The Sun. — 1870-12-31 (London, England)

LONDON, SATURDA.Y, DECEMBER 31 1870.  THAT fatal Crown of Spain ! The mere offering of it to a Prussian Prince, as we all know, has led to the hurling of the French EMPEROR from his throne, and to the ravaging of France herself by the ruthless hordes of Germany. Its award, more recently to the Duke D'AosTA, now King AMADEUS, has all but led, within the last few hours, to Marshal PRIM'S assassination. A more ferocious or a more determined attempt at assassination has never been perpetrated. "While proceeding in his carriage from the Hall of the Cortes to his Ministerial residence, Marshal PRIM, it appears, was shot at with such deadly determination, and with such all but deadly aim that he was struck in the shoulder by no less than eight bullets—the laconic intimation added by the telegram to the effect that seven of the balls had been extracted, that a finger had been amputated, and that it was feared the Dictator would have to lose another by a similar operation,:evidencing with painful significance the heartless daring and brutality of the intending murderers. But one sentiment, of course, will be expressed or lilt throughout the whole of Europe at an attack so very dastardly and atrocious in its character. Plum, whatever else may be said of him, has long since shewn by deeds rather than by words that he has dedicated his life to his country. He has never shrunk from danger in carrying out the views he conscientiously believes to be essential for the good government of his fellow countrymen. Often and often he has set, not merely his life. but what a soldier prizes far more, his honour and good name, as the phrase is, at a pin's purchase. He has never once shrunk when the opportunity was presented itself from the desperate hazard of leading a forloru hope as a political and military alvet.turer. The imputation of being a traitor and a leader of sedition, of wantonly calling the people to arms, and giving the signal for an insurrection or a revolutionary outbreak—the fear of charges such as these being preferred against him, have never prevented PRIM from inaugurating at any period of his career what he believed in his heart and conscience to be a desirable, or, ache has rather deemed it to be at these times an essential and inevitable movement. For two years, now, Maishalgnam has bokne the weight of the Government of Spain upon his own shoulders. Nominal', Marshal SERRANO is its head un ler the title of Regent, but in reality Marshal PRIM has all the while been the directing intelligence as well as the strong right arm of the administration. An interregnum so prolonged might, with a less temperate,. or a less resolute man have been a period for Spain of incalculable disaster. Tempering vigour with clemency, Marshal PRIM has contrived with masterly adroitness to bridge over the gap, drawing order out of chaos and ruling the Spanish people with an olive rod in lieu of either a sword or a sceptre. The eagerness he has latterly displaye l to transfer the responsibility from his own hands to those of a Prince—no matter what Prince—who would consent to be the Sovereign, indi'cates plainly enough how onerous, how all but overwhelming to him was his own sense of that supreme req3onsibility. Otherwise, th(i spect Ado was simply inc)mprehensible— this unheard-of spectacle, until none of a hanghty race like that of the Spaniards going upon a tour more grotePque that of Dr. SYNTAX in search of the Picturesque, more eccentric than that of CELEBS in search of a Spouse, a tour among all the courts of Europe in search of s,me one, anyone, who would consent to wear the robes and undertake the duties of the Spanish sovereignty. All the while above the head of the perfectly cool and self-possessed, Dictator-Marshal Pram, there has been dangling evidently a sword of