution was supposed to
grant. lie would gladly adopt entire liberty
of conscience, but alas! the old associations
"6f the Church" are too powerful.
There is, undoubtedly, an element in Spain
which would make short work of religious toll
Grafton in any form whatever. But this ele-
mcnt il composed almost wholly of priests,
women and BourbOnizcd arist0craic families
in no sense does it represent the Spanish pco-
pe. The latter still retain too man qualities OF
their ancient Visigothic. Alan or SJelan blood,
Ia be wholly narrow and fanatical. They are de
scpudcd from Il race who were ATians for 25O
wears after the Council Of NicTa, and although
centuries of despotism and enforced ignorance
have contributed to their moral deterioration,
tlcv have not yet become naturally iniOlerant.
4 large majority of them would quietly accept
religious liberty, If il were Offered to them a'
n .i,uilc fact, without attendants miererrescn-
tat.an But whether ready for it or not, there
Is never any hazard in comforting universal
human right The Government o. Alfonso
VII. or rather OF Canovas del Castillo, does
not really fear the opposition of the people,
but that OF the Church. In Spain, at least,
that organization has not learned that liberty
of conscience. faith and worship, Is as much
the right of every human being "a liberty ot
person and the possession OF property. The
time is fast approaching when the combined
sentiment of the civilized world will destroy
the last ycstigc of spiritual sayery,-when
every land which does not accept religious
liberty as one of the fundamental principles OF
government will be excluded from the comfy