FOREIGN RELATIONS.


formed of the peculiar position in which recent events have placedit-
toward foreign powers, hoping in both cases that its silence may not be
improperly interpreted, and that malice may not distort its honest pur-
poses.
  After a long period of struggles and convulsions, Spain finds-herself
to-day in a position of such difficulty that she needs to concentrate within
herself all her strength, and -to attract towards her internal situation
all the thoughts and all the energy of the national power, in order to
return, free from fears, violence, and wars, to the-solemn exercise of
her sovereignty, and to reach a decision, from which there shall be no
appeal, in relation to her future destinies. That time was thought to be
remote, when, the army being broken up or without discipline, the prin-
ciple of authority lying prostrate, important provinces and towns being
a prey to Carlism and anarchy, all bonds being broken, all guarantees
trampled under foot, the nation being devoured by factions and the
government by impotency, the time-honored and firm union of our
country seemed on the eve of dissolution. Since, however, thanks to
the energy of the ministries who have preceded us, and in presence of
the danger which threatened society at large, an act of manliness, forged-
in the indignation and the shame which possessed the country, rather
than imposed upon the country, dislodged the Cantonals at Cartagena,
their last stronghold, and put an end to the mad hopes of the absolutists
in the mountains of Somorrostro, the, cause of order and liberty made
sure of its final triumph at no distant day, demagogism was forced to
lower its black flag, and the fanatics of the past no longer influenced
even the weakest minds by means of those fears and discouragements
which were never shared by those who, knowing the vicissitudes of our
history, well knew that the Vitality and perseverance of the Spanish
people increase and are strengthened with their misfortunes.
  Not because we have sensibly improved our internal regimen, can we
or ought we to refuse to give our constant attention and efficient action
to the international affairs which occupythe attention of foreign cabinets
at the present time, nor will be induced to abandon our modest attitude-
by those who, with arrogant pretensions, place before us the glorious
recollections of our ancient power. Only on the improbable, inadmis-
sible hypothesis of our legitimate interests being disregarded, of an in-
sult being offered to the national honor, or of the integrity of our terri-
tory being threatened, would we abandon this attitude, and would then
take counsel only of our patriotism, in order to defend our rights with
the aid of God and the efforts of this generous nation.
  The present cabinet, which lives in communion with the great ideas
of modern times, the expansive spirit of which has frequently burst the
narrow mode of ordinary customs, hopes to secure the official confir-
mation of the friendly understandingwhich it maintains with other cabi-
nets, not by sacrifices of its dignity, which it could not honorably make,
but by intrusting the realization of this desire to the importance and
significance of our own acts, and perhaps it would not say too much
should it add, to the justice and sense of propriety of foreign powers.
  We are united to them by the strongest political bonds, which neither
intrigue nor ambition can loosen, and which bid defiance to traditional
suspicions and antipathies; they are bonds, in a word, which are formed
by mutual interest and by common danger.
  With statements apparently diverse, identical problems present them-
selves to the civilized world for solution, problems which involve, for
the march of statesmanship, the same obstacles and the same complica-
tions. The annihilation off distances, the prodigious increase of com-


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