New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-14
BOURBONISN IN PRACTICE.

ish question some years ego, said the Republic
was impossible, and n moment afterwards
laughed at the idea of establishing monarchy.
"What sort Of government arc the SponiartS
"to have in that case ?" he was asked" they
care there and must live under some FORM
But the logical Teuton did not finch from his
conclusions. He calmly admitted that they
could have no government at oil, and that
they would at no distant day lose
their nationality and be absorbed, with
the other Latin nations by the North. This
idea is not often SO frankly expressed, but it
is very generally held by Germans and English,
and by Americans who feel that it il clever
and positive to tolerate the South of Europe.
This entire class spoke with profound contempt
of the revolution of 1868, and regarded with
equal ignorance and Indifference the attempts
at constitutional government from that time to
the beginning of this year During that period
it was their fashion to speak well OF the Carl
lists, band Of blind marauders who have wan
dcrcd out of the Middle Ages into our times, to
patronize gently the practical people like Serlano
and to reserve their niriest condemnation for
the professors and educated lawyers who be-
lieved it possible to better somewhat the
miserable state of their country. They re-
garded SeIT:nO's treason as an excellent joke,
and his vicariOus prOnunciamient0 through
Martinez CampOs in favor of his parsmours
son as sensible and patriotic thing They
looked upon the return of the little Prince
Alfonso as real gOdsend to Spain. With q
faith as fond as that Of any pilgrim to Our
Lady of LOurdcs, they expected that the arrival
in Madrid of this puny son of a discraced and
dshonOrcd family would have some strange
magic in il which wonld bring order into the
Government, money into the treasury, and
peace into the m,ltinOus provinces.
We have seen what progress has been al
ready made in these directions. The Spanish
cause has not gained in Cuba; it has rather
lost ground. The finances of the Peninsula
show 10 Improvement Tho Carlist ulcer in
the North is rs sore and angry az ever. The
new Government, so far, has only shown
energy in one thing. 1t is driving out of
Spain the few men of honor and integrity
whose personal character was cre,litablc
to public life. Without entering into
the question of the ability or sagacty
of the Republican leaders, we presume
no one will question their superiority to other
Spanish politicians in regard to personal purify
of character. The f0uIA Presidents who sue
ceeded one another 20 rapidly at the head of the
sholt-lived Acknowledgements, CASTELAR,, ri
Margall and SalmcrOn-were men whose names
were never mentioned but with respect Ivy all
parties and all classes. They were certainly
men of high attainmcnts and were free from
the sordid vices 50 common to the public men
of their time and country. They were truth
full, sclf-sacriiicing. and honest in money
matters, and these are higher virtues
in Madrid than in Washington. These
men have all been driven out of Spain
for reasons so flimsy and so pucrle that it is
difficult to believe they can he given at this
time of day. CASTELAR,, Salmeron, and Azcarate
are professors in tho University of Madrid. AS
such they were opposed to the recent reaction
airy laws regulating education in the interest
of the Church. For this thoy have been not
merely forced to give up their places. but they
have been arrested and exiled This is enough
to make one rub ones eyes and ask if Rip Van
Wrinkle is King of Spain. A century ago,
more or less. royal decree forbade the
teaching of the law OF gravitation in the
Universities of Spain, on tho ground that
it was not in the catechism. But We
have no record that anybody was arrested or
banished for agreeing with Sir Isaac Newton.
The present King promises to be the smallest
and meanest Of his disreputablc line. Ho is
the true son of his mother, and his first ESSAYS
in government have feeble and foolish ma
Lightly about them which would seem 20 indi-
cate n hitherto unimagined possibility that he
may he the true son of his father.
OF course there can be 10 peace or order or
prosperity under government like This, and
we shall soon hear the cause of the disorder
gravcly ascribed, as a recent writer l,as done
in the case Of France. to the revolutionary
spirit of the people. Perhaps lc.'arcy il bet
ter than anarchy. Our rdoc la, never st al