The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-09 00:00:00

THE SPANISH T.HRONE.

" Juan de Borbon," in a letter to the Times,
says :—Sir,—l have read with the greatest atten-
tion the article which referred to my Manifesto to
the Spaniards. lam thankful to you for the justice
which it dispenses towards me, for the enlightened
treatment of the question it exhibits, and for the
frank and loyal manner with which you have esti.
mated my conduct ; and I rely upon your kindness
to permit me to make a few observations.
I disclaim, once for all, any intention of kindling
a civil war in Spain. I believe firmly that the
country is very far from occupying the position
which it ought. Its progress is the effect of the
advancement of the age in which we live, and of
the efforts of a great people who desire to be rege-
nerated, in spite of those who oppress them; for no
one can repress the expansion of progressive ideas.
The improvements in Spain are not what they
ought to be; they are not what they would be if
there existed in that country a liberal • system,
frankly accepted and faithfully observed. You will
derive information on the liberty enjoyed in Spain
from all the newspapers which are not in the pay of
the Government, and from the 100,000 men who
are compelled to be soldiers against their will ; of
its credit from the Stock Exchanges of London and
Amsterdam; of its toleration from the Jews, and

from all the other foreigners who dissent from the
Catholic religion. Of its prosperity you will be
taught by its waste lands and the thousand enter-
-1 prises which die for want of credit. To the efficacy
of the colonial system the inhabitants of Cuba can
testify, governed as they are by the laws of the
Indies of the time of Philip 11. ; and as to the good-
ness of the economical system, the oppressed con-
tributors can say a word about that.
All political parties are preoccupied with the bad
state of Spain. Except among the men in authority,
tho nooc.gity of a change is in the oonbeieuee of
every Spaniard. Any system would be preferable
to the present one ; and if the reforms which the
country requires are not made by the means of a
legitimately constituted Government, they will,
sooner or later, be brought about after a period of
anarchy and through torrents of blood.
My ambition is limited to the desire of contribu-
.

ting to the welfare of my country. For me the
Crown possesses no other attraction. In my in-
fancy I was judged and expelled from my country;
against the decrees of every tribunal there is an
appeal ; I do not promote revolution, I appeal to
the Spanish people. If they, after hearing me, re-
ject me, my future privacy will not be less cheerful
from the consciousness of having performed my
duty. _ _

You believe that there is some contradiction be-

tween my legitimate rights, which Sou acknowledge,
and the fact of my appealing to the people. That is
not my opinion. Of every candidate qualifications
are required. If, in order to be member of Parlia-
ment, General, President of a Republic, or merely
elector even with the universal suffrage, some title
is demanded, even if it be simply that of a citizen, I
am of opinion that some qualification is also required
of him who aspires to be King of the Spaniards.
Napoleon 111., in soliciting the votes of the French
people, did not forget—nor did the electors forget—
his family antecedents, its glory, and its traditions ;
those were his titles to present himself as a candi-
date. On the convenience of Italy and his per-
sonal position Victor Emmanuel has founded
his claim to the sovereignty of that coun-
try. I base my title on the rights which I repre-
sent, and on the national requirements. If I do
not receive a hearing, a revolution and its conse-
quences are imminent. It is from a sentiment of
duty that I bring forward my pretensions and sub-
mit them to the people. I comply with my obliga-
tions and the dictates of my conscience, and I
believe that I am consistent in my conduct.
I may commit an error in my mode of proceeding,
but I can assert that I do not carry my desires
' further than for the public good ; and I repeat that
lam not guided by any other ambition, nor is it I
who will promote a civil war.