Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-04
TIE spAk1sH 1AsoR TROUBLES

more political than economic il their origin.
That such troubles should arise in Spain
may perhaps be thought in no way remark
able, seeing that difficulties of somewhat
similar kind have occurred in nearly all the
countries of Europe, and even in the
United States. But Spain cannot be com
pared with any other country, nor can the
disturbances which occur there be regarded
rs akin to ordinary labor strikes. The
Spanish people occupy peculiar position.
Their history. and the Influences which
have shaped it, have been unique. And
because they have been kept back far be-
hind all other peoples by these influences,
the rate OF their progress, even supposing
it to be real, must be much slower than
that Of other nations. 1t would be unrea-
sonable to expect that people who were
nodded into certain form by nearly a
thousand years of specially demoralizing
ana devitalizing agencies, can throw off the
effects of that long training in a few years
or even few generations. The collapse
which Spain underwent soon after the
death of Philip the Second had been pre-.
pared by centuries of education in supersti-
ton and blind devotion to her rulers. The
people, through the long wars against the
Mohammedans, had lost all relish or
capacity for industrial pursuits, and
when, after Philips death. the Church
persuaded weak successor to decree
the expulsion of the Moors, the one re-
naming possibility of building up the
country was lost. From that time the
decay Of the Spanish power, the disinte-
grafton of the Spanish state, was rapid and
sure. At the end of the seventeenth CEN
fury all manufactures had died out half
the country, and even its most fertile re-
gions, had been abandoned to nature !;
commerce, and even agriculture, was mort
bund the mechanic arts had been
lost education was absolutely unknown !;
ignorance, superstition, pride and invincibls
obstinacy, alone remained. By that time the
national character had so degenerated that
it was found necessary to import whatever
ability was required, whether in states
manship, military and naval skill, or
industrial affairs. Spain for many years
was ruled by foreigners. Frenchmen con-
trolled her domestic politics and her
finances. Euglishmen led her armies.
Dutchmen strove to build up her ruined
navy. Her people were incapable of help.
ing themselves in any way, and the only
relic of their former greatness which they
had retained was a conceit which had no
justification.
A century later but little improvement,
if any, had taken place. When Napoleon
invaded the Peninsula he found no diff
Guilty in overthrowing the armies of Spain
wherever they mustered courage to oppose
him; and during the long so-called war OF
independence which followed history az
fords no parallel to the incompatible folly,
baseness, treachery, arrogance and turpi-
tude which characterized the action of the
Spanish authorities at every step, and
which made the task of defending and
relieving them the most ungrateful and
cooperating enterprise that ever a great
commander had thrust upon him. The
inordinate and qusnchable conceit of
these people, coupled with their amazing
incapacity; their sickeuing boastfulness.
coupled with their shameless cowardice
their pretense of patriotism, coupled with
their never-ending treasons TO their own
cause their subservience to their foes,
coupled with their insolent ingratitude to
their friends constitute record of min
gled imbecility and meannegs which rem
ders it surprising that any natisn should
have possessed the perseverance and forti-
tade to succor them to the end. Through
out the whole of that period they contin.
ued in q state of semi-anarchy. The
Spanish populace was always ready TO
assassinate its own Generals, but never
prepared TO face the French The Spanish
juntas actually sold the munitions of war
supplied by England, to the enemy, ard
pocketed the subsidies which were to have
fed and paid Spanish levies. Corruption,
men1acity, intrigue, varied by occasional
outbuTsts of mob fury against innocent
persons, made up a sufficiently dreary
picture, nor did the prospect change for
the better very greatly when the invaders
had been driven out by Wellington, and it
once more became possible to establish a
Spanish Government.
From that time until very recently the
country has been in chaotic condition.
Carlist- Christine civil wars, abortive re-
publican experiments, always attended by
more or less instruction in the principal
cities; rapid changes of government Pc
htical f,tncions of the most extravagant
or lawless character have succeeded one
another at short intervals Tho last
change was back to monarchy again, and
it has been hoped that at length Spain had
recovered her reason, and would fall in
behind her sisters and avail herself of
the civilization of the age. Some efforts
have been made to introduce an educa-
tional system. The Church has been
shorn OF its wealth and much of its influence
Bat though commerce has made certain
advance, and trade has grown into en-
couragln g proportions, the fact remains that
ths greatest drawback to the progress of
the country consists, not in the policy of
the rulers, but in the national character
For all through Spanish history we find
that the course of her princes which TO out
side spectators has appeared most de.
plorsble, has been most heartily approved
by the Spanish people. Philip the Second
was said during his life to be the very
type Of the national character, and he was
almOs. worshipcd by bis subjects.
A people who at that time had attained
so morbid mental condition could not in
any brief space change their character.
Ncr have they done So Even now there