The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-24

form the principal topics of conversation dur
ing the interview. 1t is not conceivable that
Queen Isabella was ignorant of the state of her
kingdom. It is notorious that Napoleon was
then, as he is now. better informed as to the
actual condition Of Spain than Queen Isabella
herself What did Queen Isabella ask? What
did Napoleon promise Not, however, to make
too much of the INTERVENTION it is scarcely
possible, matters being as they were, that the
interview could be other than sham-what
will Napoleon do? A revolution in Spain-a
revolution especially in favor of liberal, even
republican, prnclples-is manifestly not to his
liking. The triumph of these principles in the
Spanish portion of the Peninsula would not
only make an end of the kingdom of Portugal
and blast the hopes of the House
of Baganza; it would revolutionize the
entire kingdom of Italy, would convulse France
and shake to its foundation every throne in
Europe 1t is not too much to say that If this
revelation is successful in Spain the kingdom
of Italy is virtually at an end and the throne
of Napoleon is in serious peril. What, then,
will Napoleon do? VIII he passively look on,
or will he interpose and attempt to stem the
revolutionary tide? This is the question
which thousands are now asking.
Spain has been many times in insurrection
during the last fifty years. as will be seen from
the sketch which we give of the history of that
country in another place in this days HERALD;
but nothing precisely similar to this has hap
pened since 1922. In that year, and while the
Holy Alliance, giving effect to the DEGREES of
the two separate Congresses of Troppau and
Laybach, was, through the instrumentaity OF
an Austrian army cruelty crushing out con-
stitutional liberty in the south of Italy,
an alarming revolution broke out in Spain.
The Holy Alliance again took alarm. The SOW
eregns trembled Absolutism was in danger.
The Congress which had been dissolved at
Laybach in February 1921, reasselnbled at
Verona in December, 1922. To France was
entrusted the suppression of the revolt While
Austria was crushing out the hopes of Italy
France was to crush out the hopes Of Spain.
The Due d'AngoulGme, at the head OF some
hundred thousand French soldiers, crossed the
Spanish frontier early in 1928, and few
months later bleeding Spain succumbed, but
not without invoking the vengeance of Heaven
on the Holy Alliance. From the blow then
struck Spain has never properly recovered.
The revolution which has now broken out is
similar in character and tendency to that of
1922. But there is now no Holy Alliance. 1t
is not conceivable that anything which may
now happen in Spain will combine in
common league the princes of Europe
Neither Austria nor Russia nor Prus-
STA can be said to have any direct
interest in Spain. It is matter of compare
tive Indifference to Great Britain whether
Spain is monarchy or republic. An alli-
ance holy or unholy such as that which extin-
guished Spanish liberty in 1928 is impossible.
We are thus driven back to our question, what
will Napoleon do? If he calmly looks on and
ilous policy? If he interferes will it not be
equally perilousl The republican spirit tri-
umphant in Spain, the republican spirit tri-
umphing in Italy, the republican spirit bursting
forth in France-that is one alternative. A
French army of occupation in Madrid, French
army of occupation in Florence, probable in
5urrection in France, and Bismarck complet- |
ng the unifcation of Germany-that is the |
,ther alternative. 1t is difficulty for Napo-
con- 1t remains TO be seen how he will act. |
NIiuis,er NycJIu,,ou aud the PupaguHyan |