The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-12
THE YANKEE KING"
GENERAL DANIEL slcKLEs' INFLUENCE
IN SPANISH POLITICS.
His Interview with the Deposed Queen
IsabeIia-Notined Alfonso XII OF His
Probable Return Co Power While the
Young Lad We stAting-Hls Recall.


Probable Return Co Power While the
Young Lad We stAtinx-Hls Recall.
General Daniel Z. Sickles, who is
now 20 years old and permanently re-
tired from active life, has recently been
reported as saying virtually that in his
opinion there will be war between the
United States and Spain unless 1t be
prevented by the business influences of
the civilized world, which are now
stronger than they were in 1878. when
they prevented war between the two
countries over the Virginius affair.
General Sickles should be well quail
fled to talk with intelligence concerning
Spain, since as minister to Madrid from
this country from 1869 to 1874 he made
himself exceedingly popular with all
classes.
His service there began soon after
Spain had thrown over Queen Isabella
to accept General Prim and the republic.
Later Prim was dropped that an Italian
prince might be made sovereign. but
his reign was short lived, and after its
close CASTELAR, was placed at the head of
the republican government. CASTELAR,
and Siokles were close friends, and the
American generals advice to the Span
ish statesman was of great value.
1t was followed so implicitly, in fact,
that Sickles was long termed "the Yam
kee king" in Spain, and there is no
doubt in the minds Of some who are ia
miliar with the facts and situation that
the republic would have prevailed had
he not been recalled at the time OF the
Virginius affair through the influence
of the late Hamilton Fish, then secre-
tary of state.
Despite General Sickles' popularity
in Spain and his sympathy with that
country in many things he was much
averse to yielding a single point with
regard to the Virginius and this was
the cause of his recall, since the bust
ness interests of this country as we'll as
the rest of the world believed the Incl
dent not of sufficient importance to
cause war.
General Sickles had never met Isa-
bella when he was recalled, but he met
her soon afterward in Paris. where he
spent some months before returning to
the United States. The meeting was in
her apartments, where he called by
special appointment, and the converse
tion was opened by the general, who
stated that although he had never seen
his hostess before, he could not fail Of
recognizing her anywhere, since he had
become familiar with her features from
her portrait, which still adorned the
walls of the royal palace in Madrid.
This interested the throneless monarch.
What" she exclaimed. "Do those
odious rebels still tolerate the presence
of my portrait in the palace?"
Certainly, madam" replied the
general, land the palace also contains
many other souvenirs of your majesty"
1t was with difficulty that she could
be made to believe this, and when she
accepted the fact she fell into solilo-
guy, the burden of which ran: sin my
palace In my palacei 1t is unexplaina-
BILE. Why are these things allowed to
remain there when / have been driven
out?'
General Sickles then assured her that
her downfall was not so much due to
personal unpopularity on her part as to
the odious politics that had dourished
under her reign. The Spanish people
continued to love her, he said, in spite
of all, and he had heard many express
sions of tender feelings toward her. 1t
was remembered that she had always
been averse to signing death warrants
and that many wretch condemned to
the garrote had been pardoned through
her influence. He concluded by the
statement that while, in his opinion,
she might never resume the throne the
Spaniards might some time be ready
for monarchical rule again.
Later he received news through pri-
vate sources that the republic was tot
tering to a fall, and, meeting her son,
Alfonso, then only lad Of 16, the gen.
eral communicated the news to him.
Alfonso was engaged in roller skating
on one of the boulevards with q lot Of
other youngsters when the general spoke
to him, and, though he was greatly in
terested, as was soon shown, he affected
to receive the information with the
greatest indifference. The generals mes
sage to the prince was decidedly simple
1T will not be long," said Sickles,
before the people at Madrid will be
sending for you"
Alfonso stopped to adjust skate
strap before making reply. Then he
Strengthened up.
sis il SOP" he said nonchalantly.
perhaps shall be ready to CO."
Then, after some commonplace re-
mark, he glided away to join his COM
panions. In spite Of his assumed nom
chalance, Alfonso left of skating as
soon as possible, fastened home to his
mother and advised her to send for the
American at once.
She did 80, and the general responded
to her summons. She was exceedingly
curious as to the source of his informa-
ton, but this he could not make known
to her. He succeeded, however, In sat-
isfying her that 1t was probably correct,
a Il