Year: 1873




King will prove an event in history
Of more than ordinary significance.
Abdication Of a throne is no new
thing; history furnishes numerous
examples; but the abdication of u
throne in the circumstances in which
Amadeus abdicates is somewhat of a
novelty. We oil remember the cir
cumstances in which that throne was
offered and accepted. Queen Isabella
was dethroned and driven from her
realm in the fall of 1868. How the
fall Of Isabella resounded throughout
the world and gladdened tile hearts
Of all lovers Of liberty no reader Of
the Herald requires to be told. It
was felt that u powerful blow had
been dealt at the heart Of tlespotism,
, and that from the success Of the
blow the lovers Of liberty would take
fresh courage, and by one bold effort
make an end Of despotisin and oil
garel,y in Europe. From some cause
Or other, however, Europe did not
respond. To the rest Of Europe
Spain became an object of study and
Of curious interest but the revolution
read the nations no lessOn-it gave
them no impulse. It is undeniable
that after the revolution Prim was
master Of the situation. He more
than any other man made the revoln-
ton success; and he more than any
other man, after the revolution, was
master Of Spain. How far Prim was
earnest in his efforts to establish the
Republic it is difficult to say; but that
he gave the Republic q chance, that
he consulted BY constitutional means
tho wishes Of the Spanish people, and
that the idea Of u republic was aban-
doned, it is impossible to refuse to
admit. It is not forgotten how the
Spanish throne was offered to and
how it was refused by the father Of
the King of Portugal. It is not for
gotten it never can he fotgotten-
how it was refused by Leopold of
Hohenzol!crn. In all time to come
the Franco -Prussian war will remain
Il memorial Of tho quest which Spain,
the once proud kingdom of Ferdinand
and Isabella, Of Charles the Fifth and
Philip the Second; made for king.
1t is not forgotten how the Hohenzol-
lern candidate was abandoned and
how an appeal was made to the young
Duke Of Aosta. If the records of the
period are Of any value it is not un-
fair to say that to the Italian Prince
the Spanish crown was destitute OF
all special attractions. He cared lit
tic for it, his father was opposed to
his accepting it, and it was not until
the popular voice loudly expressed
itself and the best representatives Of
the greatest houses and of the best
blood in Spain Joined in the call that
the scruples Of the father and son
gave way and Amadeus accepted the
offered crown. His arrival in Spain
was marked by an event which, while
it stained the Spanish character and
gave an ugly hue to Spanish politics,
was fitted to tlaunt the bravest spirit.
Through the life blood of his patron,
Gen. Prim, he had to mount the
Spanish throne, nothing daunted, he
marched to his place and resolved to
test his destiny. That lle began well,
and that from the moment of his ar
rival in Spain he has honestly endeav-
ored to do his best, no enemy has
ever denied. After q most dastardly
attempt ON his own life, and in spite,
it is said, Of the earnest entreaties OF
his family and his young Queen that
lie should resign, he has stuck to his
post and now it must be admitted
that, if he does abdicate, he abdicatcs
because he has done his best and be-
cause his best has failed. He abdi-
Gates in favor of no son, of no friend,
but because he is sick of his thankless
task, and because in reality he cares
nothing for the worthless bauble which
men call q crown. His conduct
stands out in striking contrast to that
of Maximilian of Mexico. He aban-
dons position Of which he is weary ,
and leaves to their fate, without
fighting for his rights, q people who
have not shown themselves worthy
Of his love,-N. Y. Herald.