, 1876-01-26
EXTRACTS FROM THE TIMES
REVIEW OF 1875.
(Concluded.)

become brighter through the establishment Of o
form of government which gives some promise
of permanence. Exactly two years have pass
ed since the incapable Republican Congress
WAS summarily expelled to make room for
the Provisional Government of SERRANo.
Withia a day or two of the next anniversary of
the change, another military revolution was ac-
oomplished without difficulty or resistance.
General MARTINEZ Camps, at MurviedrO,
aud the Captain-Gonera PRIMO Dr. RIVERA, at
Madrid, suddenly proclaimed the son of Queen
isabella as King, under the title of ALFONSO
XII. The rest of the Military leaders imme-
diately conourred, and the nation, though is
was never consulted, seems to have willingly
acquie>ced in the restoration of Monarchy.
The KING, a boy Of s a~venteen, soon afterwards
landed in Spain, and during ayear's residence az
Madrid he has acquired general favour by his
graceful and manly bearing. The chief con-
duet of aft .irs has, with a short interval, been
in the hands of Senior OANovAs DEL CASTILLO,
who had been the young KING's guide and po-
litical preceptor. The oonvocstion Of 3
Cortes has hitherto been postponed aud the
Ministers have followed the example OF all their
predecessors in more than one arbitrary exer'
Disc of power. Their first object was to re-
concile to the new Government the powerful
body of the clergy, which had been imprudent-
ly driven into hostility against the short-llved
Republic. The sanction of the restored Mon
archy by the POPE was considered by the
Minister so valuable that he hastily offered az
an equivalent the recognition of a Ooncordat
by which some years ago Queen ISABELLA
exchanged all the modern liberties Of Spain fOE
a personal amnesty. Later in the year a Pa
pal Nuncio demanded the performance of the
compact. which included the prohibition of re-
ligious uonconfornity and the enforcement OK
spiritual sentences by the secular arm. By thaa
time the waning fortunes of DON CARLOS afford.
ed a sufficient guarantee against the recognition
of the Pretender by the Vatican, and the Minis
ters understood better than at their first entrance
into Office the repugnance of the nation to she
medieval pretensions of Rome. Tie temporary
secession of OANOvAs DEL CASTILLO facilitated
the disavowal of rash promises, and the Nuncio
was forced to content himself with concessions
which had been already secured. The influence
of the Church over the Universities has been
largely increased, and ecclesiastical property
which had not been sold has been restored to
its former owners. Negotiations between the
Ministers and the leaders of the old Parliamen.
tary Parties have not yet produced any dehnlts
result. The adjournment Of the elections may
perhaps, be attributed to a hope OF decisive
successes in the North, which might connect
the restoration of peace with the reviVa OF
Constitutional government. All European
Powers, including Russia, Wnlcu uau ueolIueu
to acknowledge SERRANo's Government. reoog-
nized ALFONSO XII. without delay. The fail"
ure of King AMADBo to obtain national support
has proved that, with the exception of Don
CARLOS, the son of ISABELLA is the only pos"
sible representative of Monarchy in Spain. No
Pretender will contest his claim when the Civil
War is once ended; nor have the Republicans
since his accession renewed their agitation.
An alleged Republican plot of General HIDAL-
GO, which was followed by his arrest, seems TO
have been a private and isolated enterprise.
In a series of d~esultory encounters the Carllsts
have from time to time inflicted checks on the
AlfonsiSt Generals; but their numbers are
gradually dwindling, and their territory has
been greatly reduced In extent by recent opera.
tions. Early 10 the Autumn MARTINEZ GAM
POS reduced the Carlist stronghold of SEQ de
UrgeI and captured the garrison, with its Com.
mander, LIzARRAGAY, aud with the warllka
Bishop of Urgel. who has since been detained IN
prison on a charge of homicide. After the fall OF.
the fortress, Catalonia was rapidly cleared OF
Carlist forces, and the armies of the Govern.
ment of Madrid are gradually closing round
their remaining positions. Successive con-
soriptionshave raised the Army, which had been
reduced to an insignificant number by the ne,
publicans, to a strength of 100000 men. inolud
ing a large proportion of soldiers trained to war
fare by two or three campaigns. Its under.-
stood that as SOON as the severest part OF t9s