The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-23
.daus0uatzstFttbes.
IFTom B:aekwood.l
a B QUEEN OF SPAIN.

LLlC2N ~ SOoA
nv pages, so full is it of anomalies that
could exist in no country but this. In
the first place, as regards the sovereign
who has of late acquired so unenviable a
notoriety. Twenty yearsago, more than
one half of Spain flew to arms to defend,
against the remaining portion of the ma
tion, the qu' stionable rights of an infant
princess whose claim to the crown owed
strength and supporters to her associa-
ton with the idea CT a free and constitu-
tional government, for whose mainten-
ance her mother pledged herself
After a sanguinary war, her partizans tri-
umphed the "innocent Isabel" as her
subjects then called the child for whom
they had chcerfully made vast sacrifices,
and cheerfully poured out their blood,
was seated-frmly, as it then appeared
upon her fathers and Spain, long
distracted by intestine strife hoped for
tranquility, and prosperity. 1t was but
a dream Th~eachild-9ueen had scarcely
reached ~womanhood, after a stormy mi
nority, troubled by frequent insurrec-
tions and incessant intrigues, when she
began wilfully to estrapge the affection
and respect her subjects were so well dis
J posed to entertain toward her. Selfish
indifence to their welfare, dissolute pri-
vate conduct, and latterly, a scarcely
disguised intention of imposing upon
them a rule. as despotic as that to escape
from which they had fought in her favor,
and made her their queen, are the effica-
cious means she has employed to render
herself despised and detested. -r
The commencement of her unpopular
ity was uuquestionable her licentious
life. Although the world has obtained
some nkliDg other impropfieties through
newspapers and other channels, 1t has
vet no idea to what extent they have
been carried but In Spain it is well
known to every boy. lido not echo mere
gossip, or untrustworthy reports, when
[ tell you that the excuses that have
been shared in by the present Queen of
Spain, find no parallel, except in the an
nails of Orleans regency, and of the reign
of the Fifteenth Louis. To crafty her
vicious p-ropensities, the daughter OF Fer
dinand VII. (well worthy of her sire)
was not scrupled to associate herself with
men and women of Flow birth and station,
whose companionship alone was disgrace
full to one in her exhalted position. In
a small capital like Madrid, containing
an idle and scandal loving population,
everything becomes known. 1t would
not appear, indeed as if very great pre-
cautions were taken to conceal conduct
which the queen ought to have known
would sink her fathoms deepin her sub
jects estimation For it is to be observ-
ed, and history shows it, that Spaniards,
however great the misgovernment they
have submitted to have never patiently
tolerated prefigacy on the part of the
females of the royal family. Nor do they
now. Sullen silence on the part ofthe peo-
pie when her Majesty drives abroad and
a resolute holding aloof on the part of
the respectable portion of the aristocra-
cy sufficiently mark the nations discs
TEEN.
When first this unfortunate princess
abandoned the limits Of propriety, the
disorder of her conduct was hagrant.-
Within the last two years, or there
abouts, she has a.taced herself to one ia
v%orite, who has assumed great ascenden-
cy over her, and whose ambitious aspi-
r~ations, real or rumored, have more han
once excited public Indignation. Con-
sidering her mothers shameful neglect of
her education, and the disastrous mar
rage into which she was ensnared by the
vilest intrigues, the spanish nation might
perhaps have been disposed to close its
eyes, to a certain extent, 10 this HaiSon,
had it been conducted with decorum, and
had the object o f'her Majesty's prefer
ence kept strictly alooffrom politics.
Nh 49,
been observed, and in the latter respect,
especially, great offence has been given.
l have already remarked that everything
gets known. Many things are doubt
less exaggerated-many false reports
spread but these pass away aud are
forgotten, whilst the truth remains. 1t
is true-and ~undeniably true, that a
young cavalry officer of the name of Ar
ana is ~ah-poweful at court, where he has
introduced a number of his own friends,
ard established a sort of coterie or cam
vriHa, that surrounds and influences the
queen. 1t is true, that applicants for
court favor know ne-surer channel by
which to obtain their wishes, than that of
this young man that aspirants to pow-
er-I mean to the highest offices of the
State to the ministry, and to the Pres
idency of the council-d0 not seruple
(suclfi is the corruption of this country,
and the Eileaessof itsrpdblie men) to
seek his society, to Hatter him, and to
make him their immediate companion,
and continually to show themselves with
him in public places and that some of
the ministers 10Y inpower do not think it
beneath their personal dignity, or that
of their Office, to retain place by defer
ring tosthis person, and to avail them
selves of his influence and intercessiou to
carry, in high quarters, points which
they might otherwise have to abandon.
The ascendency acquired by this IA
vorite Owe his sovereign is highly peril
GUS, and may ultimately prove fatal to
the Borbon dynasty in Spain. 1t is not
surprising that the daugher of Ferdi-
nand VII. and Queen Cristina (who al
though it once suited her purpose to as
sumo the mask of liberal principles, has
repeatedly proved herself a despot at
heart) and the niece of the present King
of Naples, should be disposed to abso-
luteis'c; and form plans for getting rid
of those constitutional trammels which
she considers an offence to her sover-
eighty. When the late Duke of Parma
was OIL a visit to Madrid a few months
ago, he said to his royal cousin, who was
enchanted with his random scatter-brain
mode of talking and acting: "They
tell me you have still got some remains
of old-fashioned usages here-elections,