The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-01
The Spanish Political Struggle Between
the Liberals and the Reactionists.
MAKING A PLATFORM.
The Action Against Protsstlntism and Protes.
tant Church Property.
SCENES AT THE RESTORATION.
Little Johnny Prim" and His
Black Horse.

Little Johnny Prim" and His
Black Horse.
MADRID, jan 10 1875.
| The struggle initiated BY the new situation IN
| Spain between tho liberal and reactionary ten
denotes Of the government Is aptly illustrated by
q chapter communicated to me from oflcial
sources.
GRoUPiNo THE MINIsrRY-rLANKs IN THE MINIS
TERlAL PLATFORM.
On tho night Of the 30th.Slst Of December one OF
the sranch friends OF Queen Isabella was sum.
moned BY Canovas del Castillo to take the port
iolio OF Grace and Justice in the new Cabinet.
DON Fernando Alvarez Is q talented and . cOnsci-
entious cavalier OF the old school. Q thorough III
tram0ntane in religion and an incurable partisan
OF the reaction In politics. He lost no time In
obeylng the summons, and arriving before the
newly made Ministers BY the grace OF Martinez
Campos vas at once urged to accept the car.
terra Public Worship.
Every good, very good" replied Alvarez ~
thank you Tor the honor. but before giving q de-
cision must know who are TO be my associates
and what the policy OF the govern ment."
"Here are your colleagues" said Canovas del
Castillo, pointing to the persons present in the
apartment.
"But," rejoined Alvarez, '.you have not q full
| Cabinet here"
mo, for some Of our colleagues are at dis
lance from the capital. and wall not arrive before
| two or three days. One OF them is Mr.. Alexandra
de Castro, our Minister Of State. The others are
| General Jovellar, to whom we have given The
| portfolio OF War, and Mr.. Lopez de Ayala who
Will take the Colonies"
"Mr Ayalar' exclaimed Don Fernando Alvarez
permit me to express my astonnhment. Did not
Mr.. Ayala draw up tnat famous manifesto OF the
revolution OF september 1t seems to me odd in.
deed to see him 1gure now in the first Cabinet OF
the restoration"
Canovas did not try to deny that there was
something surprising and even paradoxical in the
choice OF sucn Ministry; but he replied in few
words that 1t was absolutely necessary to respect
the essential principles OF the movement Of 1865
and that In the interest OF the young King the de-
slre was to admit to their counses man whose
name should be guarantee Tor the great liberal
party. But" he added, I'VE cannot begin long
discussion. 1t Is three O'Clock In the morning and
the government must be formed before daylight
once more beg you to accept-in the name OF our
country and OF our sovereign, beg YOU"
MAKING HIS TERMS.
al will accept,n satd Mr.. Alvarez, ssbut on one
condition. and that is that tomorrow morning the
ONctel Gazette shall publish four decrees the nrst
OF which shall destroy the organization OF justice
established BY the revolutionary governments;
the second snail abolish the jury; the thro civil
marriage, and the fourth religious liberty.n
WHAT SENIOR R. RoBLEDo SAID.
These words brought SehOr Romero Robledo to
his feet. He remembered thaEhe had been Min.
lister OF Amadeo, and that he had sworn fidelity to
the constitution Of 1882 and now he declared that
ne could not remain member Of government
which would decree the abolition demanded By
Senior Alvarez. II have voted,n said he, 'for all
that Don Fernando wishes to destroy"
CAUSTIC REPLY.
"Oh," replied the latter, "you signed also the
manifesto IN which the revolutionary junta OF
which you formed o part declared the Bourbon
dynasty fallen, ana yet that does not prevent you
from accepting power to-day in the name OF Don
Alfonso de Bourbon Bourbonl WELL then. since
you have made this nrst SACRIFICE you can easily
make others. AS for me, might have compro-
missed, perhaps, on q question OF persons and even
under pressure on the choice Of Q dynasty, but
before all l am Catholic, and will never concede
principles. am held by my conscience. To me 1t
Is question Of life or Of death, question OF saliva
ton In eternal life."
DECISIVE ACTION.
sThat Is your final decistoni" said the President.
"You have satd it,
"Well, then, see It Is useless to insist. The gov.
ernment knowing the realities OF the situation
and the exigences OF public opinion, IL deter.
possible at the present moment"
SENIOR ALvAREz's SUPPORT.
Don Fernando Alvarez prepared to withdraw,
but Don Pedro Salaverria, Minister OF Finances;
Don Mariana Rocs de Tog0res Marquis de Molins,
Minister OF the Navy, and think, also Don
Manuel de Orovio, Marquis de Orovlo, Minister OF
Public Works and Instruction, were un willing to
allow him to 90 without an assurance from them
that they were an fond completely Of his opinion.
"rhe only question that separates US at this mo.
ment," said they, 'is that OF opportunity. We are
partisans OF the measures thatyou declare urgent
but we are content to wait, In the hope that the
King himself will orer Spain, girt OF JOYFUL ad.
vent, the four DEGREES, without which 1t is i'm
possible to regcnerate the patrta"
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF TIE CAPITAL THINK OF TIE
CHANGE.
With regard to the feeling In Madrid about the
sudden restoration OF Bourbon rule l can assure
You, after dlligent inquiry and observation, that
the young King has all classes with him. Never
was nation so worn and torn by six years OF i'm
potent rule as Spain has been. II any stranger OF
opposite opinions had passed through Madrid on
the first days OF January and witnessed. by day,
the hangings and drapery stretching from balcony
to balcony and from house 20 house, and. where
the means were wanting. to see carpets, shawls
and bright coors household furniture thrown
to the breeze; and, by night, myrtads OF lanterns
iestooning the streets with stars OF every msgni.
tude, he could not fail to modify his previous crti
cIsms of Spanish indifference. This Bourbon resto-
ration is immensely.
OVERWHELMINGLY POPULAR IN SPAIN.
In the past six years in which We have resided
In Madrid we have never seen anything like It,
though nve changes OF government have passed
In order before us. This long period OF anarchy
could not be shaped into order. the Spanish ma
ton Is not liberal, nor will It ever be, except
compelled BY foreign Intervention. The return OF
the Bourbon spanish King Matters the narrow
anaticism OF the race, and. therefore, 1t Is said
will be successful AS Tor Don Alfonso maintaining
the conquests OF the revolution. the thing Is alb.
surd. He will, or, rather those who will rule allow