Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-11-16

1t appears nv tho last European intelligence tn t
tho imbssilc King of Spain is not dead. His ply
steal powers rallied ut what seemed the last Casp,
and his worthless existence preserved for fur
ther misruie and increased contempt Had he died,
perhaps tho chance of his subjects for better GO
vernmcnt might have been much nd proV-t, and in
extremitIes OF misgovcrDment ali changes keep
alive hope. His hereditary claims TO their eIocra-
ten, az one of the worst and weakest of a of
dolts and despots-th. scourges of the country for
generation after genoratian,-would have been
truly royal subject for wrangling among his kim
dred, in the midst of which, the people might ha We
regained some portion of their own power. From
Carlos, or Regency, nothing could be hoped, for
liberty Justice; bat ii contested succe. sion had
brought mems minds into active inquiry, and their
feelings and interests into the discussion something
might have been gained 10 the good cause of self
government. In this ago, with the awakening
ample of other nations around them, with arms in
their hands, and only choice before them between
two evils, both claiming by the fright divine, 1T
cannot he but that ruer principles and nobler self
appreciation shall reach even to the peasantry Of
Spain. AS it is, however, the life Of Ferdinand is
the present evil out of which only evil springs; his
death would bring another kind OF present evil out
of which good may come.
SPocuatons have been abundant, every where
about tho succession upon that event.
Ferdinand the VII has son. He has two
daughters, the eldest about tnO years old. Hor
name is Maria Isabel Luisd The other is y mere
babe He has two brothers, Carlos Maria Ysid-
70, aged 81, and Francisco de Paula. aged 4S.
Succession involved
these difficulties. According TO the Sulic law,
female could inherit the throne, and none has sin
reigned. About two years since, law pub
lished by Ferdinand which he averred to have
been enacted by his father in 1889, with the sane
ton of the Cortcs restoring the order of SUCCESS
ion as it stood before the Sale law was passed.
! The reasons for its having been long suppressed
were stated at the tisne of it's publication. Ac.
cording to this new law the rightful heir to the
crown FerdinaDd's daughter, Maria Isabel Luisa
N to thp S,lc la, ha
PISS to his elder brother, Don Carlos Maria
Ysidro.
Here, therefore, is abundant ground for dis
pute as to tho person entitled TO inherit the
crown, and we look at it with some hope, that tho
Spanish people may decide against them ALL
unless constitutional rulers, deriving their
rights from the free consent Of tho governed.
1t ~ a remarkable circumstance, at least to Anne
TIcan eyes, that in none of these conflicting titles
are the people much named or thought of.
The whole country may DO filled with contention,
turmoil, boodshed and oppression, from the
wrangios of hostI's claImants,-Hhe the unhappy
people, for the possession of whom the strife will
be carried on, ould be blessed indeed If they could
get rid of them all. They have interest in the
points of discerd, whether they shall have a mas
tor or mistress, foil grown despot for their king,
or baby queen tyranDlsng 10y deputy. III a
country where tho right to govern is a family Inhc.
rilsnce, the title TO that kind Of property is often as
intricate question to decide upon among claimants
equally worthless, the legal ncetios of an ordi-
nary suit IN ccctlnent d sometimes quite absurd
as eloctmont technicatres. The pretensons set TN
to crown, arc frequently trivial and as vague
as those of John Styles, to tho hundred houses, ont
houses, barns, stables oxen, sheep, hogs, acres Of
meadow land, pasture land, and wood land, which
ne IS made by his lawyers ingenuity, to set up a.
gaiust his neghbor's iarn, matter of lease, en-
try and custer. As little real truth and sound right
exist IN ono case, whore millions Of people are
wrapgled for, like dumb cattle, and their property
and labor disposed OF as carolessly though il
AN oN's labor, as III the other case, where plaintiff
IS made TO demand not only what he has no right
TO have, but which exists where but in tho law
yors declaration.
We hope that some other generation may soc
both these things reformed, wnen all Governments,
kingy, If any such rornaiD, and others, shall be
only trustees for the people, nos their masters, and
law shall he rinde intCb sbe and simple, and when
t. shall be no longer necessary to violate truth, IN
any case, in order TO get ~ justice. We confcst
that there arc better prospoc that thu Former
| will DC achieved sooner ;baji The latter