I have just read a great piece, origially published in the UK monthly Christian Order on the life of Gabriel García Moreno, President of Ecuador in the 19th Century. He is an unparallelled figure in the post-Revolutionary era, and safely the greatest republican politician who has ever lived. I first learned of the great statesman by reading an article by Gary Potter on his life and accomplishments, since which time, whenever I might have lost faith in democracy, I bring Moreno to mind. If nothing else, it is a fun read for showing how liberals, revolutionaries, Freemasons, and the rest go totally berserk when a counterrevolutionary government overthrows Enlightenment values, works in unison with the Holy Catholic Church, and helps its citizens excel in Christian virtues, education, and the arts.

Andrew Cusack has a particularly interesting post on Moreno, also worth a read.