Year: 1874

TIE RELIEF or IRUN.


The prospects of Carlism have not for some
time appeared so unfavOrable as at present. 1t
is not that the Pretender has suffered any loss
of Importance. but he has shown his inca
pacity to accomplish anything even when Cir
cumstances most strongly eaided him. 1t is
now clear that he is unable to profit either by
his own accidental successes or by tho mis-
takes of bis enemies Ho could do nothing
with the army of Morioncs after he had routed
it. He could not take possession of Bilbao
after he had fairly gained it in battle. When
Coucha fell dead before Estella and his forces
retreated in panic, the Carlists did not make
the slightest effort to embarrass their flight.
Whenever fortune has thrown a success in
their way they have sat down quietly and
looked at it in pious contemplation until the
Government at Madrid has sent force after
them and driven them away.


They have only repeated at Irun the old
performance. The place was left at their
mercy 10y the Army of the North. They in
vested it, and, so far as appears from the de-
tails which have reached us of the condition
of its defenders, bold and energetic attack
would have brought it into their hands. But
no city WAS ever assaulted before with such
listIessness. They dawded week away be-
fore its walls, until Marshal SerranO had
gathered together a considerable army and
sent it under Iona and Laserna to the rescue
of Irun When this was done, Don Carlos did
what was probably the best thing under the
circumstances, in raising the siege. 1t is also
positively stated from Madrid that he, with
all his staff, has crossed the frontier
10 at 1ata
If this be true, there is no immedi-
ate chance of the resumption of regular
hOstilties. The French Government can hardly
refuse to accede to the request OF Marshal
SerranO that the insurgent Prince shall be
"interned" with all the officers who accom-
pany him. 1t is true that this is not the hap
piest time to make such request, as the Duke
Decazes is naturally labOring under some irri-
tatiOn at the tone of the late note OF the Mar
qus de la Vega-Armjo, complaining of viola
tions of neutrality on the Pyrenean frontier.
But the present request of SerranO, if Don
Carlos is really in French town, is so reason
able that it can hardly be denied, especially as
both Governments are now almost equally in
terested in removing this perennial source of
MISUNDERSTANDING and dangers.


The Carist insurrectiOn some time ago
passed into the condition of an international
nuisance. There is no apparent prospect that
it can ever advance beyond the stage of petty
riot, arson, aud murder where it has fingered
80 long. 1t has wearied the purses and the
sympathies of its friends in England to the
point where both now fail. 1t is looked upon
coldly even in Rome, where the cause of
Queen Isabel the Generous is regarded as more
promising and more expedient. Germany is
more than platonically opposed to it, and the
French Cabinet has been exposed to such in
convenience on account of it that Marshal
MacMahOn has doubtless outgrOwn what slight
inclination he might once have entertained for
it, in his quality of Catholic and monarchist
1t ought to have died before this, and Lord
Derby expressed the feeling Of most foreign
ers when he sharply reminded the Span
ish ambassador, a few weeks ago, that If
common patriotism and ordinary energy were
displayed by the Spaniards, they could soon
make an end of the insurrection. But this is
one of those brusque half-truths which it will
not do to take literally. The difficulties in the
way of extirpating Carlism are as great, as
those we find in curing lawlessness in Louisi





ignorance and faith of those mountaineer peas
ants among whom Don Carlos finds his re-
cruits are something which cannot be conjured
away by any display of energy on the part of
the Madrid Government 1t is strictly true
that Don Francisco SerranO is not warrior or
ruler of remarkable devotion or striking genius.
But it is by no means certain that better
man could succeed any more promptly than
he in eradicating this obstinate revolt
from the hills of Biscay and Navarro. The
most that can be asked of him is to crush it
where il appears in arms, and this we have no
doubt he does as well as he can. No civil
war is exempt from the foul spirit Of suspicion,
and it is therefore natural that the Republi
can papers in Madrid should accuse the Mar
shal and his officers Of secret completely with
the rebellion. There is absolutely no trust-
worthy proof Of this. Many sincere people
thought Gen. Mcclellan was rebel, because
he was such slow soldier. He would have
been delighted if he could have destroyed
Lees army, but lie did not know how TO do.