New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-05
The Return of the Ex-Queen of Spain.

Maria Isabella Louisa, ex-Queen of SPAN,
whose proposed residence on Spanish soil ls
creating dissepsions in the government and
among the people which may cost her son
his throne, was born at Madrid, October 30,
1880. Under the Pragmatic degree, issued
by her father, Ferdinand VII she was, at
his death in September. 1888, proclaimed
queen-her mother, Maria Christina, being
regent. The first Carlist war began i'm
mediatelv after this event. and continued
until 1910, when the Cortes confirmed the
title O.. the young sovereign and pronounced
sentence of exile upon Don Carlos and his
followers. The same year the queen regent.
finding herself iI-.soapable Of maintaining
her aut .r..r,,y without making gi0As wv
eessaons to the popular VII: VII, c.Ss.gned the
government into the hands of Espartero,
and retired to France This able leader and
pure patriot not only ruled wisely and
well. but exerted an excellent influence up
on Isabella, which, unfortunately. did not
last lexg. Attaining her majority October
Is, 1885, she formally assumed the crown,
and two years later Maria Christina re-
turned, and resumed her perniciOus sway
over her daughter. Through her iutrigues
Isabella was induced to marry her consin
Don Francisco D'Assis, October 10, 1876.
This marriage, it is scarcely necessary to
say, WAS not merely an unhappy one, but,
60 far as the wife is concerned, has been
utterly disreputable. Five children were
born under it's sanction; the oldest, Marie
Isabella, December 20, 1851; the youngest,
Marie Eulalie, February IL, 1864. Alfonso,
the present king Of Spain, is the second
child, born November %, 1857.
In September 1868, the revolution broke
out which drove Isabella into the exile
from which she has never since returned.
Her residence has been mainly In Paris,
and in that city-June 25, lS7O-she re-
nouncea her rights to the throne in favor
of the Prince of the Asturias, who now
holds it on q very uncertain lease.
When by a coup d'etat, which has never
been satisfactorily explained, Alfonso rose
TO the supreme power ON the RUNS OF
bastard republic, it was understood by those
who assisted him, and by the nation at
large. that his mother was to remain
abroad, Her return, therefore, will be
Aagrapt violation of an implied, II not ex-
pressed pledge, and as such will seriously
diminish the already feeble authority OF the
Juvenile monarch. Nor is it difficult to I'M
derstand the grounds for the anlmosity
which the bulk of the Spanish people
feel toward Isabella. She 10 very oola
and very bad woman. Her temper is
violent. her moral rotten, her word OF no
account, IT half that is said about bel
private life be true, she is modern
copy of Messaina, and has not enough
sense of decency to cover her wees Wl WI
the cloak of outward responsibility. The
Spaniards, having been long familiar With
such specimens of royal strumpetry, wouio
probably have endured uncompialnlngly
the amOurOus eccentricit'es Oi tnoir IN
ointed queen, had sbe been willing TO re
cognize the difference between the nine
teenth century and the seventeenth. But
isabella ia a genuine Bourbon, and conse
nnentlv did not hesitate to supplement hel
nersonal shortcomings with the tyranny OF
PhiIjp III, She was q thorough despot II
petticoats, and the revolt which drove mel
out of the country was the legitimate 1rul'
of heartless oppression too great Tor ever
Spanish loyalty to bear. 1t is we'll known
that Alfonzo, previous to his assumption OF
the crown, was simply the tool OF al
unscrupulcus mother; and nothing
but the assurance that he would bt
permanently removed from all association
with her, enabled him to gain the posi-
ton he now enjoys. Therefore the
proposition to bring her back to Spain
where this association must inevitably b'
| renewed, is breeding q storm which may
sweep parent and child out of their heredi
| tary dominions forever. The dispatched
| state that as Madrid would not be saf'
| place for Isabella, she will make her home
| at Valladolid. Whether at Madrid or Val
| ladolid, it is certain that she will be-, to al
| intents and purposes, the government
Alfonso will be compelled, by that power
| which makes weak mind obey strong one
| to do his mothers bidding-and what tina
bidding is likely to be, the Spanish peopl
can have NO difficulty in guessing. If, there
fore, they do not want to wear again the
most despicable of Jokes, they must Lay u
| effectual embargo upon the entrance Of TIL
ex-Queen. Alfonso should be told in nm
| nother out q Gpai1, Or 80 to and stay viii
hsr.-Ss. xesifs Rspsst,ieass.