The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-11-18
From the London Times, October 19.
History Of the Spanish Revolution
Spanish Marriages.

: Before the Spanish revolution is
forgotten in 3 ome new convulsion, il
may be well to extract the moral of
its singular and instructive history
The events of the last month repre-
sent only the concluding chapter of
the tale. Its beginning dates just two
and twenty years back, and perhaps
many a young gentleman now pro-
posing to enter Parliament has but a
dim recollection of the famous "Span-
ish marriages." Yet in the autumn
of 1916 that subject engrossed the at
tention and fired the passions of the
whole political world. 1t almost led
to war, and it did lead to revolutions
as wonderful as ever war itself pro-
ateea.
When Isabella H arrived at mar
riageable years the selection of a hus-
band for so eligible bride became of
great Importance, since on the issue
of that match would devolve the
crown of Spain. Louis Philippe, then
King of the French, resolved on Sc
curing this grand Inheritance for his
own family, and proposed, according
ly, to marry the young Queen to one
of his own sons. Against this pro-
posal the Cabinets of EmroFe, and
our own, vehemently pro-
tested. In those days the balance of
power was still MON entous consid-
Grafton, and it appeared impossible to
permit a match which might lead to
the union of the crowns Of France
and Spain in one family, and possibly
on one head. We were so far wiser
than we had been in former genera
tions that we did not on the occasion
make the Spanish succession a cause
of war; but the diplomatic contest
ragged with incredible fury, and in the
end King Louis Philippe abated q lit
tie of his designs. Hen longer de-
the Queens hand for his son,
but he determined that no other house
should carry off the prize denied to
his own. The ultimatum, as we well
was proclaimed in these
terms by the French press "Only
that no foreign blood should take its
place on the throne Of Phillip W.
That was the condition absolutely re-
served. The Queens husband must
be Bourbon, and none other than a
Bourbon on that the French nation
was resolved. At last it was decided,
not by European consent, but by the
of French influence,
hat Kink Louis Philippe's son. the
Due de Moptpezsier. should be mar
lied, not to Queen Isabella, but to
her younger sister, while the Queen
herself was to be provided for in an
,ther fashion. She was affinaced to
Ter own cousin-a match from which |
t was well understood no legitimate |
ssue could be expected: so that the |
in default of such issue,
would devolve, after, all, upon the
children of the second marriage-thatl |
s, upon Louis Phillippe's grandchild-
en-. On these terms. and with these
and so ended the first I
hapter of the story before us. We
an now look at the results
The next scene in the sequence of
vents shows us the King of the
french, his ministers ana his dynasty,
IL ruined together. Nor was it with
ut some reason that the Spanish mar
iages were represented as one of the
rime causes of the revolution of
94S. The truth is, the topic had
cen greedily siezed upon by the Re-
party in France as telling
gainst the monarchy and its institu-
ions. These vigilant and daring ag-
ations exposed the wicked heartless-
ess of the scheming, and turned ev-
ry point to advantage in the prose
ution of their ends. By these and
ther neans they at length succeeded.
ling and minister were hurried from
lace, never to rise again, and the 6y-
asty, for which the rights of a woman
nd the interests of a nation had
cen deliberately sacrificed, was dfiv- !;
n;into hopeless exile. In.the mean
me events ran their course in Spain.