The Revolution Of 1854 In Spanish History PDF Download

Excerpt from History of the Spanish Revolution: Commencing With the Establishment of the Constitutional Government of the Cortes, in the Year 1812 and Brought Down to Its Overthrow by the French Arms The events which have distinguished the Peninsula, since its invasion by the late Emperor of France, have strongly interested the minds of the British public. With this struggle, the glory of England, and the emancipation of all the states of Europe, are identified. It was in that country where the gigantic power of Napoleon received its first check, and where his unnatural greatness received such a mortal wound, as led to his final overthrow. Deriving the spirit of civil and political freedom from their unprincipled invaders, and acquiring an opportunity of exercising it from their defeat, the Spanish nation formed a political code, which, considering the errors that can never fail to attend a transition from centuries of slavery to a sudden state of liberty, has been applauded by men well versed in the science; and which, if suffered to have been carried into quiet operation, would have corrected its own discrepancies. The infatuated conduct of Ferdinand, after his return to a throne which had been preserved for him by the authors of the Constitution, blasted all the hopes which had been formed by the friends of a limited monarchy and a constitutional government. False to his promises, he disentangled himself from all his engagements, with the first opportunity that presented itself: actuated by bigotry, he drew around him an avaricious and disappointed priesthood, and pursued, with relentless fury, those who had laboured to circumscribe the enormous extravagancies of the hierarchy, for the good of the state: ambitious, he sought only the aggrandisement of the regal office, and exercised an indiscriminate vengeance against all who had sought to set up a government of law, against the capricious dictum of the sovereign: and, ignorant and imbecile, he waged war against principle and justice, until lie produced a re-action in the army aud the nation, which ended only in the re-establishment of the constitutional code. It was to effect the annihilation of this political slructuie, that the second invasion was projected by the Holy Alliance, and the execution of which devolved upon France. Of the foregoing occurrences, and those that followed, to the period of the return of Ferdinand to Madrid, this work is given to the world as a history. It may he noted, that the military transactions form but an unimportant part of the work-and, indeed, events of this description afford but scanty materials to interest the general reader. On the other hand, the political affairs connected with the Spanish revolutions are pregnant with considerations of the highest moment. We are enabled distinctly to mark the progress made in the acquisition of enlightened sentiments, in a country long sunk in, and hut lately emerging from, the darkness of ignorance and superstition; and to trace the capabilities of a comparatively weak nation, when inspired with a feeling of liberty, and a regard for independence. In the personal conduct of Ferdinand, the monarchs of the world will, or ought, to learn this important lesson, that sovereigns reign most securely, who command the affections, rather than excite the fear and dread, of their subjects. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com