The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-16
BIRTH OF A SPANISH PRINCE.

nan - SttnANh
---sp5in has much reason to rejoice over
the birth of a Prince and a successor to
the ,hroNe. In fact. ali the civilized
world hs-. 1t makes for the peace and
proSperit; of that kingdom in an mex
pressible way. For nearly u century
Spain has been cursed with wars of
succession, and these have done Is
much as anything else to retard the
progress of the country. reduce the
people to misery and banish prosperity.
The conclusion of the Napoleonic wars
left Ferdinand VII King OF Spain. but
he had no son. He had two daughters.
and the best people of the kingdom
who looked forward TO its rehabilita-
ton and renewal of its course Of prog
ress very much desired that the elder
of these Princesses should succeed her
father. AS in all the Latin countries.
the Salic law prevailed, but Ferdinand
VII abrogated this law in obedience to
the wishes of the people, and declared
his eldest daughter his successor, as
Isabella II. He secured the agreement
of the other powers of Europe to this
arrangement, but it started at once the
Carlist troubles. Don Carlos. his BROTH
er. was the next to the throne in default
of male issue. The people, however.
were very much opposed to his ascent,
as he represented all that was bad in
the old medieval history of Spain, from
which they were trying to escape. Civil
war at once began in the assertion OF
Don Carlos of his right to the throne.
He was supported largely by the Ro-
man Catholic clergy and peasantry
whom they could control, and for
decades there were periodical out
breaks of the Carlist troubles which
kept the country in turmoil.
The adherents of Isabella II managed
to maintain her upon the throne against
all that the Carlists could do until the
revolution of 1868, when Isabella II
was deposed and escaped into France.
Then there was a brief ftful effort to
establish a Republican form of Gov
eminent, which eventually became a
constitutional monarchy. Several for
eign Princes We're invited to take the
| throne, and the invitation to one of the
Hohenzollern family brought about the
Franco-Prussian war.
In 1870 Amadeus, Duke of Aosta,
son of the King of Italy. accepted the
| invitation to the throne, and had a
brief and uncomfortable reign disturb
ed by great uprisings in favor of Don
Carlos. The place became so 'distaste-
full to him that he abdicated Feb. II,
1873, and another attempt was made
at a Republic. with CASTELAR,, the bril-
liant orator and poet, as President. The
Carlists made war upon him, and the
Republic became military dictator
ship. which at last ended in restoring
the throne of Isabella II and placing
upon it her son, Alfonso XII, then IT
years old. The Carlists were at last
completely supprest in 1876, and AL
fonso XII died Nov. 25, 1885, leaving
his widow as Regent of the kingdom
| for his posthumous child, which was
/ born May II, 1886. and became King
as Alfonso XIII. He became of age May
II, 1902, the Regency terminated, and
for Spanish Monarch, and Spain has
had a season of peace and prosperity
such as she had been stranger to for
over century. The birth of a son to
Alfonso XIII. gives strong hopes to the
| Spaniards and the world that the pres
ent happy condition of Spanish affairs
may continue indefinitely.