The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-01-19
A PAGE OF SECRET HISTORY.
THE GREAT WAR CAUSED BY BOSTON GIRLS
AMBITION.

PAGE OF SECRET HISTORY.
THE GREAT WAR CAUSED BY A BOSTON GIRLS
AMBITION.
The following strange story appears in the
| Washington Patriot, edited by Mr. Harvey
late United States Minister to Portugal, and
is understood to be from his pen:
The world does not know that the war
which has inflicted such untold caamities
| upon two great nations, and turned back the
hand of progress on the dial of civilization,
might, and probably would, not have occurred
but for cansc entirely personal, and involv-
ing the ambitious aspirations of one Of our
countrywomen. His Majesty, Don Fernando,
father of the King of Portugal, somewhat
surprised European Courts, as we'll as his i'm
mediate friends, by sudden marriage, eigh-
teen months ago. with Miss E. Henser, to
whom he had been much attached during nine
previous years. She was born in Boston, Of
respectable German parents in humble life,
and educated in Italy for the operate stage,
by the aid Of few liberal patrons Of art, who
had discovered her precocious talent for music
and her fine voice. After completing her
studies abroad. she returned to the United
States, but failed to reach the emineuce to
which her early youth had given cheerful
promise. Seeking another field for profess
sional success, she went to Europe, and In
1860 became attached to the Opera at Lisbon,
where the widowed King Consort was first
attracted by her beauty, viyacity, and other
charms. Then began the acquaintance which
terminated in her becoming the wife of a Co.
burg who had shared the throne of Portugal
with Donna Maria II. Just previous. to the
marriage the Duke Of Saxe-Coburg conferred
upon her the title of Countess d'Edla, so as
to obliterate even nominal connection with
the past or with her American nativity.
"That repeated overtures were made by
Prim and his colleagues to induce Don Fer
nando to accept the throne of Spain, is no
secret He refused to give any encourage
ment to these proposals, and an effort in that
direction, made in the early part of 1869,
only a few months before his marriage, was
repealed with so much decision as to be con-
sidered even rude to the Spanish people. But
after the marriage came social embarrassments
and new ideas, which the Government at
Madrid was prompt to seize upon, in the hope
l VI oSSASohaAhS etlO piCJuNiCC VI AXA L Cl AAh'
| do, by the temptation of high honors for his
wife, who, by transition to the Court at
Madrid, would become the equal, if not the
superior, of those who had welcomed her
with GOODNESS, and not from choice. The Span
ish Minister at Lisbon was instructed to APP
proach his Majesty with delicate suggestions,
and found him willing to entertain the sub
ject; so that informal negotiations were open
ed, and made considerable progress last spring
Don 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 Spain
and Portugal should never be united on the
same head, seeking by this means to preserve
the throne of Portugal for his son and his de
scendants. After some discussion the Span
ish Government accepted the condition. with
this modification. Except if, in the course
of time, the two nations should spontaneously
agree upon sovereign &c. Don Fernando
refused to adopt any reservation on that point
He also demanded that certain amendments
should be made to the Spanish Constitution
before accepting the throne; but the Govern
ment at Madrid objected to submit that qucs
ton to the Cortes until after his election as
King. These negotiations occupied several
months, and were once or twice suspended en-
tirely as. hopeless, but renewed by friendly
intervention. Finally they were broken off
altogether, and 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
very different motive. At one Of the last
interviews between Don Fernando and the
Spanish Minister at which the Countess d Ell
da was present, his Majesty inquired what
would be the eventual position of his wife
should he 60 to Spain? After putting this
question he withdrew, leaving Madame and
the Minister to settle the delicate point be-
tween them. The Minister stated that she
was at liberty to name any title, distinction,
or donation, adding that she would always be
the first lady Of the palace. To which the
Countess replied: so far SO good; but his
Majesty desires my position to be as clear as
possible What wish to know is what will
be my part on the great ceremouials like the
opening of the Cortes, or other corresponding
occasions The aim of this inquiry was ev
| ident, and the Minister was not taken BY
surprise. He rejoined that she might be
made a duchess or grandee, or have any other
title, bat as "Queen-NEvER, NEVER !"
"This took place on the 18th of July, and
when the conferences were going on there
was perfect understanding that the refusal
| of Don Fernando to take the throne would
involve the most grave complications, and
| probably the war which is still raging for it
was then known that the Spanish Government
intended to turn to his Majesty's son-in law,
| the Prince of Hohenzollern, if the negotiations
completely failed. AS soon as it became GER
tain that there was no probability of iaduc-
| ing Don Fernando to go to Madrid, unless the
Countess EdIa was recognized as Queen, the
| offer was made to Hohenzollern. So it may
be said that great European war; with all
| its vast consequences, is to be attributed to
the unsatisied ambition Of Boston girl"
| SENATOR LEWIS AND AMNESTY The
Democratic papers generally have treated the
remarks of Senator Lewis relative to the am
nesty question with more severity than they
deserve, when the circumstances under which
they were made are understood Pending
the discussion on the bill for the relief of
| = o r. ~. CI