The New York herald., 1869-08-14
King Luis OF Portugal and the Spanish
Crown.

King Luis Of Portugal and the Spanish
Should the Spanish Cortes offer the crown
of Spain to the King of Portugal, as is
foreshadOwed in our cable dispatches,
his acceptance would constitute a some
what singular evidence of the revolution
wrought by time in the affairs of the Iberian
Peninsula. In 1861 the question of uniting
Portugal to Spain was agitated by the Spanish
statesmen, encouraged by Queen Isabella, quite
regardless Of the legitimate right of Dom Luis
to the government of the former country, to
say nothing of the distaste of the Portuguese
to the proposed absorption. For the purpose
of obtaining an ally against Spain marriage
was contracted with Maria Pia, fifth child Of
Victor Emanuel, on the day she attained her
fifteenth year. The marriage of Prince Ma
poleon to the Princess Clotilde, eldest daughter
Of the King of Italy, SO connected the three
reigning families of France, Italy and Portu-
gal that Spain never even attempted the uni
1cation of the Peninsula, and the house of
Braganza was left in undisturbed possession of
the throne its members have filed since they
won it at the time the Christians and Moors
were struggling for mastery.
The present King of Portugal is as remark
able for the admirable manner in which he
governs his country as for his elaborate nomen-
clature, which comprises not less than nine
teen names. He was born on the 3lst of Oc-
tober, 1888, and assembled the throne on the
18th of November, 1861, four days after
his brother, Pedro w., died suddenly, with
strong suspicious of having been poisoned.
1t will be remembered that few days previous
his younger brother, Dom Fernando, died, and
another brother, Dom Augusta, continued dan
gerously ill for some time after. This remark
able sickness of the three brothers at the same
period gave rise to rumors of poisoning, but it
seems certain they were all attacked during
an excursion to the province of Alemtejo by
the marsh fevers peculiar to that part of the
country after the autumnal rains. Since his
accession Dom Luis has faithfully carried out
the liberal programme inaugurated by his
father, the ex-King Ferdinand, who abdicated
the throne in favor of Dom Pedro on the 10th
of September, 1887, and who, by the way,
declined the Spanish throne soon after the
Cortes met in session, few months ago.
Although compelled for some time past to deal
with capricious and exacting legislature,
Dom Luis has paid rigid obedience to the con-
stitution, never attempting to subvert it or to
exercise autocratic powers. Several minis
terial crises have taken place, and in all he has
bowed to the will of the Portuguese legislators
by either demanding or accepting the resigna-
tions Of obnoxious Ministers, although in one
or two instances his sympathies have been
with his Cabinet. The resoluteness with which
he has thus far governed Portugal according to
constitutional principles has endeared him to
the great mass of his people. His eight years
reign have been. marked by complete absence
of political complications with foreign Powers
and by decided progress in the material
prosperity of Portugal. Whether he will
accept the throne of Spain on the basis of the
autonomy Of both Kingdoms is question which
can hardly be answered now. So far he has
displayed no inclination or anxiety for the pro-
posed exaltation in importance and power