The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-01-06

1880, the forces of Don Carlos were finally
defeated by Espartero, and the Prince him.
self sought refuge in France. He snbse-
quently retired to, Austria, where he lived for
many years, and where, 1 think, he is living
still, quiet harmless old man of eighty. u
During the minority of Isabella, the his
tory of SPAN consists only of the struggles
of politicians, and partial, fruitless revolts. /
In Spain as everywhere else on earth, there
was liberal party and conservative party,
both contending for the possession of the
government. Sometimes the tories tri-
umphed. Then an insurrection would give
q brief ascendancy to the liberal party.
Ministeries were formed only to be dissolved.
The mother of the young Queen became, at
length, so odIous, that she was compelled to
seek safety in France, and on her return she
gave herself up completely to the conserya-
tiyes, and placed the whole of Spain under
military law. Meanwhile, the Cortes de-
clared the young Queen, when she was not
yet fourteen years of age, to have attained
her majority.
At sixteen, Isabella II. was q robust, rosy
and handsome girl, distinguished for moth
! ing. except perhaps, an unusual love Of
pleasure and decoration. The question of
her marriage agitated Europe. England
offered Prince Leopold of Coburg; Russia
recommended son Of that Don Carlos who
had fought seven years for her throne;
| Louis PHILIPPE, of France was in favor of
her cousin, Francis, Duke of Cadiz, the son
| of her fathers brother; and other powers
favored the pretensions of the Prince of
Sicily. The crafty politics of Louis PHILIPPE
carried the day, and she married her cousin
/ when she was not quite seventeen. At the
| same time the Due de Montpensier, son of
the king of the French, married the Queens
sister.
Her reign has been continuous scandal.
Indolent, luxurious and vain, she has not
even had the grace to set an example of
common decency to her subjects. Lover
has succeeded lover; so that although she
has had several children, two of whom are
living, the Spaniards do not believe that she
has presented them with legitimate heir to
the throne. Absorbed in pleasure, it was
only with he greatest reluctance that she
attended to the most necessary business of
the kingdom. She rose about ten, and pass
ing to her boudoir, occupied herself with
gossip, games and the toilet until dinner
time, which in SPAN is earlier than with US.
Afer dinner it was her custom to repair to
repair to the garden where she frequently
spent some hours in dancing and Other
amusements. In the evening, assuming an
attire more magnificent, she went the thea
tre; and on her return, proceeded to her
I
with music until two in the morning, when
she took supper and went to bed. If min
listers came to the palace on public business,
she almost always kept them waiting con-
siderable time, and frequently sent then
away without having seen them.
Every human being in Spain looked upon
the scandals of th5 palace with disgust con
tempt and shame; remembering that ther'
was once npon the throne an Isabella o
more than apotless fame. The Spaniards,
with all their faults, have great pride o.
character and country. The men, as rule
are honorable, the women, as rule, ar
chaste. The spectacle of a fat and sensua
woman, loaded with the hereditary jewel
of the Spanish crown, living such life a
Catharine of Russia lived, but without pos
sessing a spark of Catharine's talent or pa
triotism, became at length intolerable.
Seldom has q revolution taken place wit
SO little violence. The spirit of revolt ap
pears to have pervaded the whole kingdom
and to have animated every breast. Whel
party of dragons appeared to clear tn
public square of Madrid, the people hun
around their horses necks, and begged tn
soldier to take sides with their country
When the troops hesitated the people SUI
rounded them and kept them from adYanC
ing by their weight and numbor. In fel
minutes the officer in command waved hi
cap in token that the soldiers had joine
the people. The animosity of the multi
tude appeared to be directed against tn
persons and character of the odious Quee
! and her contemplate husband. The bust
and inscriptions bearing the name of tn
Queen, or the Royal Arms, were take
down everywhere, and trodden in the dust
But with the exception of such harmless vi
olence as this, the behavior of the peopl
r was excellent.
Spain, then, has shaken off the incubu
i which condemned her as the byword o
e Europe, the bulWark of bigotry and reaction
, It remains to be seen whether there is wis
c dom and virtue enough in the country t
form and support a constitutional govern
= ment and bring up laggArd Spain nearer tn
van of progressive nations. As to the de
!, throned Queen, she took care, it is said, {
s accumulate enormous private wealth, sma
portion of which will suffice to maintain he
n in her exile in style superior to that en-
| 4 l.. ,nEh ala