New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-12

brave men took all risks, and they saved Cadiz-
saved the Government from tself-perhaps saved the
country from the military despotism with which 1T
then was menaced and they have made Republic
possible. Three weeks ago. the Republican organi-
zatlOn was believed to be weaker than the Union
LbTdle-than the Progressstas, or Liberal Monarch
iss-than the Carlists themselves Insprited by the
success of its first collision and led by the able men
who compose its committees it has carried majority
of the provinces in the elections and all the great
cities except Madrid Had Cadiz yielded to the order
of her Governor and surrendered her arms II Is not
certain that the order would not have been en-
forced throughout Spain Had the Committees of
Seville and Madrid allowed their brothers in Cadiz
to he sacrificed the result might have followed
Had either event happened the Republican party
would have been extinguished or have lived only as
an insurrectonary organization with its sole hope
in new revolution This one would have gone the
old way of violence ending in another monarchy lit
tie better than the last.
If the Cadz experiment had an inspiration from
Madrid the source of it was pretty clearly Serrano
and not Prim If it had succeeded not the Liberal
MonarchiSts, but the Montpensier party the monar-
chists pure and simple. would have prohted by IT,
Spain has not yet done laughing at Montpenslers
tourney from Lisbon and his magnanimous offer OF
his sword to the Provisional Government. 1t was Mt
first supposed he came spontaneously. 1t Is now
known that he was nmoned by the chiefs OF the
Union Libaale His appearance, the air of chivalry
he assumed. the services he was to render to the
cause of order if necessary his assistance in coup
DE- main were to constitute his title to the throne-a
title he supposed himself to have bought long ago by
large contributions to the revolutionary funds. lie
crossed the Portuguese frontier. entered Badajoz,
passed on 10 Cordova and had been more than "a
hours in Spain before the Council at Madrid knew of
his presence. The Governor of Badajoz, like many
Of the rest of them is Lberal-unionst, in other
words, MOntpenscr Inonarchist. To omit to notify
his superors at Madrid of his arrival was an act little
short of treachey he committed il in the certainty
of finding n protector within the Council itself
In fact. the Dukes arrival was first heard of III
Madrid by dispatch from himself, the history of
which is curious and decisive. The dispatch was adj
dressed to Serrano, but received by PTm. Scrlano
is the head of the Montpensier faction, Prim hates
Montpensier and will have any king before he will
have him. How came dispatch to SerranO in Prim's
handsi Wen, they say Prim has friend in the tele
graph ofices-in more than one When the name Of
the Duke of Montpensier seen at the bottom of
telegram dated COrdova, Prims friend thought Prm
might as well see it. His face grew dark rs he read
the telegram. As Minister of War, lie is tho official
superior from whom the Military Governors receive
their orders. In five minutes dispatch had been
flashed to the Governors OF Andalusa and BadajOz,
to send the Duke of Monpensier homo to Portugal
again. A similar order went from the Minister of
the Interior. who political ally of Prm, to the
civil functOnarics Of those provinces. When they
had reported the execution of that command, the
dispatch Of the Duke of Montpensier was delivered
to Marshal SeTano. Accompanying it were copies Of
the orders directing his return and of the replies to
those orders. They say SerTano fell back in his chair
4 fotu 4l,oth oa ha
thought of suicide. The plot had not only failed 1t
had made all future plots impossible. for Ills Grace
of Montpcnsicr cTept back TO Portugal followed by
ridcule more fatal than hatred.
As it became known or suspected that Montpensicr
had been invited the anger of all parties was reused
against tho Unonlsts who had endcayored thus to
steal q march upon their opponents. In respect TO
the share which Gen. Prm had in fomenting the dis
turbance at Cadz or in authorizing the order which
caused it, do not wish TO offer positive opinion. 1t
is pretty clear he did not originate the schemes it is
possible he may have been aware of it, and waited
as his habit is to see what might come of such a
plan. If The Government was marching then toward
despotism, it was not under PRINTS lead exactly; in
deed may not then have been in his power to stop
il, so hampercd he by the great power his col
leagues had acquired in the administration of the
country through the number Of offices conceded TO
their Unonist adherents But he is reported TO have
said when he receiycdi the Montpensier dispatch
Then they have deceived me too.' He was of course
party to the fraud by which tho origin and charac-
ter of the Cadiz rising officially misrepresented
and the Republicans kept quiet for so many days
Very cleveTly all that managed, very unscrupu
lousy also. The light which broke upon Prim when
he knew that AIOntpenaer in Spain. seems
to show That he knew all the purpor of the Serrano
scheme, except that 10 was to be carried out for
Montpensers benefit. Upon finding himself triched.
no had sweet revenge in dismissing the Duke
then, it may be presumed ready enough to
abandon the whole project, and agree TO the terms
which the Republican Committee proposed.
The defeat of the plot has had one other good
effect. 1t has increased tho asccndoncy of Prm in
the Council, and brought him nearer to the Republi-
cans He may not coalesce with them. but it is
likely TO be time before he cmbarks in another
enterprise of the Cadlz kind in company with Ser
ralO