American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-08
Republican Spain.

1t is inevitable that the satisfaction with
which the people of this country would
witness the substitution of a republican
form of government for monarchy by
such nation as Spain should be qualified
by many misgivings as to the outcome of
the experiment. Among several sources
OF these apprehensions. the example that
is furnished by France is probably not the
least. There republic was proclaimed
after the affair at Sedan, with great uhan-
unity, and America fastened to greet the
new republic with words of cOngratula-
ton and encouragement. But although
it is true that France still maintains re-
publican form of government. it cannot
be denied that the rule of NJ. Theirs falls
considerably short of realizing the Amer
lean idea OF free institutions. and this dis
appointment is enhanced by the doubts
that the situation fully warrants, whether
there is not another political CONFUSION
in the near prospective. If the French
cannot maintain a republic, it will be gem
orally agreed that the Spanish cannot.
Yet it is not altogether certain that this
reasoBisg is sound and Just. There are
not wanting indications that the Spanish
are at heart people who prefer self gov
eminent to C2sarism. True, they have
not manifested this spirit at home by any
general and stubborn demand for a re-
public, and their demonstrations in that
direction have been weak and short
lived. But away from home these same
people have never failed to demand a re-
publican Cover nment, and 1t is a fact that
certainly possesses some significance in
this connection that every country on the
globe the inhabitants of which are chiefly
of the Spanish blood, is a republic, in form
at least. We would certainly not point
to the Spanish American republics as mod
els of government, but it is something
that these peoples will brook no hereditary
rulers, and seem inherently to aspire to
participation III the sovereignty. 1t the
mOngrels of South and Central America
have made some progress toward the re-
aliZation of governments founded on the
popular will, is it altogether unreasonable
to expect that a further advance may be
made in the same direction by the pure
blooded Castilians of the mother cOun-
try?
Another aspect of the situation that Of
fers some encouragement is the fact that
nothing but a republic seems to be Il pos
sible emanatiOn from the existing circum-
stances. 1t is not conceivable that Spain
will repeat the comedy that Senator Sum-
ner referred to, three years ago, that OF
hunting, over Europe with a telescope to
find a king the experiment that termina-
ted in the abdication of the young Savoy
ard must demonstrate the failure OF car
pet-bag royalty. 1t is true that there are
pensier and Alphonse. with some color of
hereditary night, and that each of these
has followers but it is equally certain
that no two of these factions would per-
nit the head of the other to ascend the
throne. This feeling is observable in the
vote Of the cortes when a republic was
proclaimed with but b dissenting voices.
These considerations may show that
the Spanish republic is not necessarily a
bloody and disastrous delusiOn; but at
the same time it can not be denied that
the contrary prediction would be haz-
ardous one. Much depends-all depends
upon the man who is placed at the head
of affairs during the transitional period.
The rdvices indicate that the ruler born
o. the emergency will be Rivero, presi-
dent of the cOrtes. There would be more
reason for confidence if it were a man of
deep and abiding republican convictions,
Emilio Castelar.-Chicago Times.