The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-26

heulCllo Co., New x.
was a general cole divided into many
parts, and not, as is popularity supposed
a mere prohibition of the accessions OF
women to regal power and office. II did
provide, however, that women Should
not inherit landed estates and a certain
kings brother in France tortured this
into the Salic law as it is now known
} and by this means cheated his niece out
!. of the crown.
When in 100 the old Spanish royal
j lire exhausted itself in the last imbecile
of house that was productive OF imbe-
Giles, grandson of Louis XIV Of France
CAME TO the throne by virtue Of the last
imbeclle's viii and the intrigues of his
grandfather. His claim by blood was
traced through Louis wife, a Spanish
princess, who was the sister OF the dead
king, but when he entered Spain he
took the Salic law along with him. That
was its first appearance in the country.
The old Spanish law provided express
ly for female succession in default of
NAL eheirs, and there are evidences that
Phillips decree on the subject was not
entirely agreeable to Spanish prejudices.
The third king after Philip, Charles ~,
looked upon the change with disfavor
for certain reasons of his own, and had
the old law secretly reaffirmed in 11S9.
After that came the French revolution,
and the country was in chaotic condi-
tion for years During this period Ferd-
inand, the son Of Charles, and his
brother Carlos were held captive by Ma
poleon. and he old king, heir faher, died
| in exile. Then came he famous war for
independence, in which Spanish valor
and Spanish cruelty made new records
A national assembly met at Cadiz and
! adopted a liberal constitution in 1872,
which did away with Salic laws and all
other remains Of the past, including the
fueros or special privileges of the Basque
provinces, and Ferdinand pretended an
ardent zeal for reform.
But It was just as easy for this man to
break a promise as to make one, and as
soon as he set foot in Spain he swept
away the constitution and proclaimed ab
solutism. He was a miserable wretch,
Ito do pudre dumbre," all rottenness,
| CASTELAR, says, but the people welcomed
him and his absolutism with great ac-
claim. The Basques in particular pre-
ferred absolutism with the fueros to a
constitutional government without them
and so it was a shock to them when
Ferdinand once more courted the Liber-
ais to save his throne in 1920. 1t is true
tha. after this troublous period, when he
had been reinstated by France, he again
reigned as an absolute monarch. but in
the meantime the Basques and the Cler-
icals had become much attached to his
brother, whose bigotry and bourbonism
were certain quantities, and they looked
forward hopefully TO the time when ne
should become king, for Ferdinand's firSt
child, Isabella, was not born until 1880.
In the spring of that year. at the in
stance of his wife and in anticipation OF
lished that old decree of his father,
Charles ~, which re-established the an
cient Spanish law on the subject OF the
succession. Subsequently he revoked IL,
then he revoked the revocation; then he
died, leaving his country, his daughter
and his brother heritage Of woe.
The country was at once divided into
Carlists and Christinos, the latter being !
named from Marie Christina, the regent |
and mother OF the little Queen abella, |
whose sovereignty had been acknowledg- |
ed al Madrid. The Carlists were made |
up for the most part OF priests and peas |
ants and We're especially strong in the |
north. The Christinos included many OF |
the nobility and the mercantile and |
middle classes which were favorable 10 |
a constitutional monarchy. The latter |
are much the same in every country. |
but the Basque peasantry is unique, and |
one must understand it 20 understand [
Carlisn.
These nort1 Spaniards are supersti- /
tious and ignorant, but they are not serv- |
lie. They carry themselves with much /
dignity and independence like most
mountsileers and they have an instinct
i've knowledge ot the right of home rule
owing 20 the fueros which their fo-efa-
theirs enjoyed when the people OF the
res: of Europe were under the heel OF
feudalism and which the most absolute
kings had confirmed. BY these fueros
they were exempt from the CONSUMPTION
for foreign service; they were required 10
furnish a small force only for the de-
fense OF their own territory; soldiers
could not be quar:ered upon them IN
time OF peace; they controlled The Inpo-
s.tion o. their own taxes: they enjoyed
certain tax exemptions. The town coun-
ellis IN their little municipalities were
self lf-governing boards elected b. the
householders. and there was another o.
ficer. the siniSco del coman. VINO was
chosen by the people 10 look after she
Manifestiy 50 bong as tne
BasqUes retained their fueros hey could
well afford TO support ehsoiu;is-n. and
when a6so,utis,n stood for the fue-0s. II
vas JUS what they wanted
There were various reasons why these
people should be friendly with the priest
also. IN the frs: place ;heir religion was
inherited from seven centuries % Moo
Ish wars. L represented al tha- was
most glorious in Their coun.ry's history. |
I. appealed TO the heTolc. the roSnzn--s-
The imaginative IN them Besides. the
saurc.l vas good % them. IL vas Z kind
landlord and a liberal a.I>sgsve-- TIE
clergy did no; hold themselves zloos Ike
the ncase lzndhol5s-S, Who spent El0s- O. {
heir time q way from tnsir estates T5ey :
we're OF ne peoose. ard ne; inlniczl -
heir SPECIAL privileges. 5
TIE s.sySy had 4 direct aoS material !