Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-02-14
A SENSIBLE KING AND A RE.
RIRIlC IN SPAIN.

mercy arise in its place, with healing
in its beams
A SENSIBLE KING AND A RE-
PUBLIC IN SPAIN.
While numerous pretenders lack
only the power, but not the desire OF
pl,1nging France and Italy in the hor-
rors of civil war to vindieate their
fancied rights to the throne, and an
other pretender has actually kindled
the flames of insurrection in Spain, we
find in that country an example of
moderation and common sense we'll
worthy of imitation by other crowned
heads. Victor Amadeus, who was
elected Kingof Spain by the free choice
Of the Cortes, after the withdrawal of
the too-famous Hohenzollern candidate,
finding that lie can no longer rule over
united people, prefers abdication to
the ruin OF his adopted country, and
resigns the crown into the hands which
gave It to him, leaving to the Spanish
people the opportunity of declaring
through their representatives what
form OF government they prefer at this
time. 'fhe cable brought intelligence
this morning that the Cortes have
accepted the Kings resignation, and
have proclaimed the RepHbiie.
How much better and wiser in this
Young Prince, nurtured as he was in
traditions OF kingly right, to recognize
thus sensibly and gracefully the prin-
ciple of popular sovereignty, to which
J tie most absolute monarachs must
yield, III Sn.- way or another, at this
day No one will aee.se him of pusil-
lanimity FIR educating before al IN
surrection. He comes from race of
soldier-hings, "a whom personal valor
has always been conspicuous; and
he has borne himself gf.nant'y on
the battlefield. We laye DO doubt
that if lie felt certain of Icing truly
the choice of the majority OF the
| Spanish people, he would like nothing
better than to put himself at the lead
of his troops and crush ont the con-
temptible rebellion that is now dis
turbing the Spanish Peninsula. We
cali II rebellion because it is the
! selfish effort Of 4 pretender to establish,
by force Of arms, what he calls his
right to the crown. in direct opiassi-
| ton to the will of the Spanish people,
so far as it can be ascertained through
their chosen representatives.
The origin of that pretension illus
trates the odious theories of the
so-caiie3 "livine right by which
Icgitinaate lnuuaFes,ise, rs they style
Themselves, claim supreme EcWe.s Gyer
nations as if they wer= the mere per-
sonai property of certain royal fami-
lies. Ferdinand VII, at his death in
1888, by an act Of his absolute will,
left the throne to his daughter, Queen
Isabella, (now IL exilel under the
regency of her mother Christina
Don Carlos, brother to the late King,
claimed the succession under the Sale
castcm, which las asserted should ex-
Guide female from thesgaRish throne.
This gave rise to q terrible CIVIL war
which, for about ten years, deluged in
hood the finest provinces OF Spain,
and which did not cease until, the
country being utterly ruined and ex-
hsusted, foreign powers had to inter
fere aga PYt ar end to the struggle.
Don Carlos being ilAe representative
of absolute monarchy and the declared
enemy of all liberty and progress, as
matter of course the great mass Of the
Spanish clergy rallied to his
cause, many priests and monks
with the dagger i'll one hand and
the cross i'll the other, excited
fanatical bands to fire and slaughter,
and the war was distinguished by
features Of etrocity worthy of the days
of Alva. She presen. Sretender is the
son and namesake Of the elder Don
Carlos: end the European papers state
that he aise derives his main strength
FROM the influence of the clergy
incensed by the liberal reforms int1o-
duced of late years. It is reported
furthes, that the same barbarities
which disgraeed the previous contest
are again being perpetrated. Rpt it is
not to be supposed that the Carlists
can make any Roadway at present: and
the world may well hope that the party
which has raised the standard OF abso-
lutism and bigotry will soon be crushed
forever. What blessing for old
Europe if all those wretched pretend
ers WHO have caused SO much blood
shed for tiaeiS 6wn personal and selfish
purposes could be wiped aEt of exist !
ence!
The Spanish people will show more !.
good sense than we dare hope for if
they seize this opportunity of estab-
fishing moderate republic. We are
well aware that republic in that +
country must be sor many years almost
as arbitrary and despotic in the ad-
of the government as the
which preceded it; and we |