New Ulm weekly review., 1886-01-13
THE SPANISH THRONE.
An Account of the Disputed Succession
aud the Claims of Don Carlos.

An Account OF the Disputed SUccoSSloD
aud the Claims of Don Carlos.
Philadelphia Times.
The dispute over the Spanish sue
cession, to which the death of Alfonso
gives fresh interest. has it's origin in
the abolition by Ferdinand VII, by
the pragmatic sanction of March 20,
1880, of the Salic law OF the Bourbon
family. This was done at the instiga-
ton of his wife, Maria Christina, a
Neapolitan princess, and the result
was to make their daughter, who was
born in that year, the heir to the throne
in place OF his brother, Don Carlos.
The latter entered a protest against his
exclusion from the throne, which was
sustained by the Bourbonic courts OF
Italy. and on the death of Ferdinand
VII. in 1888 he was proclaimed Charles
v, being supported by a majority
OF the clergy and the country people
throughout the kingdom.
The Salic law, It may be explained
was the code established by the Sail,
ans or Salic Franks who, under Clovis
founded the French monarchy. Under
the Salic laws females were prohibited
from inhertipg landed property and
this feature of their law continued to
prevail in France with respect to the
inheritance OF the crown, and also in
Spain, under the Borbon line, until
the date referred to. The transfer of,
the crown therefore, to the Infanta
Isabella, with the Queen Mother Maria
Christina as regent, was a departure
from tradition that was opposed by q
very large part 81 the nation. The
Carllsts were at first so successful that
Christina was compelled to obtain
foreign recuits for her army, but after
the death ofZumalacarreguy, the Carl
ist leader, the royal troops, under
command o. Espartero, gradually
gained the ascendancy. 1t was not,
however, until 1880 that the Carlists
were finally overpowered and Don
Carlos fed to France, though the war
was not fully ended till year later.
This was not accomplished until the
government had made many concess.
ions to the progressive party or exal-
tades and radicals, and had been COM
PEELED to adopt the modified constitu-
tion of 1912. Soon after this other
agitations arose, and in the autumn
OF 1910 Marie Christina resigned and
left Spain with number OF conserva-
tive leaders, leaving the government in
the hands of the progressive
parity The Cortes appointed
Espaftero regent during the minority
Of the Queen, and under his admins
tration great advances were made in
the internal economy Of Spain, until
an attempt was made to seize upon
church property provoked general in
surrection, and in 1S43 Espartero in
his turn embarked for England The
queen was in this year declared of age,
a moderate ministry was formed,
Christina was recalled, and soon after
the constitution OF 1845 was adopted.
The ups and downs of the reign of
Isabella II, have nothing to do with
the present subject. There were sew
eral Carlist outbreaks during this
period in favor Of Don Carlos, Count
de Montemolin, known as Charles VI,
the son of the brother OF Ferdinand
VII, already spoken of as Charles V.
On his death, in 1861, his right de-
volved on his brother, Don Juan, who,
in October, 1868, abdicated in favor
OF his son, the present Don Carlos,
the titular Charles VII. This was i'm
mediately alter the success of the in-
eurrection in 1868 and the flight of
Isabella from Spain. Don Carlos did
not make his entry into Spain in as
sertion Of his claim to the throne until
1878, the country having in then
while been passing through a period
OF storm and stress with various
experimental governments. After
the failure of the attempt to
establish Amadeus, son OF the King
of Italy, upon the throne, Marshal
Serrano, whose death is just onnounc-
ed, and who was elected President OF
the Republic, became the virtual ruler,
and devoted himself to thesuppression
OF the Carlists. In this he succeeded,
but seeing a Republic to be impractic-
ably he made no opposition to the re-
storation of the other branch OF the
royal family in the person OF Alfonso.
In 1876 after a long and gallantstrug-
bAc, ClAo SiAillSto icCtlVeQ ~ ANAL QcIet1C
and Don Carlos withdrew from Spain.
In q manifesto issued from Paris he
said: "Being desirous of putting a
stop to bloodshed, l forbear continu-
ing a glorious but at present fruitless
struggle. will never sign aconvenio.
My flag remains furled until the mo-
msnt when God shall fix as the su-
preme hour of redemption.
1t will be seen that the situation to-
day is almost Identical with that when
the grandfather of the present Don
Carlos asserted his claim to the throne.
The proclaimed heir is girl baby OF
three or fouryears old, justas Isabella
was, with her mother AS regent, the
Queen mothers have even the same
name. The difference is that Charles
V. contended against an innovation
upon recognized tradition, and the
claim of Isabella, had to be asserted
by force OF arms. She became de
facto queen; her son has been de
facto king, recognized as such by the
laws of the land and the representa-