Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-14
UNHAPPY SPAIN.

1t is generally understood that the King
of Spain is i'll of an incurable disease, and
that his days are few on earth. His death
will precipitate the Kingdom into political,
and very likely into actual strife. The Re
publicans are hopeful, but are content, says
ZorilAa to the Pail Nall Gazette, to accept
the Constitution of 1869. The Monarchists,
while apparently friendly to Alfonso, are
ready, according to the same authority,
when the King dies, to declare for the Car
list Succession-which statement of ad-
herence to the pretender's heir, we receive
with allowance. Alfonso's heir, born in
1880, is a daughter, and the Queen mother,
Maria Christina, an Austrian. The latter,
under the law, would become Regent until
the heir attains her majority. A feeble
party would declare for the restoration of
bona Isabel still another, but stronger,
| would promoted marriage between eroyal
babe and the young son of Don Carlos. 1t
is clear that in such a division Spain will
| be involved III very serious trouble. Its
mere matter of speculauon-sinces so much
depends upon the conditions at the time
if Austria will have the entire support of
| monarchical Europe in maintaining the
claim of its Archduchess, the Queen of
| Spain. Ii might not be unit against the
ambition Of the pretender party, but it GER
tainly would be as against the schemes
OF the Republicans, who would draw
to them temporarily the lnterna-
| tionalisis and the disaifected generally.
| Carlism means absolutism and priest-craft
alton and enmity to the claim of Rome
| that Concordat is q perpetual treaty, to
be revoked only by Rome, for under the
Concordat Of 1851 the public practice of
any other than Catholic ceremonies
of religion was forbidden iii Spain. Be
tween these two stands the present rule
which has managed TO secure TO the people
a measure of religious liberty. The inter
ests of Germany and England would appear
to combine therefore to favor the Alfonsist
succession. Carlism was supposed to have
been finally suppressed in 1876 on the sur
render Of Navarro. 1t is probably true,
as Muller states it, that the result was
a real gain for Spain, torn as it was between
the struggles of Carlists, Republicans, the
Internationale and the Royalists. Itwould
have been greater gain still had the ad-
vice of CASTELAR, and Sagasta been taken,
and the political and religious freedom of
the Constitution of 1869 have been fully re-
stored. The clerical party was strong
enough to negative their counsels until
1881, when liberty of conscience was guaran-
| ted, slavery in measure abolished in the
Antilles, Sagasta restored to power the
Cubans placed on an equality with Span
iards as to civil rights ana the censorship
of the press in the colonies abolished. These
| acts strengthened the Alfonsist Govern
ment and it has been in 4 large sense a
| popular and benciicent one but il is a very
serious question whether that popularity
will survive the death of the King or can
be transferred to the Regency of his Queen.
As now viewed she will have the whip
hand, and the probabilities are, will be able
to maintain it when the responsibility is
cast upon her, and the day of a Republic
Will be thus still further postponed in Spain.