New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-02
TINE R0ylL NrEStPIES.

resent the principles Of Lee and Jackson.
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THE ROYlL ATBStRfES.
There is hustle in two of the Royal nmscnc,
OF The Continent. In the Netherlands there /,
keen disappointment, ior a princess has been
born when a prince Was anXiously hoped Tor.
The Dutch succession Is matter Of European
concern. The Prince Of Orange, WHO is the
direct heir to the throne, is unmarried and 50
confirmed nm invalid that he can scarcely be cX-
prctcd to survive his father. Frcm the mar
1iagc Of the late Prince Henry WITH Pul>-i&n
princess there was no issue, and the only sur
yiVing male member of the ancient House Of
Orange after the Prince is Prince Frederick, the
| Kings uncle. who Is now WIdOWer In his
eighty fourth year, without son. The birth
of prince would have given the Low Counties
a direct heir to The Crown after the death Of the
present Prince Of Orange. The Princess will
| have to take the chances Of all wandering heirs
! to royalty. Her rights are not utterly dobarcd
by Il rigid application OF the Saic law, but the
Government becomes hereditary in the female
line only when there l. an absolute default Of
male hcils. II the King survives his son and
his uncle til. rc will be collateral heirs 10 dispute
the claims of the Princess 10 the throne. Among
these are Prince AlbIecht, Of Prussia, several
Grand Dukes, and the Emperor of Germany
himself, as a lnca descendant OF the Great
EiectCr. The Dutch succession may be one OF
tie great diplomatic controversies OF the next
generation. The absorption Of Holland by
Germany would menace the independence OF
Belgium, and very probably preUptate Il
European war.
In Madrid. where an heir to the throne is
daily expected, Sex IS OF less importance. The
times have changed since tie caHdidature OF
Prince Leopold plunged tie strongest nations
of the Continent into the abyss of war; TIE
Marshals who had driven Queen Isabella from
tie throne had Inspected the royal nurseries Of
Europe and advertised for a suitable heir 10 tie
Spanish throne and finally Their eyes had fallen
upon Prince Leopold. The crow ned ntrgu L
who Icignod in the Tmlencs resented Their
mcddlosomc quest, and before the year cl sed
Germany and France were dragged into Il war
Of terrible carnage, ANA Victor EmanucIs
second son entered upon a short and unhappy
reign in Madrid. A few years 90 by, and the
son Of The Bourbon Queen marrcs first the
granddaughter of Louis Philippe and next a
princess of the House of Hap,buIg- Lorraine
and both marriages are regarded with languld
indifference in Berlin and Paris. Yet the
Spanish succession has rested upon almost as
unsatisfactory basis as the succession to the
Dutch throne. The only male representative of
the House of Bourbon except King AlphOnso is
his cousin, Don Carlos, the PrctendeI The
dynastc order, however, viii BE- settled by the
birth of an heir of either sex. Even Princess
of the Asturias will take precedence oy or Don
Carlos as well rs the sisters and the cousins and
the aunts of the King. But whatever may hap
pen beyond the Pyrences, Gambetta yics with
Bismarck in listlesSn"ss. The Spanish success
sion, far from dividing nations as in the past,
has almost ceased to interest them.
But in spain the tidings will be- received with
universal rejoicinss When the Austrian arch
duchess arrived in Madrid for the wedding last
November, tire court festivities were suspended
by her request, and the treasury grants which
were to have been lavished on bull-fshts and |
town shows were expended for TIE relief of the |
sufferers from the Murcla inundations. This |
incident, which endeared the young Queen to |
her subjects and gave her the place In their |
hearts which gentle Queen Mercedes lad won |
during the few happy months of her marriage,
Will now be recalled with apprcciatve affection,
and during tAe gala days that may soon follow
the enthusiasm OF the people will be unchecked |
The SpanIards have changed less than any other
people i'll Europe during the last three cen
turtles. They have become enervated have
lost their martial spirit and commercial enter
prise, but the old habits of thought remain.
The Republic failed because neither Ministers
nor people could accustom themselves to the
idea of Government without King The |
Spaniards of to-day love the King and rever-
ence the Church with the same spirit of unques-
tioning obedience which they displayed in the
lays of Philip ii. If AlpbOnsO has shown no
marked talent for administration, he has given
- evidence of mbecility and the gross qualities
which have degraded Spanish Royalty in recent
lines. Ii is only right and natural that his
subjects should recognize his amiable virtues
md rejoice in the prospect Of the birth of "A di-
rect heir to the Bourbon House.
Coupling, as we have done these Royal nur-
iery lscenes in Spain and the Netherlands, we
IRE reminded OF the proud position whichseach
country occupied three centuries ago. In hhe
oDg walls between England and Spain, the Low
Countries resoutcly maintained the ndrpcn-
lence which had been acquired after one of the
most desperate struggles in history, and exered