The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-12

to remember that in the early days Of Gospel
history women did good and memorable work.
Spain and Hor New Master.
Marshal 6srrano comes home from the wars
and is now studying the political situation,
and wishes weeks time before he ''solves
it." He needs this rest to recover his health.
When it is completely restored he win pass
upon the form Of government necessary for
Spain. In the meantime, DON Carlos an
nounces that he will not be driven out Of the
Biscayan provinces, but remain and fight.
The situation is not without its irony. The
spectacle Of Spain sitting expectant and still
until Francisco Serrano RECEIVERS from his all
ings and passes upon her fate is grotesque.
We cannot imagine gloomier finale for the
Republic which came into life only year ago
with SO much joy and brightness. But whom
nation places it's destiny in the hands of
such men as Serrano what can result? Here
is q successful and selfish military adventurer,
with no claim to power but audacity, the hero
of a coup d. ktat as shameless, if not as bloody,
as Napoleon's Second of December Repre-
senting only the brute usurpation of military
force, he claims to be the arbiter Of country
which he has served only 80 far as he could serve
himself. Beginning his career as the pub
ished favorite of weak-minded and COM
PLEASANT sovereign, there has been no cause in
Spain since 1843 which he has not served and
betrayed. He aided Olozaga to overthrow
Espartero, and supported Espartero in his
strife for power, only to abandon him for
O'Donnell He then assailed Narvaez, whom
he had supported and, joining with Prim, led
to the overthrow Of the Queen, who had given
him every favor that Queen and woman could
bestow. This made him Regent of Spain. As
Regent he gave the crown to Amadeus, support
ing that young Prince until he found he could
not use him, when he set on foot the intrigues
which led to his abdication. There are few
examples in history of per6dy SO deep and
cold as that shown to Amadeus by Serrano
The abdication led to the revolution, and
Serrano disguised himself with dark wig
and false beard and escaped to France. The
magnanimous CASTELAR,, feeling that Spain had
need of all her sons, requested him to re-
turn to Spain. He did return and offered his
services to the Republic His service was
to send company of troops into the Cortes,
dissolve the sovereign assembly at the point
of the bayonet and proclaim himself Dictator
of the Republic.
As we have said, there could be no political
situation more grotesque and painful. Ser
rano represents nothing in Spain but success
full military usurpation. He has no belief in
republic. He is q duke and captain general
by trade, and men in that calling have no
fondness for republican simplicity and self
denial The men who support him and sit in
his Cabinet are among the worst in Spain.
There is no country in Europe that needs the
benign and reviving influences of republican
institutions more than Spain. The temper
and genius of her people, their traditions and
geographical divisions, are fitted for federal
republic. ALI who love liberty and peace
have hoped that centuries of oppression and
misgovernment would be peacefully remedied;
that the three evils of her system-a stand
ing army, hereditary aristocracy and an
established priesthood-would be abolished,
and that, resting solely upon the genius that
made the Spanish name at one time the proud
est in the world, the Iberian Republic would
enter upon career OF prosperity without
parallel even in q history which records the
annals of Philip IL and Charles V. But no
such career is in the hands Of Serrano. We
dread to contemplate Q future that seems to
be inevitable.