The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON THUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 1870.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

Tins EVENING, at 7, FORMOSA: Messrs J. Rouse, Rignold,
Taylor, Philips. Leeson, Eburne, &e. ' • Mesdames Billington, K.
Rodgers, Brennan, Barnett, Grey, &c. Followed by AFTER
DARK: Messrs Rignold, Ashley, Rouse, &c.; Miss Rose Le-.
elereq and Miss Barnett.

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utilise each one to the utmost, is the root or tne
problem. The Government have not averted, but
only delayed the question, by the division on Tues-
day.

Tli E endeavour to gather from the Madrid newspapers
an adequate notion of the state of affairs in Spain, is not
at present a profitable enterprise. The Spanish press,
in fact, seems to be engaged—and not for the first
time—in the pleasant task of attempting to impose
upon itself. The papers are crowded with
terrible rumours, great inventions, and little
facts, touching a Carlist invasion ; whereas
the danger from such a source can be only
very trifling. It is only lately that the Carlists rose,
and were immediately defeated ; with what prospect
of success can they attempt another insurrection
On the other hand, the really serious relations be-
tween the two governing parties, the adherents
of Prim and the adherents of Serrano, are treated
with a hopefulness which the facts can scarcely
warrant. When it was found impossible to procure
a suitable occupant for the Throne, the revolutionary
leaders agreed to let things remain as they were; yet
it is becoming more and more patent that a continu-
ance of the status quo is not to bo looked for. The
evil day may be staved off for some time, but
it must come at last. The Prim and
Serrano parties have hitherto lived in tolerable
peace only through fear of each other. They are
unable to hit upon any permanent division of power,
as is natural with two parties of discordant policy.
They cannot find a king who would command the
support of both; for Serrano would like a sovereign
devoted to Unionist interests, and Prim feels a very
decided preference for a monarch who would be only
a tool of the Progressists. Under the present provi-
sional system the ruling parties are losing the respect
of all men, whilst their hostility to each other
in no way diminishes. The Spanish papers are full
ig hope that all will pass over smoothly ; but Epp.
ustmen in Spain can suggest only one end is the
difficulty, and that is a disastrous civil war. The Revo-
lution of 1868 was a well-conceived and well-executed
enterprise, and its effect was undeniably beneficial.
It expelled a sovereign who was a disgrace to her
people, and it substituted a moderate, if not a com-
plete, measure of liberty for the grossest tyrannl.
But all the blessings that might have flowed from this
great event are being ruthlessly wasted. The provisional
character of the Government weakens its hold uponthe
people ; it cannot raise its taxes; it cannot enforce
order ; it is violently assailed to-day by the advocates
of a republic, and to-morrow by the adherents of a
despotism. And bad as this condition is, the future
prospect of a desperate war is worse. The men
of the Revolution are men of capacity,
but they are not endowed with that patriotism
which prefers the welfare of country to
the interests of person. There was nothing to pre-
vent Prim, for instance, from peaceably establishing
a republic. He commanded, and does now command, a
majority in Parliament, without counting the
avowed Republicans who would of course
join him. The majority of the deputies are
professed Monarchists; but it cannot be doubted that
in the absence of a king both they and the people
would have accepted any form of rule which pro-
mised peace. And it is quite certain that a Republic
—apart from the abstract question of the merits of
such a government—would have proved much more
beneficial than anything which the Spaniards are
likely to get now.

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