New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-25
SFPP1NyS FiILUPE.

SERRANUS FIXTURE.
Marshal Seuano, having put together On
Saturday the most Absurd Cabinet that even
Spanish politics have ever known, rested from
his labors on the Seventh day and TRANQUILITY
waited for it to get up and march. From the
very beginning il had no element Of vitality.
He had retained Tor himself of course, the
positions of the President of the Council and
Minister OF War; he had given to his gallant
and bIunJe.iug friend, Admiral Topete, the
place Of Minister of Foreign Affairs, a nomi-
nation as droi!y unit TO be made as if Gen.
Grant should to-day appoint that accomplished
lcjtor-wIiter, Admiral Porter, 10 be Secre-
tary OF the Treasury. The entirely UNI
known and untIied Senior Aerostegui
had been assigned to the difficult task
Of carrying on the National housekeeping
viii. liz yaw8.nG deficit. Admiral MalcGmpo
was put in apparently to keep Topete from
growing lonely; Ayala, who Is yoIy success
i'll pee, aal an utter failure as politician,
WIS assigned lac portfolio OF the Colonies
aeyar MIRO important and delicate than
u..;; IaItau was to bring his III
ce9sGty and ilexperieace to the De-
pa.,-euJ Of Public Works; and Ulioa,
q rompo.e aud arrogant critic Of legislation,
who had himself shown no promise of OH in
ality or energy, was given the Department OF
Justice. Il Up in had been in the enjoyment
of perfect Tepose, il the spirit OF party had
ceased to distract her people, and Cabinet
like this had been chosen simply to
carry on tie routine OF government,
it could scarcely have survived the
popular contempt. In no respect did the
names embraced in it afford any guarantee
of vigorous and intelligent administration,
with the sole exception of that of Sagasta, the
cecil, adrOit, and tricky Minister of the In
terror. But in times such as those which Spain
is now traversing this Cabinet labored under
a still graver objection. 1t was almost OK
clusively Ministry of the Liberal Unon-of
that reactiOnary and corrupt organization OF
which Serrano has been, since the death OF
O'DOnnell, the nominal lead, which, greatly
inferior in numbers to the Progresistas, had
distinguished itself, ever since the revolution
of 1861 by a steady, unrelentiRg opposition to
every forward step by which the true Lib
erals, under the leadership of Prim, had
striyen to consolidate and realize in the funda-
mental law the ideas of progress which tri-
umphed in that contest
Ever since the accession of the King and
the lamentable death of the Progresista
leader by the hand of the assassin, Serrano
has seemed determined to restore his own
faction to the controlling position in Spanish
politics which it held several years ago-a
position entirely unwarranted at present by
its numbers or its importance. The Progress
istas, who furnished the bulk of the votes,
and the Democrats who provided the
majority with the ideas which made their
real strength before the country, were
gradually set aside and thrown into the
background, aud the old reactionary clerical
and court Influences were brought again into
prominence Seuano, himself creation of
the garrison and the bOudOir, owing his enOr-
nous successes in life to the favor of his
Queen and his soldiers, has never seemed heart
lily to appreciate or respect the purely consti
tutional regimen to which Spain, by her new
charter of laws has subjected herself. 1t is
stated that his determination to treat the flu
gitives of the Commune as common criminals,
and as such to give them up to the vengeance
of Versailles, in violation of the traditional
practice of European nations, excited such
violent discussions between the Liberal and
the Conservative members of the Cabinet that
the long threatening schiSm was precipitated
in form and with violence that left no
mOdus rirendi possible to the two factions. In
the almost burlesque Ministry which Marshal
Serrano set before the King. on Saturday,
the Democratic element was entirely gone, and
only Sagasta was left to show the existence of
that powerful Radical party which made the
Revolution of September and the Constitution
of Spain.
1t was impossible that such a Cabinet could
long continue in operation. and it is perhaps
best that it should never begin. Our dispatches
this morning announce that it has already
fallen to pieces, and that Serrano, disguised
with his failure, has refused to form another.
1t is added that Ruiz Zorrilla, formerly Presl-
dent of the COrtes, has been charged with the
formation of the new Ministry. He is thor
oughly honest and liberal man, not of the
highest force or sagacity but man of intel
ligence and experience, who ought to make
better First Minister than Serrano, if it is pos
sible for any civilian to inspire respect
among turbulent people. lie was. of
al Prms adherents, the most earnest
and devoted. going 50 far as to say once, III