The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-23
SPAIN.
Prospective Candidates for the spunIs;, Tnrane.

Prospective Candidates Tor the spanish Thr3ncs
Madrid (Dec 5, correspondence OF London Tinps.I
II mere We're IN the government press any power
10 reassure public opinion we might look forward
to The close OF the Spanish revolution as speedily a-,
preaching The correspondence and other pa
pers, whose editors said to have free access
to the antechambels OF the minister's offices,
assure as that the 5th OF January has been APP
pointed as the day for the general elections, ard
that the Constituent Cortes win be called topthcr
on The 18TH at the latest the Goth, or the SANG
month. IL has also been confidently asserteo-so
confidently as to leave no doubt the minds
OF the most sceptlc--thae the decree which Is 10
confirm all uese expectations VIII appear N The
Madrid Gdye'Se Of this morning. and will thus be III
hands within two OF three hours before the Closing
Of the mail. The same semi-olllcai organs-backeL
By the more independent EpocG-are also sure liiat
Immediately upon che preliminary organization u ie
Constituent Assembly being accomplished the
questions respecting The form OF government aud
the choice OF the head OF the State will be sub
mtted TO the representatives OF the nation, 80 that
before the termination OF the month Of February
Spain viii know to what new destinie5 she viii have
to accommodate herself On the other hand Il s
also stated that the members of the provisional gov
eminent have maiurely deliberated on the expedi-
ency OF coming to fuIl and final understanding he-
tween them with respect to the candidate whom they
are unanimously to present to the country ~ he
future sovereign; and, moreover, that they have
really have. the King. elect "a petto, and thai,
although, or course the acceptance or refusal OF
their proposal must lie with the lree vote Of the
Cortes still the government Is bent upon exertiny
all its influence, both on The elections and on the
deliberations OF the Assembly, so lar TO insure The
OF what seems to the government Itself tie
only plausible scheme.
IL all this were true, and Ii we were to believe. ~ it.
would seem natural, that Serrano and the other
nal engagements TO favor the interests of the Duke
Of Montpensier We should nave to come 10
Prirn and his progressst friends over TO
their views, as the latter were up to q very
motion Of the eX-hing Of Portugal, Dom Fernando.
AZ Prim had IL recent letter TO his friend, senor
declared that the eScuslon Of tie B e nom
the throne OF spain must be considered as deini-
live and perpetual, and that. for his own part he
would have no hand In any act Which might amount
10 q reversal Of that sentence, so efforts are now
made to limit the sense OF that declaration by
the eX-Queen and her descendants" AS the notion
that frlm could cast his lot with the
evident conclusion is that the Gene1aI did NOT WISH
his osraclsm 10 involve the inlanta Maria Louisa,
Duchess OF Montpenser in the fate OF her sister, AS
TO the lpfanta'5 husband the Duke OF Montpensier
himself his partisars have already stouty asserted
that Fan orleanist IS not Bourbon an assertion
which, to make 1t clear to English readers, would be
tantamount to saying that the legitimate descend
ants OF the Duke OF Edinburg could at any time
TO be Guelphs, simply because IAN Edinbure ~ nos
All these artinclaiy spread rumors, all these
clubbing arguments, however, deceive no man.
What Is unaeniabiy clear Is that there IL o party
which, for reasons beso known to themselves, hesfr
themselves in behalf Of the Duke OF Mon;pensler,
as IL isaiso plain TO my mind that II the Aontpen-
sler scheme thriyes Il VIII never be from aay
thusiasm OF the spanish nation either for the Duke
apathy ON the part OF tine people, ana fram utter
he plcssness ana confusion IN the council Of Its
leaders. IL PfIm had really accepted MOntpen5ier,
o point upOn which 1 have still my doubts it
would only be US pas dIs' and unaer the
impression that the international antiDatlles
between Spain and Portugal would tu.n every
chance against King Fernando The Portuguese, IS
ne learn nom the latest kilograms, have ueen
brating with the most frantic enthusiasm the anni-
versarY OF their emancipation from the Spanish yoke
In 1910 The indefat gable advocates OF the Mont
penaler interests nad spread the report mat ile
Duke would present himself at Sevlie as
ddaie Tor the Cortes Mt the forthcoming elections.
tender had passed nom his place 10 the Assembly
Co the Presidential char In a republic, and hence
again TO an imperial throne, had, probably enough,
Mashed through the minds or these schemeTs; bat
their Views in that respect seem To have been soHle
what modied, iEilsnich as they now say thai 10
was mot the Duke who offered himself "a c.,nd-
date, but some influential persons at Seville who
rendered him their suffrage, Suffrage which tho
Duke, upon reflection, has deemed 1t expedient to
decne.n
TO my mind one or two things are at all events
perfectly clear. In the lirgt place. that the sphere
Of possible candidates 10 the Spanish throne, which
AT irsi seemed to spread to the utmost limits OF ire
Aimannch DE Gotta, las within two short months
been reduced to those two rivals now both
domiced at Lisbon. and that OF the two on.y
one cvinccs any eaqerncss Tor the intended
honor, or, indeed, may IN the last extremity he re-
lied upon not TO refuse IT, In the second place. that
whatever the government or any party may propose
that there Just now sufficient peryerseness anu frac
who would lain have no king To Cry down any kiDg.