Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-20

ners, and department. She lavished
wealth and title upon this person, ere
ating him Duke of Rianzares; and with
her friends exulted in the probable sue
cess Of their scheme 10 secure an heir
l to the throne, and thus TO defeat the
4 pretensions Of Carlos. There was only
one drawback to this little game, which
was that, should the offspring of a
Queen prove a female, Carlos would be
still thesnext in succession, under the
salic law, which had prevailed in Spain
for one hundred and fifty years. While
all the kingdom anxionsly awaited the
issue of the ACCOMPLISHMENT of the Queen,
the Carlos party were dismayed by the
PRONUNCIATION Of decree by the King
revoking the salic law, and transmitting
the crown to females in default of male
heirs. s0I
On the 3Oth of October, 1880, daugh-
ter-afterward Isabella II-was born,
ana formidable insurrection having
broken out in Madrid, the King repealed
his obnoxious decree. but again re-
affirmed it after the crisis had passed.
There is no doubt that the Queen pro-
cured, by her influence over the misera-
BILE old monarch, the execution of these
several DEGREES, and even guided his
hand in signing them, for Ferdinand
was a confirmed invalid, and lived
secluded in his palace, entirely under
his wife's influence. She thus secured a
party in her favor, which she used every
means to strengthen, and finally the old
King, exhausted by his excesses and
sickness, delegated regal authority to his
wife as a reward for her wifely care.
The two parties of Christina and Carlos
now secretly prepared to appeal to
arms; but their preparations were
suspended upon the announcement
that the Queen was again about
to become a mother; for, should
the issue be son, Carlos would have no
claim. After few months of hopes,
fears and doubts on all sides, the Queen
gave birth to another daughter-the In
fanta Louisa. Finally the old King was
called away, and died September 29,
1888. His death-bed was the scene of
quarrels, reproaches, and even blows,
among his affectionate relations, who
departed with malevolence in their
hearts to summon their adherents on
either side; and the civil war, so long
deferred, at last broke out. frequently
saw the queen regent and her two
daughters, and can vouch for their fine
appearance; but, that they had much
Bourbon blood in their veins, presume
no one in Madrid could be found so cred
ulous as to maintain, expecting to be
believed The well-knowR fact that
Donna Christina continued to increase
her family after the death of Ferdinand
VII, profited by her position to acquire
the means of supporting them all hand
somely, may be of interest to those who
ardently admire royal institutions.
Even from the foregoing meager state
ment, it must appear that no nation in
history was ever so entirely abandoned
to the adoration of senseless eecentrici-
ties as was Spain. She appeared to be
isolated from the rest of the world in
thought and feeling, and has been gov
erned by passions and vices apparently
most incompatible. In no other coun-
try has the monarchial principles Of
government obtained so muoh discredit.
For four centuries the Spanish crown
as never been worn by an enlightened
sovereign devoted to the interests of his
people, or deserving any better fate than
historic ignominy; yet Spspiards have
continued to believe In their rulers, to
fight for them, to die for them, and even
to prostitute the country for their inter-
ests. What will be the endH The an
swer is that Spaniards have always been
fanatics in politics, and Espanolismo"
has ever been their test of truth. An
abandonment Of the false standard must
precede the intellectual Until then
liberty will be unknown to her, and pro-
gress impossible. - General Revere.