Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-03
NE RUTLAND HERALD.
SPAIN.

wo Yesterday morning, in our tele-
nronbic columns, published the latest
1ows from Spain. 1t was in the form
If n special telegram to the New York
Herald and stated, among other things,
tbot 60 snarn battle had been fought,
some fifty miles from Barcelona IN
which the government troops were
severely handled and beaten by the COM
hined attack of several bands of Carlists
rnder Sayalls." When we glance
through the dispatch, we find that the
Government troops" were simply a de-
tscbment of twelve hundred infantry,
sixty cavalry who, beside their ordinary
arms, had four cannon, and were sent
as a guard to a supply train, The coun-
trv. in which this "sharp battle was
fought, appears to have been rocky and
mountainous and, of course, peculiarly
adapted to guerilla warfare. The dis
patch itself is characterized by all the
details. usually accompanying a great
and decisive action, and is spiced with
all the minuteness possible, the whole
taken in all its parts, exceeding in length,
in minuteness of description and general
detail any account given of battle,
nrior to 1860. But what is there of it,
after aH2 Ten or fifteen years ago we
might have looked upon the defeat of
thousand or fifteen hundred government
troops, as of some significance. But
that would have depended upon the par
ticular circumstances Of the case. The
war of the rebellion, from 1861 to 1866,
and the Franco-German war, suisse
aucntly. have taught us to look at these
minor conflicts in different light
Guards, and sometimes large and heavily
armed guards, are and always were sent
for the protection of supply trains. In
fact a supply train was never allowed to
proceed any distance without such pro-
lection. The attack and defeat of these
squads, during those years, were of fire.
quent occurrence, and were expected.
The details Of such contests generally
occupied a mere paragraph in a news
paper. This space was all that their
importance entitled them to- So in this
case. 1t seems to us that undue promi-
nence is given to what is really an utter
ly insignificant affair. The dispatching
of supply trains is, of course, in any
country with a standing army, a neccs-
sty. In passing through rocky and
mountainous territory, they are liable to
and will be attacked with varying re-
suits. There can be no political signii-
canoe to this ''sharp battle" or its result,
because the "Carlists" do not, in any
event, represent any legitimate claim to
the Spanish throne. They take their
name, as is probably generally under
stood, from their leader, Don Carlos.
Don Carlos is not the legitimate heir to
the throne of Spain, any more-if as
much so-than the eldest son Of the
House Of Stuart is to the Eng
throne. They are both alike pre-
tenders The Bourbons, the Orleanists
and the Bonapartes have more claim to
supreme power in France than he in
Spain. We are not speaking of affairs
as they exist in the light of the addiction
of Amadeus and the proclamation of a
republic. These events produced a
change, and the original soveregns-the
people-assumed the power and pro-
claimed such a government as they saw
Mt. But to 90 back of that, and even
back of Amadeus, to the divine right of
kings. and sweep away all of these
events, Carlos would not by right be-
King Of Spain he would be only pre-
tender to the throne He is not even
considered the legitimate sovereign by
that large body of Spanish monarchists
who do not accept of the Sale law, TO
which we referred some time ago. When
we speak Of royalty and legitimacy in
Spain, we must remember that Isabella
is the only true Queen. In case she
never returns to Spain, and she probably
never will, her son, the Prince of Aus
trias, is heir to the throne. In the case
of a successful revolution and overthrow
of the republic, which, from our present
standpoint, looks improbable If not inn
possible, it will not belt cannot be-in
the interest Of Carlos, but of the Prince
of the Austrias, his mother being prob
ably out of the way. The only contest
that viii then ensue would be as to who
regency and in this Carlos would have
no interest. If the royalists should re-
gain control of Spain, they would not
be so insane as to entrust the govern
ment and the heir Of the throne to pre-
tender. These facts being borne in mind,
it will be seen that this Carlist move
ment possesses no political significance
whatever. Any success they may achieve
will be barren Of results They wage
only guerilla warfare. The adherants
of James the second for number of
years carried on a similar contest in
Great Britain. They achieved victories
and suffered defeats, and even to this
day we hear of pretenders to the throne
of England. Carlos, his decendents and
adherents may succeed in entailing
trouble and expense on. Spain for years;
they may capture supply trains and de-
feat government troops they may desc
late farms, burn buildings, sack and cap
ture cities; but Carlos and his line can
never rule Spain.
THE NEXT PREsIDENT.-It certainly