The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-24
The spanish Nupsia,s.

The Spanish Nuptiais.
All the world loves q lover and a mar
riage, but especially a royal marriage is
always interesting. AS rule the element
of love has seldom been considered factor
in royal alliances. For hundreds of years
Europe has not furnished half dozen IN
stances where prince was permitted to fol-
low out loves young dream to the legiti-
mate end Of the conventional three-volume
novel. While other marriages may be made
in heaven royal events of this character
have been shaped in cabinets md councils
the unlovely and nnlovable offspring Of in
trigue and diplomacy and statecraft. The
wedding of yesterday is notable exception.
Without the interference Of anybody with
the consent of all but three members of the
Cortes, the young Alfonso has been permit
ted to make Spanish maiden the Queen of
Spain, and Spain, like good, loyal king
dom, breaks into hosannas OF joy, and all
the nations and peoples send their congratu-
lations.
But this is not the only respect in which
the marriage just celebrated, and which is
SO fully described in our special cable
dispatches, will be memorable. Spanish
marriages in modern history have been in
vested with peculiar interest for European
statesmen, and there have clustered around
them some of the most famous intrigues,
scandals and heartburnings which have
vexed and bewildered courts and cabinets.
There was o time even within the memory
of most Of us when the bare mention of
such an occurrence would have put Europe
in arms and made ministers intrigue day
liances thus formed have in many instances
changed the whole current Of history. The
success Of Mary in obtaining Philip
brought about a reaction in England
which perhaps made that country Protes-
tant. If Charles l. had won a Spanish
not have been the result? It was the
marriage of Spanish princess to Louis
XIV. that brought about the war of the
succession. And again, in later days, Louis
Philippe, taking up the favorite scheme of
the Grand Monarque to effect union be-
tween the royal families Of the two coun-
tries and politically abolish the Pyrenees,
almost led to war with England.
BY the present marriage the old dream of
the Grand Monarque and the Citizen King
has been curiously realized. In 1847 the
young Queen Of Spain was unmarried.
England and France fought bitterly to pro-
vide her husband, and finally COM
promised the quarrel, the one agreeing that
Isabella should not marry any one of the
Kings sons, and England that none of the
Coburgs should become Prince Consort.
French craft, however, was successful, and
the Queen and her sister were suddenly
and secretly married, respectively to Don
Francisco d'Assisi and the Duo de
Montpensier, son of the King of the
French. 1t was intended that no offspring
should follow the royal nuptials and that
the succession should, in due course, fall
to the younger branch Of the family. But
Don Alfonso was born, and to-day Spain
has Montpensier queen instead Of Mont
pensier king The Citizen King will per-
haps have great grandson on the throne of
Spain. but his long intrigue has practically
come to naught, for his throne on the other
side of the Pyrenees has passed away.
That Europe takes so little interest in the
event may or may not be owing to the de-
cadence of the once proud Empire. Spain
has practically ceased to be Of the least con-
sequence in the councils of Europe, and
perhaps it is fortunate for her that it is so.
1t will give her young King and his bride IN
opportunity to work out their own destiny
melted by outside complications, and en-
able them to perhaps restore the splendors
of their ancient monarchy.