The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-24 00:00:00

WHO WILL BE KING OF SPAIN ?

"Uneasy rests the head that wears a crown !" and
yet how many there who would like to try it. At
present the Spaniards seem a little perplexed an to
who shall be their king, but as the nation has made
such a stride towards freedom, he on whose head the
crown may be placed, must be a man of enlightened
mind and conciliatory disposition—a man whcse wise
rule will give Spain a place among nations, and unite
its people in a bond of mutual trust. Amongst the
contemporary journalists who have made this subject
a theme for their pen, The Times remarks:—
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. .
Although it is very certain that the future wearer of the !
Crown of Spain will not be without great cares and anxieties,
y It we may assume that there is no lack of Royal personages
who would accept it without hesitation. When some phi-
lo,ophers woe once discussing the subject whether a large ,
fortune brought with it happiness, a plain man present is re- .
ported to have said that he could not decide the question, ,
but that he should be perfectly willing to have the experb
ment tried upon himself. , So it is with the Spanish Ctaio II;
one can tell u hat sitar be the fate of the next sovereign,
nor divine the future, except that it Is probable the taste for
oonspiring and proaorecing will not he eradicated in a day. ,
Yet the dignity is oilofty and the power so great that there
ate few ineu with ail energy and ambition who would reject
them, even with all their cares. The Spaniards, in fact, '
know that there are a score of Courts, great and
where an offer or their part would be cheerfully accepted. I
But they appear In no hurry to give themselves away, and, I
indeed, there is no reason they should be. No imported
monarch could be more popular than Prim, or know how to I
deal with Spanish troops better than Serrano ; and we may '
coeclude that if these two cannot keep the people of the
capital quiet, and tide over the first difficult days of a revo- I
'Mimi, things are net likely to he mended by a foreigner, ,
who would be afraid to act, and who would not know how ,
0 speak. The count, yr is united, and the present provisional
rulers are at least as mitch trusted as any personage whom
they might recommend to universal suffrage. Ihe people,
according to all accounts, have hardly begun to think of a
kibg. They want to make sure that the revolution is com-
plete, to get rid of JesuitS, monks, octroi, police spies, pred
censorship, and the other institotions of 1./wen Isahella's
reign. The King they think they can order in at any urn-
meld ; and no doubt they are right if they are not particular
as to brains, 01111 Will he content with the usual tall schoolboy ,
in uniform whims friendly Cabinets are apt to ree.orninenol.
Yet it is natural that the leaders of the insurrection them-
selves shi add desire to be rid of their responsibility. They ;
have great power, lout not a settled position. They have
risen to the first place in their country—they may hope to
have all honourable name In its history; but they probably
feel that their greatness is nut secure until it rests under
the protection of regular institutions. To influence
anarchy is too weary and anxious a task for men long to bear
and they yearn for the repose of defined authority. The
members of the Provisional Goversoneet wish to transforin '
themselves as soon aa possible into the Ministers of a Con-
stitutional Sovereign, and it is wail that they will do their ,
utititost to hasten the decision of the nation. Yet here a •
difficulty presents itself. Notwithstanding the multitude of
Princes. there is not one who appears to suit. The family of •
Don Carlos are not only Bourbons, but represent the dogmas •
of hereditary end Divine right—the prolific sources of all
that is most evil in kingly government. thus Duke and
Duchess of alontpensier are.Bourlion and Orleanist ; they are,
els°, for other reasons, quite out of the quest' . Prince
Napoleon has been spoken of; but the Spaniards must he
very unlike their grandfathern if they would tensely see the
nephew of King Joseph make his entry into Madrid. An
Italian or Siouth-German Prince might possibly lie found, lad
there is no one reeonimencied, so far as we know, by the
smallest merit. If there were a princely personage known
even as well as the late unfortunate Emperor of Mexico, he
would be chosen by acclamation; lout the Government niay
explore the Alinanoeh de Gotha without tindiug ally
such. In this difficulty the Junta is said to have turned
its eyes to King Ferdinand of Portugal. Ile is, as our
readers nosy renendoer, a Coburg, who married the late Queen
Regnant. Maria da Gloria, and he is the father of the present
• K 1110 Luis. Ile was born in 1516, and has, therefore, arrived
at a filature age, which is All advantage in every way, except
that it appeals less than youth to the popular sentiment.
Ile has had, of course, all almost lifelong experience of a
country very lunch akin to Spain,—ati experience which the
hereditary ability id his House has enabled bins to turn to
good account. During the minority of his elder son, the late
King Pedro, he was for nearly two years Regent of the
kingdoint, and acquitted himself to the satisfaction of the
people. There is every reason to suppose that he is well
acquainted with Spanish politics, and has watched
the changes in the greater Peninsular kingdom until he
has formed sound Opilli4,lls as t.I its government. 100
short, this Inert:mired German, a scion of the world-invailing
Colourgs, has probably all the qualities which are necessary
for a good Constitutional King, and also a sufficient know-
ledge of the politicians aunt soldiers of Spain to lie able to
hold his ground. 'rewards this Prince the Oniughts of the
Junta are now sabl lobe directed, and we can see no one
1111 has a better claim, or whose advancement would he less
objectionable. On tile other hand, however, it is said that
King Ferdinand is not ambitious of the proposed elevation.
Ile liss had enough If the stately coustraint of public life,
and prefers to pass Ids later years in the more easy society
of a private statbon For this and other doniestic reasons he
may possibly dentine the proffered honour ; but if it conies
11l hini with the full approve' oof the Spanish nation, such a
refusal will be a rare act of philosophic moderation.
If this negotiation be really net on foot, it will tlirect
public, attention to a very iiitert sting and important subject,
—the union of the two Pevinsular kilted To effect this
union lesa loeen the Idea if what is ealle.l the Iberian party
Ili Spain ; but this is rather the designattin of a school of
political students than of an active and influential body. To
us foreigners it seems a very natural and proper thing, and
[iron:Oily the first notion that oecurred to nine Englishnien
ottt of tell when they heard that the Bourbons were proscribed
was that the respectable [louse of Braganca should lie called
to take their place. But those best acquainted with the
I Peninsula see great, though, perhaps, not insuperable,
diffiallties in the way. The Spaniards would pro-
lo.ok with much jealousy on the new Boye-
r.. izu from Lisloon, who would, of course, or
ac,it,cd of careieg only for his old subjects, and the
evil would be aggravated if the Portuguese followed their
ina,ter in any great number, as the Scots came southward
is i tit King James. On the other hand, the Portuguese are
already protesting through their Press against an incorpmao
that which would be tile rlli ll of their nationality, language,
literature, law, and Comtitution, and the sacrifice .if that
independence which the House Id Braganca was chosen to '
maintain. It Is ioily natural that the period of history lit'st
kllloWll to every Portuguese should consist of the sixty years
id misfortune which followed the usurpation of Philip 11.,
aml of the revolution and war which established the nation's
independence. The acceptance of the Spanish Crown liy
their King would seem like a betrayal of all that is most
glorious in the later annals .if the country. Yet, as we have
said, the conquest of these prejudices is led impossible,
and if guarantees were given for the separate administration
of the two kingdoms MO the maintenance of the laws and
customs of the a raker, the Portuguese, meter the advice if
Ettrope and the influence of their own reflectien, might be
lot in time to acquiesce ill union. The election .of King
Ferdinand to the Throne of Spain might or noight out he
made a step to this consummation. If his elder son, the
ing of Portugal, were declared his heir, the two Crowns
would be united at his death : that is, after an interval which
might be employed in bringing Spain into the habits of consti-
tutional life, and removing by the action of two inutuelly
friendly. Governments the antipathies of either race. These
kilo home-keeping nations do not love one another ; but
, MOIR' tWellly years of political and commercial intercom'-e,
encouraged by extended railway comnoinication, might work
a wonderful change. should it, however, lie decided that
ging Ferdinand's yotolger son is too Slleeveil MIA, slid the to o
kingdoms are to remain politically separate, we should at
least have the satbfaction of believing that the kindlip of
the rulers would tend to make them as one for many import-
ant purposes