New-York tribune., 1871-01-02
and cordial in the American habit, but II its
abuses cannot be reformed the alternative VIII
be taken to "reform it altogether"
THE DEATH OF MARSHAL PRIM

THE DEATH OF MARSHAL PRIn.
We give in another place full outline OF
tbe career of the remarkable man who has
iust fallen victim to the insensate hate OF
Marty in Spain. Until we learn what are the
DEVELOPMENTS of the investigation set on foot
by the Government for the discovery OF his
murderers we cannot say what faction must
bear the infamy of this crime. We believe that
it will prove the independent act OF some
abandoned ruffian too vile to find accOmplices
and too ignorant to appreciate the folly and
madness of his act. Its first logical result will
doubtless be to establish on a frmer basis than
seemed possible a week ago the throne OF the
Young Italian whose election has given occasion
to this dastardly brutality. The Liberal cause
will suffer most by the death OF the great
monarchist, and 1.-The newly transplanted scion
of Piedmont will enjoy better chance OF lie
now that it is watcred with his blood.
The faults of Marshal Prim have been some
times the subject of comment in THE TRIBUNE.
Now that he has gone hence. foully murdered
we cannot withhold the expression OF our
conyictien that Spain cannot afford to lose
men of his caliber. He was cold, unsympa-
thctic, calculating, and ambitious. But his
highest aspiration was for the glory of Spain
and he bore unGnchingy long years of exile
and persecution in his efforts to give her
government of liberty and progress lie was
sometimes called traitor to the Republic
The charge is false and unreasonable. lie
was never a Republican. When he came
ashore in September, 1868, in that dcliriouS
hour when all Spain had gone wild with an
easy triumph and an indefinite hope, citizen
snatched his cap and tried to tear from 1t the
crown that indicated his position in the army
He Indignantly resented the liberty, and cried
Down with the Dynasty, but live the Mon
"archy.n From that hour to the election OF
Amadeus of Savoy he never ceased to adv0-
cate the coronation of King for Spain.
He cared little for the glitter of apparent
rank, but hungercd and thirsted after actual
power. When the Provisional Government
came to be constituted he made SerranO Re
gent, and took for himself the Ministry OF
War and the Presidency of the Council In
this position he gave to Spain the best Gov
ernment she has had for many years. lie re-
pressed the Republican revolts and the Carlist
risings with prompt and impartial cruelty, and
defended himself against all the factions in the
Cortes with marvellous readiness and address.
He always pretended he had no talent nor
taste for public speaking, but there was
not a lawyer nor professor III the
Chamber that could hold the attention of the
house as he could. His speeches were models of
adroitness. He never lost his calm, though he
often appeared to. But his bursts of feeling
were as coOlly calculated as his State papers,
and as perfectly adapted to the desired effect
He was the first party leader in Spain, because
his party trusted hm--he never misled them
and never deserted them. No matter how
critical the situation might seem, they always
felt sure that Juan Prm would find way out
of it for himself, and them, too. He was brave
and skillfu soldier, but was never so popular with
the army as some greatly inferior men. He
was not man of brilliant or imposing pres
cncc, and his reserved AMI quiet manner un-
pleasantly affected the rink and file. When
Serrano rode by, his dashing and soldierly
bearing extorted chorus of UiraS, but Prim
was usually received with cold courtesy. The
excitement of the battle field, it Is said trans
figured him, and the cool courage and insight
that won the day at Castillejos and made him
a grandee of Spain made him also for a while
the favoritc of the soldiers. But he never
shone on high holidays.
If as soldier, statesman, diplomatist, and
ruler he was worthy of respect, as a man and
a citizen he was altogether admirable. In that
gay and dssoute capital, his house was sacred
to the domestic virtues. His wife and child
rem are mourning to-day a model husband and
father Cold az he seemed in speech and man.
ner, he had friends who would have chccrfully
died for him. He had that rare characteristic
of truly noble minds-of never forgetting a
person he had once befrcnded. There is a
General in the Spanish army who owes his
rank to the fact that Prim saved his life in
battle at the risk of his own when they were
both subalterns.
His worst faults were those Of his country
and his time. In some of those wonderful
philippics of Castelar, the great tribune COM
pared him with Washington and Cromwell
and predicted for him disastrous and igno-
minious death 1t is doubtful if a Washing
ton or Cromwell could have managed the
Progresista party of Spain as well and as ad
vantageously As Marshal Prim has done. He
worked with the material he found. His de-
plorable end will rob him of no credit in i'm
partial history, and if unatoned will only still
further stain the black record of party strife
in Spain.