The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-16
The Aspirants to the Throne Of Spain
Prince Napoleon,s Prospects.

Spain wants king. The government Of
Prin and Serrano has been tried and found
wanting. The unhappy condition Of the coun-
| try calls for the discontinuance of an admins
tration which, inaugurated under the most pro-
pitious circumstances, has so long and signally
failed in proving itself adequate to the exigen-
cies Of the situation or capable of developing
the essential elements of order and good gov
eminent. The Captain General of Madrid
spoke not unwsely or prematurely in declaring
that inasmuch as anarchy and disorder were
everywhere prevalent, inasmuch as the con-
stitution had proclaimed monarchy, the choice
of king was alike indispensable and impera-
tive. Such is the now accepted alternative,
and such the very important business to come
before the Cortes in October. There will be no
| lack of candidates, and in the abundance of ma
terial presented for the manufacture of royalty,
and the conflicting ideas and interests repre-
scented by the architects of State who are to
fashion the future incumbent of the throne Of
| Spain, we may expect much perplexity and no
little diplomatic wrangling ere an election will
have determined upon model calculated to
meet the wishes of the nation.
In the time intervening between the assem-
bling Of the Cortes Spain goes on increasing
in troubles, harassed by feuds, and discussions
at home and misfortunes abroad. While it may
be taken for granted that nothing short Of
| strong government and a monarch will give
even temporary quietus to the internal COM
l ooeS 4 Sc 10 into
whose hands, invested with regal power, the
| sceptre wrested from Isabella will fall. We
| have no assurance as to who shall be the COM
ing man, yet it is not improbable that approach
ing events will settle this question, and deter
mine beyond peradventure the popular claimant
whose election will be forced upon the Cortes
as matter of public necessity. The claims
and merits of the aspirants will be thoroughly
canvassed by their respective friends before
the meeting of the Cortes. It is our purpose
to speak of the prospects of some of the
several candidates
The rehabilitation Of Isabella is next to i'm
possible since it is not desired by any consider
able number of the people of Spain and would
be discountenanced by neighboring Powers.
The Prince of Asturias stands much better
chance; and, If his election with Serrano as
regent would be acceptable to Napoleon, as
| reported some weeks ago, his claims will be
strongly pressed by the friends of dynastic sue
| cession, a considerable number of the clerical
party and the late adherents of Isabella's gov
eminent. Unless, however, we mistake the
| progressive tendencies of the Spanish nation
anything promising continuance of the old
regime will not meet with favor or support at
the hands of the Cortes The many griev-
ances entailed by the government of the
ex-Queen will not readily be forgotten, and
there is every reason to believe that Isabella
and her family are doomed to private Life, If
not perpetual Punishment
Don Carlos, the active aspirant militant to
the Spanish throne, is pressing his claim with
zeal and obstinacy worthy of better cause.
His prospects, though gloomy enough, are
more flattering now than at any previous time
since the commencement of the instruction.
| The government has done much to give vitality
| to cause which promised at the outset to be
a mere bagatelle. Injudicious legislation, the
| revival of the obnoxious martial law of April,
| 1921; the structure imposed on the clergy and
| other oppressive measures have swollen the
ranks of the Carlists until uprisings and battles
are Of frequent occurrence and the utmost
| vigilance of the government is exercised
to prevent the movement assuming the
proportions of formidable revolution. The
priests, as in the former Carlist war and SUBJ
sequent revolts, are the most active agents in
propagating the insurrectionary movement.
They are encouraged by the partisans of Isa-
bella, who are glad to embrace any opportu-
nifty to embarrass the government of Prim.
The republicans, on the other hand, cooperate
with the administration against Don Carlos.
That Don Carlos is not desired by the
people of Spain at this time we have no
question:; yet time has worked many changes
| in governments under revolution, and time
and a few victories may strengthen the Carlist
movement until it becomes powerful and popu-
lar Louis Napoleon was less favored in his
attempts at Strasbourg and Boulogne, yet he
persisted until welcomed by seven millions OF
voters and crowned Emperor of the same
people who received him at the outset as
criminal and an adventurer.
! II is reported that Prim intends offering the
4 Spanish crown to King Luis of Portugal, Ii
which event the two countries would be gov
erned in manner similar to Austria and Hun
gary, the king dividing his residence between
Madrid and Lisbon. This may or may not b.
true; but it is to be presumed that neither Prin
nor Serrano would take such step withou
consulting the Cortes, and it is hardly probabl
that the latter would vote the humiliation o
, the Spanish people by choosing ruler from
third or fourth rate power. Portugal has quit
enough to do to take care Of its own govern
= ment, without shouldering the burden an