The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-24

Serrano and the King had been warm personal
friends The wife OF Serrano had the first place In
the palace. The King endeav0red TO concilate
him. He pointed out that because he had ministers
who were OF different politics that was no reason
for their personal dissension; that he was King
above parties, bound to honor men Of all opinions
quite willing to have Serrano or any one else in his
Cabinet when the country so Indicated. But no
Serran0 and his friends did not want King the
thr0ne-only an instrument or partisan. SerranO
never visited the palace. Although mead Of the
army, he left town to avoid New Years CALL When
the infant Prince was born, and it was necessary
to hold him In baptism, the duty devOlved on
SerranOs wife, who was principal lady OF the Court
She declined this simple, delicate necessary once.
She was not well, she answered. although she took
pains TO appear on the Pra00 and in the opera. All
the grandees and reactlonaries applauded, but the
King was sorely wounded He called on the Ouch
ess OF Prim, the widow OF the great Prm, who
gladly stood at the baptismal font. Then came the
artillery question. The Cabinet proposed to ap-
point Q general to command whose conduct had
been marsh ut one time. The artillery officers OF the
whole army OF Spain resigned. The King agreed
with the ofncers, but the Cabinet insisted
upon promoting the non-c commissioned ofYicers
to take their place. Although the King
was not in favor OF the measure his
Oortes to enact it. This maneuvre or intrigue the
King saw as an act Of disingenuousness to himself
from men who were his trusted advisers. When
the decree was brought before him at Council he
simply signed 1t and adjourned the Council. Az
the Ministers were leaving the room he asked
ZOrria to attend him In his private closet ZOrrilla
obeyed and the King said simply and dryly that he
meant to abdicate the crown Of Spain. At the
same time he handed his Prime Minister q draft OF
the letter in which he announced his resolution
the Spanish Congress- ZOrrilla, overwhelmed and
unhappy, summoned the Cabinet disclosed the
Kings intention, and 1t was agreed to ask His
Majesty to give them fOrty-eight hours Tor renee
ton. 1t was also s0lemnly agreed that the matter
should be q sacred secret; and, as happens when
secrets are sacredly bequeathed to eight or ten
spaniards, il was all over Madrid in an hour. 1t
was further noted that upon that evening the
King did not ride on the PradO.
''THE LAST srRAws"
AS to which incident or event formed the last
particular straw that broke the cancels back this
correspondent cannot say. Certes, the crown OF
Spain had under no circumstances been an easy one
for poor Amadeus. He had been contemplating alb
dicatiOn. He threatened Serrano with it last june
as have told y0u He had been so patient all the
time 'By heavens" said one who knew to this
writer, "if ] had been the King would have dis
missed SerranO from the army and sent twenty
others who took his money and cOnspired against
him out Of the country. But no; he was King.
and no King should act from revenge or in anger,
and so the poor man was robbed and betrayed Dy
the very men he covered with honor and wealth."
Notwithstanding the King was brave, persist
emit man, not apt to do anything from fear-above
all things Ming away diadem-it Is believed,
however, that when he found his own Prime Minis
ter and the President Of his Council intriguing in
the COrtes to thwart his purpose and break the
spirit and discipline Of his army and when he saw
the first lady of his Court decline to hold his infant
child in baptism, because her husband did not agree
with the Cabinet In politics, he took the supreme
resolution. In country where the Prime Minister
was not a gentleman and Duchess was not lady
he would not sit on the throne.
ABDICATIoN SURPRISE TO THE MONARCHIsTs
The abdication OF the King was precisely what
none of the parties opposed to him desired but the
republican party. The Carlists wished Don
Carlos; the followers Of Isabella wished
the Prince Alfonso; serrano would have
been content with the King had he sus-
pended the coosstuton end given him supreme
power. The opposition factions wished to drive
the King out by a successful conspiracy. The con-
spiracy would then take the crown, crush the
republicans with strong hand ''establfsh order''
as the Third Napoleon did and rule Spain. The
abdication found them all unprepared. Serrano
was in the South Don Carlos was saying his
prayers over the frontier, Sagasta was droninR
about the cdJys. No one knew what to do but the
republicans. As they had only one object, and that
simple direct and decisive, they were always pre-
pared. They meant no intrigue. and accordingly
did not require time to intrigue. If the Kings
abdication could be postponed iorty-eight hours
there would be time to rally the reactionary forces
N na a hraa liar in nur
war, resolved to "force the fghting.n
THE REPUBLICANS "FoRcE THE PLOTTING,
The Csrtes assembled The palace was sur
rounded by thousands Of people. Troops were
placed at different positions to preserve order
The galleries were crammed. The diplomatic corps
were nearly all present. Every republican was in
his seat. Figueras, with his mid, resOute, kind
face, just tinged by age, and eye clear and shin
ing; CASTELAR,, the first orator OF Europe, nervous,
anxious, and his young face full OF eagerness and
inspiration; and their followers all compact, ready
and disciplined. The other benches were filed
with anxious men. The ministerial bench was
vacant. What the Ministry wanted was time-time
to think and plot and unite their forces. Zorrila
fancied that by remaining away he could gain
time Nothing was known officially OF the
Kings abdication. It was only rumor. Until
announced It could not be considered; so Zorrilla
suouBuI nc wouiu suspend the sittlngS one or
two days, and, in the meantime, arrange his plans
This was the very thing to be avoided and as soon
as the Cortes opened the republicans under the
lead OF Fgueras, opened the campaign. He arose,
regretted the absence OF the Ministry and asked
that they be summoned to the Cortes, as he had
question to ask concerning the safety of Spain and
the peace OF Madrid. The President answered that
he had sent for the Ministers, but they had not
come. He would now summon them for the last
time. In moment they entered, the Prime Minis
ter at their head Rising, he said he understood
question had been propounded in his Absence and
he now asked the speaker to repeat it. The repub-
can leader did not need this challenge. He asked
the Prime Minister whether it was true
that the King proposed to abdicate the
crown Of Spain, and II 80, what measures
had been taken to preserve the peace. The Prime
Minister evaded the question in an elaborate
speech; said His Majesty had, it is true, thrown