New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-19
TIE NEW PLOT IN SPAIN.

The Duke of Montpensier, always lying IN
wait for the Spanish crown, has, according to
present Cable advices, turned up in the Coun-
ellis of the Regency. He has had conference
with Marshal Prim and Admiral TOpete, the
former supposed opponent of Montpensier,
the latter an ayOwed friend. Spain Is land
of contrares; and it so happens that Marshal
Serrano, whose wife is ambitious to be queen,
is registered upon the side of that high bidder,
the Duke. With equal logic, Marshal Prim,
who defeated Montpensier's first attempt at the
crown, and was afterward charged with being
bought up by him, is now hobnobbing with the
man most suspected of mercenary designs upon
the crown. Then, again, while Serrano might
be forced to become king, Prim might be
persuaded to become dictator.
These contradictions may stretch out to
doom unless Spain can discover some way of
knowing its own mind They are consistent,
however, with the Spanish character for incon-
sistcncy; and the worst of them we have not
told In the late remarkable letter of Prince
Henry of Bourbon he particuarizes CONVEX
sation with Marshal Prim, i'll which that
worthy declared 81 am fatalist, and, beliey-
"ing that whatever happens is produced by
"fate, | don't say that the Bourbons might not
"yet return to Spain in the person OF the IN
"nocent Prince (AlfOnso); but it is necessary
"f for the Queen Usabella) to contribute to it,
The Marshal was even good enough to sug-
cest that the Queen should write manifesto
of sorrow, contrtion, and liberalism, and, what
must have been a greater pang to that royal
heart against all manner of intrigues. The
manifesto was written, but never signed; and
L., had IN har
the following curious bit of romance from the
conversation of the Queen:
"serrano is a gentleman. and never can forget the
fayors he received from Queen and the confidence con-
coded 10 him by lady serrano never forget that
when I was tho most important person In Span' the
King who wished and preferred other influences. left Inc
alone and retired to Pardo." why do you bring up
past times I" asked. 4" 1t IL because l never can
divorce them the times present when the
OF Yesterday are those who rule today" she replied
with extreme animation. and with tears in her eyes
retired manifestng to the Queen that II Marfor his
agents. friends and adulators continued to be all in all in
the palace, would never return to her in my LIFE
Seldom is such confession as this reported of
one relative by another by man at the expense
of woman, and that man Prince and that
woman a Queen. But as q great man once
sad Spain is tho country of vice versus, and
it is with regulations there as with everything
else. Marshal Serrano has now the liveest
reason to remember the peculiar confidence
given to him by the Queen, not only when she
enriched him with the captain gencralship. but
when her husband was away at Pardo. Was
ever Regency so scandalousy shamed by Roy
atty, and vice versa'
Intrigue will account for the wretched hodge
podgc of Spanish policy, as the absence of
domestic sanctity will account for the topsy-
turvy of Spanish society. 1t is not pleasant
to reflect upon the condition of people who
are by turns the victims of an amour a con-
spracy, and the passions of those who gamble
in politics, yet who have aspirations not unlike
our own. The unwecOme truth is forced upon
us, however, that the btterest enemy of Spain
can say nothing against her half so damaging,
half so dsreputable, as the stories which Don
Enrique of Bourbon has told of Don Juan Prim,
which the Queen has related of Marshal
Serrano. and We ought to add, which the
aforesaid Bourbon Prince has impaired
respecting Montpensier, and "the subordinate
"vllans" who support one whom Don Enrique
finds reason to GILL % cold blooded hypocrite.
Such, in ine is tho happy family of Spain.
Assuredy that distracted country has more
than her share of hot blood, so much, indeed,
that cool, mean mind, rs MODtpensier's is
said to be, may make its way. There is
menace in his presence in Madrid but it would
be difficult to say what use the, Monarchists
will make of it. The Unionists under Serrano
and Topete; the Progressists under Prm and
Sagasta tho Democratic Monarchists under
Rivero; the Republicans under Castelar,. are
all pulling different ways. Until lately. tho
King Of Topete was not the King of Prim.
and Riycro-who is aftc. his fashion . Spanish