The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-25
LEOPOLD'S CANDIDACY.

LEOPOLD'S CANDIDACY.
The Onicial Announcement by spain-Her Cir.
culnr to her Diplomatic Representatives.
The following is the circular, just received by
mail, which Spain addressed to her diplomatic
agents at foreign courts announcing the cand-
dacy of Prince Leopold. The circular is ac-
companied by an order that it should be read to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs at each several
court, and a copy left with him. 1t is dated
Madrid, July z, and signed Praxedes VI. Sa-
gasta:"-
The important declarations made in the Con-
sttuent Cortes by the President of the Coun ell,
on the 11th of June ult., are known to your Ex-
cellency. While exposing to the representatives
of the Spanish nation the steps taken, up to that
time without any result to find a candidate to
the throne, he showed them that as well the
provisional government as the executive power,
and afterwards the government of his Highness
the Regent, had honored him with the most
unlimited confidence, authorizing him to take
all steps and to enter into all the necessary ne
gotiatiOns in order to arrive at a satisfactory
solution of this grave question
Invested with these ample powers, Genera
Prim had in his favor, in the discharge of his
difficult mission, and besides his high personal
political position, the moral authority of the
whole Government, the strength given by unity
of purpose and of action, and the guarantee OF
the most absolute secrecy (reSerod). 1t was to
be hoped then, in spite of the unfortunate issue
of his first proceedings, that he would succeed
in vanquishing difficulties of every kind, and in
proposing to his colleagues in the Government,
and presenting to the appreciation of the Con-
stituent Cortes candidate worthy to assume
the crown of Spain and equally acceptable to
all the men of the great Liberal monarchical
party.
The government cherished this confidence
which has not been disappointed, and to-day it
has the satisfaction of announcing through me
to your Excellency that in the Council of Minis
tiers held at La Granja on the 4th of the current
month, under the presidency of his Highness
the Regent, Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-
Sigmaringen was designated as candidate for
the throne of Spain. The entirely favorable
circumstances combined in this prince. and the
good reception given by the public to his desig-
able hope that its candidate will very speedily
be named king by a large majority of the Cortes
thus closing the glorious constituent period
which began in September, 1868.
The situation created by the September revo-
luton, which so radically changed the political
conditions of our country, could be maintained
without inconvenience under provisional form
of government until such time as the Cortes
had voted the monarchical constitution of the
country. From that moment the state of inte-
rim became peril, because it left the idea
which had been revealed as the genuine aspira-
ton of the Spanish heople without the weighty
sanction of acts; and if the government had not
the means of realizing that idea its enemies
| the state of interim, which opened field to
| every kind of senseless hope. Hence arose a
difficult situation, from which escape was poss-
| BILE, thanks only to the constant efforts of the
| Government and to the staunchness of the i'm
mense majority of Spaniards; and cer-
| tainly an admirable spectacle has been
| offered to the world by our country, traversing
revolutionary period of tive years in the midst
| of a tranquility of which, under similar circum-
| stances, the most civilized countries scarcely
| afford an example.
| But public opinion, at home and abroad i'm
| periously demanded an end to this state of
affairs. At home the wish was vehement TO
crown the work of the revolution; and foreign
friendly Governments, as your Excellency has
had opportunities of Observing repeatedly
manifested their desire to see definite settle
ment consolidated in our country dispelling
| fears of future complications. This, then, is
| the happy event the Spanish Government to-day
has the honor of announcing, and which doubt
not will be learned at that court with the great.
| est satisfaction.
Prince Leopold, should the vote of the Corte:
place him on the Spanish throne, will be con
stitutional king, with the most democratic con
stitutien now existing in countries where liberal
institutions prevail, and his Government, conse
quently, cannot do less than obey, like the pre-
sent one, the inspirations of the public mind
which will not change because a foreigner
may come to occupy the post of frs
magistrate of the nation. He will be
Spaniard from the moment that he shall
|
as such and from an exclusively Spanish poin
of view, he will continue and affirm the work O
the September regeneration of the nation, aided
by the strictest neutrality abroad, which may
permit it to consecrate all its strength to the
development of the moral and material interest
of the country; and nothing will have sufiicien
power to make Spanish policy change itspresen
direction.
The Government of the Regent, working will
perfect freedom to bring about the necessary
monarchical solution, has acted exclusively fo
itself, negotiating directly with Prince Leopold
1t has never occurred to it for moment tina
its honor would allow it to admit the least infu
ence of foreign cabinet. i especially inyit
your Excellencys attention to this point, be
cause it is of the highest importance to shov
that in this affair the Regents Government ha
only obeyed its own inspirations, and that n,
motive of national interest abroad, and still
less of foreign interest, has guided its Presiden
in the course of this negotiation.
The nomination of Prince Leopold of Hohen
zollern- -sigmaringen in no way, affects tn
friendly relations of Spain with the othe
powers, and much less can or ought to affec
the mutual relations existing between thos
powers.