The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-01
SPAIN.
on Register, Sept. -

i
| Since the close of the Carlst war we have
said but little of the affairs of Spain. The
| subject is, indeed, not an inviting one,
A Boy King, who is the tool of handful
| of intriguers Minister who by dexter
GUS training endeavors to keep himself
right with all parties, and holds out one
hand to the Catholics and the other to the
Liberals ; corrupt Administration a
brave people suffering untold miseries
among the Basque mountains, where the
defeated partizsns of Don Carlos are now
feeling at once the losses of the war, the
exhaustion of a four years. struggle, and
the deprivation of all their local privileges
these are the chief objects which meet
our view wheD we survey the field of Span
ish politics. To casual or careless obser-
yer every thing looks quiet and peaceful
enough, and it would appear that Alphonso
XII. sits not uneasily upon the Throne on
which a succcestul pronunciamento placed
him little more than twenty months ago.
But whom we lock below the surface it is
quito evident that the lull in political strife
in Spain is very decisive one. The coun-
try is passing through period of transit
ton. The accession of Alphonso and the
paclfcation of the North have really de-
cided nothing. Things are unsettled as
ever. The forces which have produced the
conflicts of the last forty years are still
active and at work, and will almost inevi-
tably tend to produce the same state of
things, which makes war again possible and
probable. From which side the mot dordre
will come it would be difficult to say-a
barrack yard revolution may overthrow
Alphonso, the red flag may again wave in
the streets of Barcelona and Carthagena, or
the mountsineers of the North may break
open their hidden depots of arms, and rally
again in defence of the fueros to the old
cry OF" Dios, patrtd q reg -
Senior CaRoyas di Castillo, intent before
and above all things on keeping bimself in
the position of Prime Minister of Alphonso
XII, has had q most difficult game to play.
He has endeavored to satisfy at once the
Catholics and the Liberals, and while affect
ing policy of Cancellation he has abolished
the fueros of the North. His friends boast
that he is essential to the Monarch. His enc
mics reply that it is 80 much the worse for
and they make pointed illusions
to Gonzales Bravo, who made himself es-
sential to the Monarchy after the deaths of
NarvaeZ and O'Donnel, and fell with the
Monarchy by the Revolution of 1868
Others predict for him a less disastrous
fate, and say that Posada Herrera, now
President of the Cortes, will succeed him
as Minister >of Alphonso. However this
may be, it is quite certain that he has an
anxious time at the present moment. The
Cabinet is divided on the one great difficulty
the religious qut stion. 1t is q dlfdculty
only on account OF tbs cowardly, time-ser
wing policy of the Government. The Min
w.,
aud tell the Liberals that Spain is a Catho
lie country, and must remain 30, would |
see this 30 called difficulty vanish in a I'D
ment. The difficulty only arises from the |
futile attempt to reconcile Revolutionary |
with CatLolicity. Instead of
claiming the unity of religious belief, Can
ovas di Castillo has made @ wretched at !
tempt to compromise the basis of his policy |
towards the Church. All religions are to |
be tolerated alike, which simply means |
that Protestant prosel tism is to be encour-
aged wherever and whenever the Liberals
are to be in the ascendant. On one point,
however, there s a restriction on Protest
ant worship-publicr religious Manifestations
are only permitted to Catholics. This is
vague phrase, and, of course, has led to
difficulties. Senior Canovss is said to have
in private to some of the foreign |
Ambassadors that the law should be very
literally interpreted in favor Of non Catho-
les. Where, however, a strong Catholic
ceiling exists he cannot control his subor-
linates. At Port MahoD, in the Balearic
stands, there is a Protestant Mission. A
hort time ago the Project asked Senior :
Terreno, who was in charge Of the Ministry
II the Interior, If under the law forhidding I
public manifestations on the part of the I
'rotestants be forbid the evangelical mis-
ionaries at Mahon from plscarding the !
walls. The reply was in the affirmative, aud =
he Project issued an order to that effect.
LDorS was uerce OutcTy on .
he part of the Liberal press A Cabinet !
;ouncil WAS held, and the Ministers took
ifferent sides, some approving, others con-
emning the action of the Project. Cano-
as di Castillo is aid to have supported his I
ubordiDate on the plea of local necessity. I
n Madrid the PrOtestants are allowed to !
acard the walls as freely as they like. !
1t Mahon they cannot do so without in
ringing the penal code. Spanish law is t
vldently very elastic in the hands of such L
Minister, and, if report be true, the diff 1
nlty at Mahon is only the beginning of q r
.ducdis quart d heure for the Spanish Pre- {
1ler Que at lesst of his colleagues is on 8
be verge of resignation, and let him trim .
8 he will, Senior Canovas will find it diff
ult to hold his ground tor another twelve
lonth. At present the young King is very
losely associated with his policy, 80 that 3
ne fall of Canovas may be a danger to the t,
'hrone itself. q
With the Army the Minister has made Il
lmself unpopular by comforting high rank n