The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-03
WOMEN.dTD VAR.
How the Franco-PrussIan War was Not
Prevented-An Am erican Lady Involv-
ed in the Preiiminaries-A Page OF
Secret History.

The Washington Patriot publishes curious
story, which it calls page of secret history:
The world does not know that the war which
has inflicted such untold calamities upon two
great nations, and turned back the hands OF
progress on the dial of civilization, might, and
probably would, not have occurred, but for
cause entirely personal, and involving tne
trywomen. His Majesty, Dom Fernando,
father of the King of Portugal, somewhat sur
prised European courts. as we'll rs his imme-
dIate friends, BY sudden marriage,
eighteen months ago, With Miss E. Hens
leT, to whom he had been much
attached during nine previous years. She
was born in Boston. Of respectable German
for the operate stage,- by the aid oil a few
liberal patrons Of art, who had discovered her
precocious talent for music and her fine voice.
After completiag her studies abroad, she re-
turned to the United States, but failed to
reach the emineuce Of which her early youth
had given cheerful promise. Seeking another
field for professional success, she went again
10 Europe, and in 1850 became attached to the
Opera at Lisbon, where the widowed King
onsort was first attracted by her beauty, VI
yacity, and other charms. Then began the
aconaintance which terminated in her becom-
| ing the wife of u Cobnrg who had shared the
throne Of Portugal With Donna Maria II. Just
previous TO the marriage the Duke Of SAKE
Coburg conferred upon her the title OF Count
cas- d'Edla. so as to obliterate even nominal
connection with the past or with her American
nativity.
and his colleagues to induce Dom Fernando
to accept the throne OF Spain, is no secret. He
refused to give any encouragement to these
proposals, and an effort IN that direction,
made In the early part Of 1869, only few
months before his marriage, was repelled with
so much decision as to be considered even
rude to the Spanish people. But after the
marriage came social emoarrassments and
new ideas, which the government at Madrid
was prompt to seize upon, In the nope OF over
coming the prejudice of Dom Fernando, blythe
temptation of high honors for his wife, who,
by a transition to the Court at Madrid, would
become the equal, If not the superior, OF those
! who had welcomed her with coldness, and not
from choice The Spanish minister at Lisbon
was instructed to approach his Majesty with
delicate suggestions, and found him willing to
entertain the subject; so that Informal negotla-
tions were opened, and made considerable
progress last spring.
(. Dom Fernando proposed certain conditions,
perhaps with view OF ultimately debating
the terms for matter which was much nearer
his heart, as will appear IN the sequel. For
example, he required that the crowns OF Spain
and Portugal should never be united on the
same head, seeking by these means 10 preserve
the throne of Portugal for his son and his de-
scendants. After some discussion, the Spanish
Government accepted the condition, with this
| modification: Except if, in the course OF time,
the two nations should spontaneously agree
upon sovereign" &C. Dom Fernando refused
to adopt any reservation on that point. He
also demanded that certain amendments should
be made to the Spanish Constitution before ac-
cepting the throne; but the government at
Madrid objected TO submit that question to the
Cortes until after his election as king. These
negotiations occupied several months. and
were once or twice suspended entirely as hope
| less. but renewed by friendly Intervention.
Finally they were broken of altogether, ard
the causes already stated were assigned as the
reasons OF the failure.
But persons who are familiar with all the
facts attribute the rupture to another and 9