The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-07
ALFONsO'S BETROTHAL.
His Forthcoming Marriage to the
Archduchess Maria.
Some of the Previous Marital ALI
ances Contracted Between the
Royal Family of Spain
and the House Of
Hapsburg.

MADRID, Aug, 12-Ihe death OF {nfanta
Maria del Pillar, the eldest sister OF King AL
fonso, has been already quite forgotten. The
young King did not appear as II he was
deeply afflicted by his bereavement, nor does
he seem to be any more troubled at the loss
of his handsome wife. His betrothal TO an
Austrian archduchess has evidently assuaged |
his grief, and he does not talk any more about |
abdcating or retiring into a monastery. His |
proposed marriage to the Archduchess Maria |
Christina of Austria has at least one thing to
recommend 1t in the eyes OF the Spaniards.
It ID a marriage Of the old-fasbioned type II
Is going back to the ancient traditions Of the
Spanish monarchy. Over and over again
have the Hapsburgs intermarried with the
family Of the Kings Of spain. In tie former
days 1t was q cousinly union; but when
Charles III, the last Of the Austrian house
that ruled in Spain, left his crown to the
grandson OF Louis XIV, he proposed to the
young Philip continuance OF the time-hon-
ored CUSTOM and recommended to him by
his testament marriage with an Austrian
Archduchess. By the treaty OF Utrecht 1t
was declared that the crowns Of Spain and
France should remain separate and indie
pendent Philip Of Spain renounced all his
pretended rights TO the throne OF France. and
the Dukes OF Berry and Orleans renounced
on their part the claims ia future to NEEDLE In
the affairs Of the Peninsula, nor did Great
Britain cede Mluorca and Port Mahan to
Spain without obtaining solemn pledge from
that power that the crowns OF Spain and
France should always remain distinct. And
yet froT0 that time to this, from the days OF
Louis XIV to the reign OF Napoleon III, It
may be safely said there has never been
hEG
dismissed Spain from his @ nsideration, or re-
sisted the temptation, when 1t came before
him, Of having q finger in Spanish affairs.
| OF all FreDchmen, Napoleon the Great hardly
| excepted. England had most reason to COM
| plain Of the dishonesty and dupiicity of tho
| son OF Louis Philippe Louis Philippe. had
! pledged England his word that he would
| do nothing in the matter without her consent,
| and while England believed hrniy In the
| frankness Of Ills ptotestations, the Montpen-
| sier match was hurried On and completed.
| Three years before in 1913, French lntrigues
We're actively carried Oh to bring about Inc
| union Of the Due de blontpensier with Queen
Isabel. The triple alliance which existed ia
4 those days-Russia Prussia and Austfia-dld
not like the idea u q French King consort on
| the steps of the Spanish throne, so the DUO
| d'Aumale's canddature had TO be given up
| But M. Guizot VINO was then Minister for For
!. eign A fairs III France, informed the Powers
that he would have none but Bourbon
to mate with the young Queen For sake
4
man to the French Ambassador at Madrid,
in September, 1916, "we admit our French
princes being set aside a8 candidates for
the hand Of this Queen Of Spain, but Ia
| return we car admit as cpnaOtt OF the
Queen no prince that does not belong to tbs
aolse Of Bourbon. That house has many
candidates to offer-the Princes OF Naples
and Of Lucc4, the SONS OF Don Carlos, or
those OF Don Francisco ia Paula 1t was
q son Of Don Francisco Ga Paula, as every one
knows Don Francisco d'ASsai, whom the
Queen did finaly accept. OF the other candi-
dates who were descendants OF Philippe ",
i Count Trapini, the youngest brother OF the
King IT Naples, was the only serious rival 81
Don Francisco d'ASSai whose marriage With
the Queen would probably have been ap-
proved by England haa not the DUG Gle Mont
pensier's marriage with hef sister oeeh iHe iu
for the same day It was the news OF this
spanish marriage" which came upon Eng
land like a thunder clap and excited among
every class VI politicians such chorus Of IN
dignation. That Louis Philippe should treat
the English with sucfl ScaDt CONSIDERATION
after the marked attention they had shown
him-an attention that had materially es-
traTged the other great Powers from them
PaImcrston, then Minister for Foreign Affairs,
writes to Lord Normandy, the British Minis
ter in Paris.
There was first, the engagement original
| ly and spontaneously made by MS MaleSty,
the King OF the French, that no son OF his
should marry the Queen OF Spain, and sec
| Ondly the engagement, also spontaneously
taken by his Majesty aud by has Minister, IL
September, 1915, at Eu, that IL Ii 10 case snoHid
J the Dnc de MOntpen4ier marry the lufanta
until the Queen Of Spain should have been
married. ard UNTIL ny her having mad chill
Gren, the prospect OF a direct succession to
, the Spanish Crown should have been as
, sured"
There can be no question about the broken
faith and dupicty uf the French King and
his minister, but it was not so easy 70 e9tab-
| l'sh direct violation Of the treaty % utrecht
At any rate 1t was faf-fetched lntetpreta,
ton OF Louis Phlippe's conduct. for several
alliances have taken place, as Nj. Guizpt re,
, minded lord Palnler5tOEi, between the span
ish ana French royal families 5eGdeht &c
the treaty ~ Utrecht without meeting with
the eldest son Of Philip y, married IN lI2l
; the Princess Louise Elizabeth, fourth daugh-
ter of the Regent Orleans.
The infant Don Philip, also son OF Philip
married, in 1883, Louise, daughter OF LOUIS
: Ky, and the son OF Louis XIV, the Dauphin
married Maria Theresa, daughter OF the
aforesaid Philip Y. But at the time passions
were SO highly lnilatGed against The pefildious
policy Of NJ GuIzOt that not only the Eng
lish, but also the entire Continental press die
not hesitate to accuse him OF any design
however dangerous. The union thus con
cpved in chcanery and deceit has been sin
| guarly disappointing ID its political results
-Four children were born Of it. The oldest
daughter Maria Isabella q Assai Louisa fer
| nanda was born at Seville, in 1848 and mar
ried to her cousin, Louis Philippe Comte dt
Paris; the second was the Princess M aria
Christina, who was born in 1850, 50 lately de
ceased, while the youngest was Maria de La
Mercedes, Torn III 1860, and for 2 few brte
, months Queen Of Spain. The ambitious hopes
! Of Louis Philippe were partly realized IN Ne
marriage with Afonz3 XII, but the good for
: time ii the Montpensier was very
short-ived and her elder sister,. whom
tie King seriously, it is said, pro
posed to raise to her vacant place
soon followed her to the grave. TO the Du
: and Duchess OF Montpeneler there now onl,
remains unmarried 4 boy, Antoine Louis
4 Philippe, Infant OF Spain, Just thirteen year
/ ol, so That there is Dut little chance now 10
t the Treaty Of Utrecht being violated by 1n
4 Spanish marriage.
+ The Arehduchess Marie Christine of Aus
: tria, who is about to become the bride OF kin'
: Alfonso, Is the daughter Of the Archduk
, Charles Ferdinand. and is Il years OF agt
!. | ~ lta nrluluQEAi HANDSOME