Year: 1875

Ieao 10 eHectual preventive Legislation.


The Usurpati0n I'm Spain.


The influence of government upon the
telegraphs has never received better illustra-
ton than in the tone of the dispatches we
have received from Spain since the accession
of Prince Alfonso to the throne. As our
readers will understand, the Spanish telegraph
lines are under the complete supervision Of
the Home Department. If q despatch is
offered to an operator containing an allusion
of political character, or even an item Of
news, it is scrutinized by the officials and
either amended or withheld. The whole infu-
ence of the Spanish government has been
thrown upon the one point of making the
public opinion in favor of Prince Alfonso.
Having accomplished the usurpation, which
was simply coarse military act, the effort of
the new monarchy has been, first, to gain the
recognition of the Powers of Europe and
America, and, second, to imbue the
merchants of London with confidence
enough in the future of the monarchy to
lend the new King money. Consequently we
have had steady tide of dispatches from
Spain coloring the new dynasty, lying about
the Carlists and the republicans, telling us
that men like CASTELAR, were Fastening to well
come the new Alfonso. that the followers Of
Don Carlos were abandoning his standard
and that Spain was rapidly becoming "peace-
full" and ''free.' How far these stories may
have affected the question Of recognition we
cannot say. The tendency of monarchies to
recognize any adventurer who seizes throne
from a republic is so fixed that they have not
had much influence upon European courts.


As to the question of borrowing money, we
do not think they have been successful. Lon
don bankers and merchants have learned by
this time to understand the 'telegrams from
Spain" CASTELAR,, in recent letter, calls
attention to the fact that the first bursts of
enthusiasm which welcomed Don Alfonso
came from the belief of the people that his
accession would bring peace He shows
that peace has not fallen upon Spain;
that the country is further from pacifca-
ton than it has ever been in its history.
We might add also that the relations of the
Spanish government to Germany, for instance,
or the Roman power are not calculated to
crafty Spanish pride. Alfonso increased the
subvention to the priests to please the Pope,
and amended his religious laws to please Bis
marck Around him Alfonso has no party
but the adventures, Of whom Serrano is the
most distinguished, who sustained his mother,
the Queen, and whose incapacity was the
leading cause Of her overthrow If Spain is
to be monarchy Don Carlos is the natural
monarch If it is to be free then it should
be republic Carlism represents legitimacy,
the Catholic Church reaction, the highest ex-
preston of the royalist spirit. 1t may be in
opposition to the temper Of the nineteenth
century, but it really is no more so than the
whole royal system. If kings are kings and
If crowns come 'by the grace of God,"
If there is anything whatever in
the legend of the throne and the
sceptre, there is no reason why Don
Carlos should not be king and king of the
Middle Ages. Certainly this prince SO be-
leves, for our last dispatches tell us that he
has summoned around him the population of
Navarro; and, so far from abandoning his
claims to the crown, he means to fight to the
end.


Spain, country blessed beyond nations in
climate, soil and resources with splendid
history, literature of surprising interest and
value, inhabited by a valiant, thrifty, noble
race, is now a prey to intestine warfare, to
devastation and strife, her industry and her
commerce paralyzed, her ancient traditions
trampled under foot, simply because two
pretender. to throne will either have
their claims conceded or plunge the country
into war. Royalty means war in Spain just
as it would mean war in France tomorrow if
the Bonapartsts or the Bourbons were per-
mitted to draw the sword We are rapidly
coming to this political lesson in the nine
teenth century, that royalty means war and
repubicanism means peace, and in no coun-
| try has the lesson been more strikingly taught
than in unhappy Spain.