The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-14
THE BdSQUES.

| Pile now in existence is that race which
amid the decay of empires and rise OF ma
| tons has for centuries inhabited the Two
slopes of the Pyrenees and is known as the
| Basques. These people occupy the Span
| ish provinces of Upper Navarro, Biscay,
Guipuzcoa. Alava, and the French depart
ment of Bases Pyrenees. From the ear
| lest historical times the Basques have
| peopled their mountain businesses, breast
| ing the power of the Carthaginia Roman,
Goth, Saracen, Frank and Spaniard. Amid
| all the vIcissitudes OF time, while nations
| of the earth fell before other aid mightler
powers, these have retained their mountain
| bones and preserved intact their distinctive
characteristics, the purity OF their race
and their own habits and customs. VI
middle size and compact build, OF singular
TO bust and Sgile form and possessing
| ndire simplicity, they are noted for their
proud, enthusiastic patriotism which BINDS
them with an indissoluble band to their
simple homes. They are merry, sociable,
| whole -eouied, and hospitable. They have
an intense love for games and festivals; they
| passionately love the rapid dance, for
which they supply the music on the hageo-
let and tam BOURNE. The usual dress of the
men consists of a red jacket, long breaches,
| q pointed cap, red or brown sash, add
hempen shoes. There is nothing peculiar
in the dress of the women except the head
dresses which are made of gay colors, over
their braided aud twisted hair.
The Basaues, in their social relations, are
| eminently patriarcbal, authority heing ves-
ted as u rule more in the aged. The moral
| ty of the people is of Il high STANDARD and
| among no people does less vice prevail. AS
the coil is fertile and all tic people given
| to honest labor, there Is an abundance
among tn am of the fruits of the earth and
| though tho arts Of agriculture are bnt little
| advanced, there is 10 great want among
them. The poor are generally supported by
| their neIghbors, charity being virtue which
| they practice with uustinted hand in the
| Spanish provinces. There are but few dis
tnctions among the Basques; the no
| biity, who derived their titles chiefly at
| the time of the Moorish wars, being but few
| in number. OF their Government a writer
has said that there are few towns or vii.
lagos, but email houses lie scattered upon
nearly all tue heights. In their political
constitution they are divided into districts,
each of which chooses annually an alcalde,
| who is Doth civil and q military ofhcer,
aud a member of the supreme junta, which
meets every year in one Of the principal
cities, for deliberation upon matters of gen.
eral interest.
The alcaldes are always old men and ia
theirs of families. Their rights are protect
ed by the fueroS, or written constitutions
} which were granted them by ancient Span
ish kings. In their religion they are Cath
Ollie, and they respect priests aud MONKS
and delight in pious legends. Whateve
may have been tue origin and ethnologica
relations of the BasGae people, the las
3 remnant of the old race of lberians, they
: have enjoy cd an immemorial reputation fol
L valor in their present seats. They were
the Cantabri of the Romans, admired b,
those sturdy conQueroTs for their vigorou
defence of liberty, and alluded to by h"
l.. race a. people haId to be taught t" 6ea
the yoke. Later, after the fall of Rome
& CbaremAgne, having carried hls arms he
o YonG the Pyrenees, was returning to France
= | haU hEa RnnIanIV
q troops in the famous dtfiies of Ron GesvaItet
q In vain the fabulous Roland exhibited hi
a immortal prowess, celebrated by the ole ro
= manceIs. His army was crushed, be hlmseI
was slain with the elite of the paladlns q
], Cbarlemaghe, and the great Emperor wa
p Obliged to Geek safety by flight. a aong
8 stIll sung by the shepherds upon thee
> mountaiDsin memory of this victory.
o The Spanish Basques long maintaine
q themselves Independent, though situate
. between the rival mOnaTchies of NavarI
q and CASTLE, and in the midst of invssi"u
= and revolutions; and though in the l3j
y century they were Incorporated into tn
j. Castilian mOnaI chy, they retained Their oi
:, liberties, extorted the free constitution
u called the 1uerOS,. were still governed b
o their famous iunta. paid no taxes and er
e loved tbrOug hout Spain all the exemption
I, of the nobility. In the year 1872 the
6 were stripped by the Spanish constitutio
l. of the privileges which had possessed for {
- many years. 1lO"oNoLS III lC~tJ hlIoI
% energetic and successful iDsurrectlon the
st regained them. On the death of Ferdinan
N vii, Queen Isabella in 1888 made an a
* tempt TO deprive them of their faer0s, bI
I'd the Basques enlisted with great ardor in tt
70 cause of Don Carlos, and after a strugg
or of six wears they succeeded in having the
IN rights promised them. This was done
10 1874, when, under Narvaez, their tuer
. were re- established.
le Daring the late struggle in Spain Il
OF BasQues espOused the cause of Don Carl!
+, and fought for him with great arder. III
ID results of the campaign is well-known. d.
y. Carlos was driven into France, and the Wi
II ia now over. As a punishment for the
DIX adherence to the Carllst cause, the Madr
49, Government is again determined to str
y; this people of the privileges guarantee
nd them by the JueroS. Whether they vi
er again be restored to them is questi'
Is which the future alone can decide.-Not
a Dame Scholastic.