Year: 1876

tsh Pretenders


A London letter to the New
York Herald reports an interview
with Don Carlos, from which we
extract the following:


81 saw that further resistance
would be useless, that it would only
result in hundreds and thousands
Of brave fellows being killed to no
purpose, and although the army
was still willing to fight on to the
last, | issued orders that the troops
should abandon the conflict without
further fighting and return to their
homes. | did this as soon as | saw
the contest was hopeless. did it
only because | did not wish to have
upon my hands the blood that
would have been useleSsly shed in
prolonging the conflict.


"On this point my conscience is
clear. | have no blood upon my
hands. | have never condemned a
single man to death, nor ratified
the death sentence of a single SOL
der. | have pardoned every case
that was ever submitted to me, and
only in a few instances were men
shot without my having had time
to interfere. | am blood guiltless.
The blood shed in battle | am, of
course, not responsible for.


"Nor am / accountable for the
war itself. 1t was the people who
made the war and who called me
there to lead them only after it had
been fairly begun, and that at a
time when Spain was without a
king and without a government.
People seem to think that it was for
pleasure that l put myself at the
head of an army and led the life
of the camp for four years among
the mountains, when l might have
been enjoying q life of luxurious
ease in Paris and Vienna. l did it
only because duty called; and in
these days when people in general
talk only Of their rights it is ne
cessary for somebody to think like
wise Of duty"


"The present government" he
said, "cannot last long. The Red
Republic is fast approaching. My
cousin will be in his turn over
thrown, and the state of anarchy
which has existed in Spain for the
last ten years will be renewed. Then
will be my opportunity"


"Do you think the revolution
will come from the republicans OF
the partisans of Isabella?"


"From the republicans, of course
Isabella would never encourage any
movement for the overthrow of he1
son. That eventuality is not to be
taken into consideration for a mo-
ment. Nevertheless it is possible
that her partisans, if they ever
come into power, may make her q
pretext for measures that would
render the young King very un.
popular, and this might help the
republican agitation and do Alfonso
much HARM"


els Isabella very unpopular in
Spain ?"


mo, l don't think she is as un.
popular as people seem to think
because, after although l have
no personal reason for saying so
having never received any kindness
at her hands-Isabella was very
good-natured. She was very chari
table, very generous, and a gooC
woman at heart. The people know
this, and remember it in her favor
Besides, it is natural that, having
been on the throne as long as sht
was, she should have a strong part,
of adherents in the country, 81
that l do not think she is at all 81
unpopular as is generally believed
Many unpopular things were don,
by her Ministry in her name fo
which she was not in the least re
sponsible. She was a woman, anC
was powerless for good, surrounded
as she was by unscrupulous anC
ambitious men who had only thei
own selfish aims to accomplish
without the slightest regard for tn
interests Of the country, She wa
not as much to blame as peopl
think"