The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-24
TIE KING OF SPAIN.

IHH KING Of SFALN.
The affairs of Spain have been thrown en-
tirely into the background by the remarkable
series of events that have grown out of the
proposition to place an obscure member Of
the house of Hohenzollern upon the throne
which, for the last two years, has been vainly
seeking an occupant. But while the conflict
between France and Germany is absorbing
public attention for the moment, the future
of Spain is as much an object of real interest
as it ever was, and the quarrel, of which the
exciting cause was the intrigue to make
Prince Leopold of Notwithstanding
the successor of Isabella II, has at least
given Spain an opportunity to settle her own
affairs in her own way, with a reasonable
hope that she will not be interfered with.
The French empire has fallen, and the Em-
peror who assumed to be the arbiter OF
Europe is a throneless prisoner and exile.
Spain has nothing to fear from the die
tation of Napoleon or the jealousy Of the
French people; and an opportunity, such as
may never occur again, has been given her to
consummate the good work com menced by
the expulsion of Isabella, by the establish
ment of the form of government best suited
to the tastes and habits of the people, and by
the selection of a ruler who will be in accord
with the spirit of the age, and who will de-
vote himself with energy to the task of rescu-
ing Spain from the slough of despond into
which she has fallen, and, SO far as in his
power lies, make her great, prosperous, and
happy.
The latest choice of the Spanish Cabinet,
if not of the Spanish people, for the regal
position that has so long gone begging is the
Duke of Aosta, the second son of King Vic
tor Emanuel, and the cable informs us that
his acceptance of the throne has been Off
cially announced. Prince Amadeus Ferdi-
nand Marie, Duke of Aosta, was born May
30, 1S45, and is therefore twenty five years OF
age. He was married May 80, 1867, to Marie,
daughter of Prince Charles Emanuel dial
Pazzo della Cisterna. The Duke of Aosta is
the cousin of the Duke Of Genoa,
who was also a candidate for the
throne of Spain some time ago, but who was
compelled to decline the proffered honor on
account of the intrigues of Napoleon III.
With regard to the Duke of Aosta but little
is known except that he has the reputation of
possessing much of his fathers easy good-
nature and rather profigate tastes. Presum-
ing him to be much the same kind of man
as the King of Ita'y, he may be set down as
tolerably good kind of prince as princes go
nova. days in Europe, and while it is posi-
BILE that the Spaniards might have found a
better ruler, they also might have gone
further and Jared worse. Victor Emanuel,
without being great genius, has fair amount
of solid common sense, and on the whole his
administration of affairs since he has been
King of Italy has been in high degree salts
factory. He has shown considerable skill in
managing the conflicting interests of the pc
ninsula and in consolidating the various petty
Italian States into one great kingdom; he has
steadily enlarged the bounds of liberty, while
restraining license; and, although much re-
mains to be done in Italy, it cannot be denied
that he has done much for which he is enti-
tied to great credit.
AS the King of Spain the Duke of Aosta
will in some respects have larger field and a
more arduous task before him than that
which has engaged the attention of his father,
but if he can contrive to suppress or to keep
on good terms with such inveterate intriguers
as Prim, and at the same time to bring a
little clear-headed common sense to bear
upon the ordering of national affairs, his
prospects of success will at least appear pro-
missing. Now, if ever, is the time for the
Spaniards to establish permanent govern
ment according to their own ideas of their
own necessities, and if they must have king
the young italian prince upon whom their
choice has fallen is likely to prove as unob-
jectionable as any one they were likely to
| obtain.