The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-09
France and the spanish Crown,

In the OlQ arrangement Ol Llle SO'GulLCu
Civilized world, when people were made
70 fight for families, wars were made FOR
very curious causes, but VIC doubt iE'any
were more absurd than that for which
S6ne members Of The French Legislative
Assembly are now tuning about a1war
with Prussia, because o Prince Of a branch
Of the family from which the PrussiAn
royal family came Is proposed Tor King
ot'Spain. For France to plunge into war
with tho North German Empire, to pre-
venta Catholic relative of the Prussian
King from being elected to the Spanish
throne, because It mightestablish ablpod
alliance between Prussia and Spain, which
might in time become formidable to
France, would be about us wise precau-
ton as that OF the beasts who committed
suicide to save themselves from slaughter.
Can German Prince Getlnanize3 the
Spanish people, people as inmovabls.in
their customs and character and as Tar
behind the rest Of the world ip all material
progress as the Turks? Should he in. the
course Of a long upd peaceful reigpaTS
range the Spanish finances upon paying
basis and introduce into the country the
common economical appliances, such as
rOadsand ordinary labor saving machinery,
he would do well. And If he lad tue
ability and power to put Spain into q
shape in which SHE would be formidable
in war, is it likely that he could make no
better use Of this vast improvement ll her
condition than to- hold her ut the back 'Ot
Prussia, in perpetual alliance against
France?
Prussia is so iormidablea q military power
now that it would be simply suicidal for
France tn rush into war with her TO pre-
vent tue remote and vague contingency pf
her Being made more formidable by ytan
alliance Of blood with the Spanish throne.
And whoever takcs the crown Of Spain
will have sufficient occupation In keeping
it, without taking upon himself any oLEcn-
sive treaty against his neighbors. The
habit of revolution and oil dGthroning and
elcctlng kings grows with use A dispute
of titles between branches Of tho Spanish
royal family has been an easy road to civil
war in Spain. Will not the facility be
greater when the national prejudice
against foreign ruler can be invoked :?
Any one who assumes the Spanish throne
will have no enviable lot. ....,
Z These two branches of;thG EIohenzol.
lrrns are divided by religion, which is
likely to be stronger influence than such
ties Of blood us exist between them. tits
doubtful II the King Of Prussia has any
more interest in this affair than to place u
DOOR relation, prince out Of employ,
and incapable of any business but that Of
prince; n younger son Of q family which
was Constrainedto to give up its little princi'
pality to Prussia, aud whose elder brother
has before been placed, by tue Prlssian
influence, over sort Of kingdom, that OF
Roumunia. Long before this German
prince, il ever so wise, could make Spain
Il formidable power, the situation OF
Europe might have wholly changed, the
present Emperor Of France would have
CLOSED the taleOf his ambition, and the
other dynaSties concerned in this matter
might have passed away. a..a
Nor does the fuming Of the members OF
the French Assembly, or Of the Paris
Journals betOken any desire, for war. In
the Assembly there is some freedom OF
debate, and In the press some freedom of
GNUE6SSlUI ~ uSGlHIu1 bAOub bAO1ClSA o5-
grcssions upon France, and TO talk Of war,
can hardly be suppressed as soditious; but
It may furnish a powerful weapon for the
opposition to the Emperor. With Legis-
lattve Assembly and some freedom Of de-
bate, France has acquired thatwith which
We ure familiar in this country namely:
the practice Of agitating for war as Il
means ofinjuring the administration
Thus partisan opposition takes on the
shape Of jealousy for the national honor,
und makes out that the administration
and lis supporters ape not equal to the
occasion. In this patriotic effort there
may be much warlike defamation with.
out any desire for war. We have but
small expectations that Louis Napoleon
will make the election Of this Hohenzel.
lcrn to the throne ofSpain cause for war.
If he, has protested, his protest will make
no difference with Prussia. And If he is
10 dictate, 1T would be hard to- find any
nrince outside, Of Spain that would notbC
iiaBle,to similar objections, unless it 10 q
prince of the Bonapartcs.-Gnctnna Ga