Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-04-14
Poor SPAIN
[BY j. ST.

A. fow hundred years ago tho me- t
powerful Nation in Europe, sho is now
ono of tho weakest, yot in hor weakness
sho is still proud and boastful. AS an
old man in second childhood sometimes
imagines himself rs active and strong as
in young manhood, 80 Spain in hor do
tago thinks sho can hold Cuba, and Oven
whip tho United States, while tho civil
lizcd world stands amazed at hor folly,
trcachory, and barbarian cruelty. Sho
is about to illustrate in hor conduct and
experience tho truth of the old provorb,
Whom tho gods wish to destroy thoy
first make mad" She is also in tho sad
plight described by Solomon, "Wo to
thco, o land, when thy king Tor qucon)
is a child" All tho existing conditions
warrant tho belief that she is destined,
if she persist in Expressing Cuba and
measuring strength with tho United
States, to sink lower and lowor in the
scale of national Importance. In a ma
toms docadonco thero IL n "ovs q decay
of mon. What avails cat navy
without great naval officers to command
In 1888, just $40 years ago, she had a
creator navy for that period than her
present ono is for tho present timo.
Philip II, son Of tho great Emperor
Charles V, was then tho King of Spain,
and Elizabeth rcignod in England.
Philip undertook tho wild scheme of
~conquoring tho latter country. lie had q
navy Of 1870 war ships carrying q forco of
about $4,000 mon. 1t was named in the
spirit Of hoastfnl confidence, "IHe Inuin-
chile Armodo." England tromblcd whom
she heard of tho coming invasion. Queen
Elizabeth, to encourage hor army,
mounted hcr war horse, and riding along
tho lines, harangued tho soldiers at Til
bury, declaring her Willingness to sacri-
fico hor lifo to save her. country. The
nUincibtc armada came on In q form of
n hugo crescent reaching half way across
tho English Channel. Tho Spanish ma
rines thought of nothing but SUCCESS and
expected soon to hold high carnival in
London, and to Introduce among thor
prospective English subjects, the fan
dango dance and the bull fight arena. A
little skirmishing with somo English wal
vessels soon made it apparent that the
1rmddG was not inUinctJle. 1t lost sova-
raj of it's ships. Tho Spanish commando,
bccamo domoralizod, ordered u retreat
by way of the Or2noys around by Scot
land and Ireland, proforring an escape by
tho ocean rather than venture back in the
ia C of English troops. But in tho rotroat
ho encountered IN unexpected and invisi.
bio foo in the air, wrought up into q
long tempest that uttorly wrecked and
ruined tho Armada, changing il from
tho IhUtnctbtc to an Inui8ibte one. Most
OF its ships were sunk doopor in the
ocean than tho Maino was recently sunk
in tho harbor of Havana by Spanish
trcachory. In tho churches of England
to dcums of praise in celebrating doliv.
oranco from Spain woro sung and "Mor,
rio England' was never more morry than
then. The King of Spain, not to be out
done iii devotion, ordorod THANKSGIVING
to DO givon that his dofeat was no worse
lilo was in tho mood of tho honest Dutch
man.. who, whom ho foil and broke his
leg was thankful that IL was not his
neck. A littlo historical rominisconce,
like tho fato of tho Armada, seems in
place at this time. If thoro is to DO wa
whether long Or short, Spain will suffe,
most, lose Cuba, sink lower in national
life, and 1t may bo, reap tho full fruit o.
her wickodnoss in becoming, Mt an carly
day, like tho nations of antiquity that lost
thoir existence because they lost their
virtue.