New-York tribune., 1874-12-26
DON ALFONSO OF SPAIN.


The world has come to accept the axiom that
no one man is necessary to the happiness of any
nation. But there still arc quarters where this
belief has not yet gained currency Not only
in palaces and in executive mansions does the
contrary Opinion prevail, but also in the castles
of exile. and even in the shabby lodgings of
reduced gentility you can find men who think
that the times will never get into joint again
until they are replaced on the thrones from
which their fathers were driven, usually for
excellent cause. 1t makes very little difference
what the condition Cf the asprant may be. lie
may have high honor and brilliant CmOlumcnts
in the Republic he wishes to destroy, like the
Princes of Orleans. Ho MAY, like the
Comte do Chambord, pass useless life in
foreign seclusion, fenced in by castle
walls and still more impossible etiquette, and
out of that Obscurity may issue his orders
to retainprs who have never seen him, in
capital he only knows by photographs, and may
thus seriously influence their action in regard
to public matters of which he knows no more
than of the inllabitlnts of the moon. Another
ttular king of the same race, Don Carlos, does
not wait for his kingdom to come to him. but
every time he can raise money enough to set
on foot q new body guard, he goes down to
the Pyrenccs for q seasons shooting, and
makes very lively work for awhile among his
faithful subjects. Still another bourbon, Don
Alfonso Of Spain, not having the support OF
such a rugged pcasantry rs that which fol-
lows his energetic cousin, stays prudently
away from the field Of action and defines his
position, which, it is needless to say, is exactly
that of the rest he feels that his people love
linn and desire him, and that they will never
be happy until he comes to rule over them.
He has written to them to say so, and is now
fairly in the field as prctender. lie has
probably gained some inches of stature since
his mother abdicatcd iu his favor at the Palais
Basilcwski in Paris, where his first act after
being thus made King was to ask one of the
grandees present at the solemn ceremony to
come and try his new yeOcipcdc. He has
probably learned something also. A bright
Young gentleman could not pass year after
year in the company OF such experienced peO-
ple as Doiia Isabel dc Bourbon and ScnOr
Marfori and Father Clarct, without picking up
great deal of truly royal instruction. Hts
glib way of talking about the love that glows
between his people and himself shows that he
is likely to prove an apt pupil OF the worthless
who have him in charge. His mother, from
whom he has caught this style, used it with much
better grace, for she did love the Spaniards-a
GOOD many Of them. But to see this weakly
boy claiming to govern Spain, the most un-
governable country on earth to its kings,
simply because he was born in an unblest and
violated marriage of Isabel the Second, is the
most pitiful spectacle which modern monarchy
has shown to the world.
If the absurdity of it were confined to Don
Alfonso himself, there wonld be no use in re-
ferring to it. But unfortunately q small por-
ton of the people of Spain believe i'll this
youths right to the throne, and compare
lively large faction of soldiers and politicians
think that they can do an advantageous thing
for themselves in favoring his return. His
party will therefore have to be considered in
future in all the combinations which make and
destroy the monthly cabinets OF Spain. If
ever dynasty deserved its fate, the BOurbOns
deserved theirs in the Peninsula. 1t is not
often that we can 80 directly trace national
evils to the personal vices OF Kings. Charles
w. and Ferdinand VII, by their treachery,
jealousy, and cOwardce, gave their country up
to Napoleon and after tho people. by an up
rising Of remarkable, energy, assisted by En-
glish arms, had rcconQuered their independence,
the meanness and trickery of their King kept
them for years in civil war. After his death
his infant daughter succeeded to the throne,
under the Regency of her mother, and from 1882
to 1868 these two women made their government
as scandalOus as their private lives. What
could any people in their senses hope to gain
by placing on the throne the son and grand
son of these two shameless womenf Tho
truth is, his name is abhorred by great ma
jority of the population. The people who are
plotting to get him back are, almost without
exception, those who held Office under his
mother, or who think their chances for Office
will be better under him than under the Repub-
lie. 1t is impossible to predict what their sue
cess will be; we know too well the chances
of prOnunciamientos and barracks-mutnies.
But about the possibility of his bringing peace
and good government to Spain there can be
no doubt whatever. His family has kept the
country in turmoil all this century, and he Is
not the man who Can quiet it.
COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE