New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-29
THE VAR OF FACTION IN SPAIN

i
guns have been sent to the Carlists in Spain.
1t is also agreeable news that the English yacht
Deerhound has landed a cargo of arms for the
Carlists, and been caught in the act. There
is reason to hope that the Krupp guns will
fall i'm the same manner into the hands of the
Madrid Government The Republic of Spain
has very little money. The monarchcal parties
which have successfully plundered the country
have left no cash in the Treasury, and have
greatly impaired the public sentiment which
makes the prompt and honest collection OF
taxes possible. For this reason we are glad
to hear that arms and ammunition are coming
in from abroad in such way as to afford a
reasonable presumption that they will soon fall
into the hands of the Republican army. The Ger
mans, who are sending in their improved artil-
ery, of course are thinking of nothing but trade,
and probably have already pocketed their pay
in advance. The English, who are assisting
the Carlists simply because they dislike Re-
publcanism, have their reimbursement in
their own cOnscences. A man who INDUCES
in the eccentrcity of wanting Don Carlos OF
Bourbon to be King of Spain ought to pay
handsomely for it. 1t is rather pity that
Carlist subscription could not be opened i'll
New-YOrk. The English Conservatives have
contributed lavishly. The New-York people
who revere them would doubtless be glad to
do the same, and it would be excellent discipline
for them to lose their money.
A few weeks ago the prospects of the Pre-
tender did not seem absolutely hopeless. His
Generals had gained some slight advantages
in Biscay and Navarro. The Republican army
seemed attacked by an epidemic of insubor-
dinatOn. Several great cities of the South
had broken out in fragrant insurrection, fol-
lowing the teachings of violent demagogues
who preached the taking and popular doctrine
of provincial sovereignty. One canton after
another pronounced, and there did not seem
to be force enough in the Government or CO.
hesiOn enough in the army to reduce them to
order. In this crisis the administration in
Madrid fell to pieces, and Pi y Margall could
not save fragment large enough to go on
with the Government. Senior Salmer0n sue
ceeded him at the darkest hour through
which the Republic has yet passed. The
situation has since then steadily improved.
We do not wish to appear to be making any
comparison between these two statesmen,
whom we regard as equally pure and able.
But under the firm hand of SalmerOn the ship
seems to be righting. The COrtes appear to
have regained their self-possessiOn the army
a great portion of its discipline and spirit.
The voice of reason and law is heard once
more in Madrid from the eloquent lips of
CASTELAR,, and the national authority is re-
established in Seville, Cadiz, and Valencia, by
the hands of the army. The instruction still
remains defiant in Cartagena, but it has
ceased to exercise any contagious influence,
and, unless some unforeseen disaster prevents,
we may expect the paciication of the city at
an early day.
The hope of the Carlists, az we have said,
lay solely in these Republican dissensOns. 1t
was the sudden and violent outbreak of
anarchy in the South which persuaded them
for a moment that the way to Madrid was
open to them. The same considerations i'm
PEELED the journals Of feeble faith and imper-
feet knowledge among us to cry out that TIE
success of Don Carlos was the only thing that
decent people could reasonably pray for.
Nothing could be more hasty and short
sighted. If Don Carlos had come in by virtue
of these Communistic riots, he would have
found a ready-made rebellionion his hands far
more terrible than his own. But the Carlists
were utterly unable to take advantage of
their apparent good fortune. They seemed
incapable of moving away from their pres
ent field of operations. They find it
easy enough to rouse the peasantry of the
hills by the sight of a banner they adore to
the point of few days marching OF fighting,
but further than that the sO-called Carlist
army ia not to be trusted It il formed of
men who are soldiers to-day and deserters TO-
morrow. 1t is sufficiently numerous to keep
two or three provinces in constant tumult,
but is incapable of taking the field for any
serious campaign. This was proved the other
day in the fight near Estella where the largest
Carlist force which could be brought together
was signally defeated, although bravely COM
manded by Ollo, Trstany, and Don Alphonso
himself, all of whom were wounded. The re-
mains of the army are said to be retiring
toward the French frontier.
The issue of the struggle for good govern
ment in Spain is not yet decided. We have
never asserted that it was. But it is impos-
sible to deny that the Madrid Government
has, on the whole, acted in every difficult
iuncture with judgment. sagacity, and self
sacrificing patriotism. Spanish Rcpublicanism
las thus far justified itself by iIs works. And