The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-23 00:00:00

THE DIFFERENCES IN THE SPAIMSE
CABINET.
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The Journal deg Dcbats of yesterday contains the,
following letter front Madrid, of the 16th, giving"
an account of differences which lately occurred in

the Spanish Cabinet
"We have ju,t hail a Mi. tiisterial crisis here, which
nearly led to the dissolution of the Ministry. It was
caused by the question relative to the execution of the
law for the sale of ecclesiastical Property. On the 9th.
the C -)uncil of Ministers assembl led as usual, but ass
nothing important was expected t 0 come on, neither
the Queen nor M. Rios Rosas, 111'lnis ter of the Interior,,
was present. The Minister of F:nance, M. Canteaoe
brought forward the draft of a decree' which he proposect
to submit to the Queen, authorising the opening of a.
credi,, of 30,000,000 reals (7,500,000 f.) t:ar the repairs of
churches and ecclesiastical edifices.; such credit to be,
repaid from the proceeds of the sales of ecclesOstical and'
national propOrfy. It is evident that the adoption of!
this measure w,luld have amounted to a new Kanctioin
of the law of desa Mortizacion, and would have Lod to th
sl
pressing on of the salee of ecclesiastical property with
new activity. The Minister of Finance therefore pre-
pcsed nothing less than that the Cabinet should decide-,
against those influent: al persons who wish to see the lair
in question suspended ; in other terms, he reconimenLied
the adoption of a policy 1:11 accordance with that, of tl
to 1
I Government which was overthrown in July, not wit h
that of the present one. Nev,c!rtheless, it does not appea,le
that his proposition led to any objection from his col
eagues. When M. Rios Rosas heord of this he demands
the convocation of a new Cabinet Council, in order •
that the question might be fully examined and set-
tled. This council was held on the 11th, under the
presidency of the Queen. M. Rios Rosas argued that
the decree of 10'. Cantero, by giving a new ctanfirmation.
of the law, and assuring its prompt execution, would
raise obstacles in the negotiations now pending with
Rums. He also maintained that the law was in contra-
diction with the Concordat concluded in 1851, that it
was voted by surprise s-,'nd without due reflection, and
that it would be prudent 1:0 leave the question of the exe-
cation of it to the future 01 ntes. The Minister of Fi-
nance declared that the pie, jected decree was an. indis-
pensable element in his planot finance, and that he would
not remain Minister if it were not adopted. The Minis-
ter of Marine, M. Bagarri, warmly' approved slo!' the mea-
sure. As to the Minister of War, ~Marshal o':Donnell,
he said that after having fully fxanon:led the gnestion,the
he was convinced that it was impossibe to suspend
execution of the law of desamortizacion. He soidP
too, that the law had been fully discussed in theGoo'
stituent Cortes, and had not been voted by en rprisep
nor without due reflection, nor by intimidation ; that
it had been duly sanctioned by the Queen ; that it way
as much law as any other law ; and that the Govern,
ment could not take on itself to infringe it by sus pending
its execution. He added that his conviction on the sub'
ject was so profound that he could not consent to the
least concession, and that if the proposal of the I\ lin isto
of Finance were not approved of, he should 1 beg the
Queen to accept his resignation and that of his col 1ea.0,35s
of the departments of the Marine and Finance. Thi
declaration of O'Donnell produced a great sen ?a tion,
and the Queen was much moved by it. Her Nlttliesty
reminded him of the circumstances under which the haw
had been voted by the assembly and saoctioned by
and she said that she had more than once felt ale :ors in
~
her conscience at her participation in a --neastore which
was prejudicial to the Church, was in violation of the
Concordat, and against which the Holy Soe had ,pro-
tested. 'I, therefore,' said the Queen, 'supplicate lq•
Cantero to withdraw the proposed decree, w.hich be
will find means to do without. If this be a sacri-fice, to
him I beg it in the name of his patriotism, and of hiB
devotedness to me. I hope that he will not refus le
DIY
prayer.' Then turning to O'Donnell, the Queen laid,
that he had no serious reason to talk of resigning, n
that for her part she was determined not to give up. the
services of one of the most distinguished chiefs of the
army, who every day gave her new proofs of his Oil
tion and zeal. am anxious,' her Majesty adaeut
that we shall not become the laughing-stock of Eurort
and we should no doubt btu so, if after six weeks war
ployed in doing great and usaful things—things which
are not without grandeur—we were to separate becAu se
we differ on a question which is not even of secondary in-
terest.' The Queen then formally invited M. Canter"• to
prepare other means for pay ing the expense
ernof
repairing churches ; and, said she, M. Cant
must know, and all my min,isters know, h. vg
happy I am when we are in accord, and that I reel
great pain when it ha ens to me not to be of ti tat
pp
opinion.' The Council on this broke zip, bat ahoritll
after the Minister of War went to the Queen, and re
quested her Majesty to sign the decree of IT. Cantero,
or to accept the resignation of all the Ministers. The
Queen persisted in her double refusal, and gave sot-
reasons for it that he consented to retain his post, a-au'
to abandon the decree of M. Cantero. It is to be re-
marked that though all the Ministers appeared to
tar
prove of the decree when first brought forward, yet that-.
when M. Rios Rosas opposed it he was supported by
M. Collado, Minister of Public Works, M. Alvares,
Minister of Justice and Public Worship, and Pastor
Diez, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The opinion of the
Queen was consequently in conformity with that of the
majority of the Cabinet. The veritable importance of
the incident is the offer of resignation made by O'Don-
nell, and this offer has caused some disquietud e in the
capital. On the other hand, it has shown the :Royalist-
Liberals and Conservatives of all shades of opinion the
necessity of supporting the Ministry."
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