The New York herald., 1879-01-03
AROUND THE WORLD.
Notes Of General Grants Jour
ney in Spain.
POLITICS IN SPAIN.
Rscalsctaw Of the Spanish Republic The Enemies
thai Surrounded and Destroyed It
THE KING AND HIS DYNASTY
MADRID, Nov. l6, 1878

Everybody talks politics. In all parts OF Spain the
first question is .What news from Madrid y and
the answer might bo anything-the resignation OF
the Ministry the arrival of Don Carlos i'll Biscay,
republican outbreak in Barcelona the abdicaton of
the King. The throne is floating island. and rests
Oh nothing but the genius Of Canovas del Castillo
Even Serrano holds off, although he supported ANA
deus, and people whisper his name as presi-
dent. The able men in Spain are dormant or repub-
licans, like CASTELAR,, who regard Alfonsos coming
as a calamity. The opposition is under the lead Of
Sagasta, who would be Premier if Canovas resigned,
and in whom no one places any trust. He accepts
the King but does not want him. and would servo
any government or any sovereign with quite as much
sincerity.
Is SPAIN REPUBLICAN?
believe 1t is dogma good society of homo that
Americans are the only people fit for q republic.
have people in Europe this side of the BAL
kans fit for anything else. The machinery of tho
whole royal system is out of order. But the classes
whose interest is with the royal system, especially in
Spain gifted resolute and will give point that
is not wrestcd from them. Republicanism Is not
loved in Europe-and it is scandal to respectable
people that it did not explode in the United States
explode in bankruptcy and anarchy-and that it has
not exploded in France amid twenty Commune insur-
rections The two facts of the latter years
of the nineteenth century the suppression OF the
rebellion in the South and the preservation Of the
French Republic. There is not government in
Europe in which these facts do not play part
They isothermal, you cannot sail without
sidcrng them You no more avoid thcm than a
mariner make summer cruise into Labrador
and not consider the icebergs. What two nations in
the whole family of nations have suffered the most
in tho last twenty years? America and France
What two nations now in the enjoyment Of con-
say it is unfair to attribute this to the republican
form OF government. But you attributed their mis-
cries to the republican spirit, and why deny the
verse?
THE SPANISH REPUBLIC.
But OF all republics has any had saddcr fate than
poor Spain? How beautiful she was when she arose
fresh and stainless her arms extended in amity to all
mankind. How well remember walking through
the corridors Of the Cortes night all Madrid
in fever and every minute expecting the
tocsin bell. and seeing men in rags, with
arms in their hands, guard. They were
the ragamufhns of Spain. nero beggars. who
scraped and worked for their living and lived on
beans They guarded the treasures Madrid and
dollar stolen They returned to their humble
employments. shoe pegging roasting chestnuts or
what not-havng performed their duty and showed
due respect to the law do not think that any Re-
public had hard fate that Of CASTELAR,. What
enemies surrounded him! At home there the
priests and the the soldiers and the nobility
In the North, Don Carlos in arms, ravishing
Navarro; in the South the extreme republicans in
cited is well known by the money of the
mobiles, broke into insurrection. The Church was
against him. There scarcely general he could
trust The noblcmen drew thei- skirts about them
and passed the other side or left the
country. Foreign nations stood aloof-all ex-
cept the United States--anj we menaced
CASTELAR, with account of the virginius mas
Cuba in rebei,n, and worse than oil, his
own friends. who should have remembered that
they were nothing and the Republic everything. al
lowed their ambitions to tester and breed disease in
could not be disowncd An army had to be CON-
manded. Here was mutinous army. jeering its gen.
erals on parade and what should be done Death,
and less II army Is to be power in the
State Well, of all men living, who had declaimcd
with more emphasis against the death penalty
than CASTELAR,? He had turned the sonncts and
rhapsodies of Hugo against capital punish
ment into ovations. No government had tho
right to take from the life God had given him.
How often he had proclaimed this truth from the
tribune and in tones OF such eioquence as no living
man possessed. But tho fact came-soldiers
jccring their generals. mutiny. and he in command
n
ing the Republic he had an crrand the President,
and through some friendly Office admitted.
CASTELAR, leaning the desk sobbing. his nature
broken down. sobbing like woman. Before him
lay the order for the execution Of two soldiers who
had donc some wrong in their service. and he, the
apostle of faith which valued the sanctty Of the
human life, he was doomed to sign the decree.
noyM coSsPIRAcIEs AGAINST THE REPUBLIC
Well. this was. no doubt feminine. and many Of
my readers will say. ''why not hang the men. who
were rulians. doubt. and why wccp over iti"
You and would have signed the decree and gone to
our coffee and dismissed the whole circumstance, and
went on to other duties in manly fashion. But I am
speaking Of CASTELAR, and his Republic, and how
in feminine fashion he met these and other troubles
wish there were Of the feminine quality in tho
governing word--the quality that is honest by in.
stinot and not by reason. Louis Napoleon did not
shed tears over his coup dttdt. nor did Don Carlos
when he with his robbers into Spain to plunder
and destroy But CASTELAR, was feminine and scvcre
troubles upon him. All Spain in commotion;
all the world against him; property class privilege
tradition apostolic succcssion--thc sword and tho
gown-all I'm uproar, and tho other European rulers
looking and saying with tho Austrian Francis.
during tho French enthusiasm for Franklin
well. my trade is royalty" SO ono morn.
ing . general walked into tho Cortcs ana
dispersed It, and CASTELAR, had to bc pulled from his
bench. where he sat Minister and President Ser
rano came and all Europe. which would not recognize
. ruler chosen by tho people. hurried to recognize
man whose claim rcstcd upon tho muskcts OF Cap.
tain General Pava. These royal people who preach
the sanctity Of law and order really mean law when
It expresses thcir wishes and order when 1t commands
obedience to their will. II Pavia had gone like
Cromwell into the House OF Commons tho world
would have echoed with the shrcks of the friends of
freedom But 1t was only spanish Cortcs after nll.
and CASTELAR, was q republican. and the Queen of
England-wcll. God bless her and preserve her. but
is not her trade that of royaltya
now THE KING CAME.
CASTELAR, went down. and oil his beautiful Dreams
and Serrano camc. From what can make Of Ser
rano he Is a soldier of the MacMshon stripe, with
more ability but without much character. He had
been court favorite under Isabella, snd supported
most governments who worc not indifferent 10 Ser.