THE CANDIDATURE TO THE THRONE.

Southland Times, Issue 1168, 31 May 1869, Page 3

THE CANDIDATURE TO THE THRONE.

The close of the sitting in tbe Cortes on Monday, March 8, was marked by an episode of somewhat important characterIn answer to a question, General Prim declared that the Provisional Government did not intend to relieve the Duke de Montpensier of his rank of Marshal of the Spanish Army. He added that tbe question, which originated with the Bepublican minority, was raised with the object of eliciting the views of the Go vernment as regards the candidature to the throne. A liberal contemporary thus comments on the candidature of the Duke de Montpensier and the recent discussion in the Cortes : — " A strong light has been thrown both on the past and on the future of the Spanish Revolution by an important statement made in the Conßtitutent Cortes. That body, it would seem, is exceedingly eager, if it is not beginning 1 , to grapple with the question, ' Who shall be King ?' and, probably in the hope of eliciting the views held by the Government of Marshal Serrano, a Bepublican Deputy asked why the Duke of Montpensier had been allowed to retain his military rank as Captain-General or Marshal. General Prun, in reply, boldly affirming that the existing Government had no intention to deprive the Duke of his rank— on the ground, it would appear, that, being Provisional, it had not seen itself called on to interfere in such a manner with a personage who was at the time out of the country. Two Bepublican members thereupon made a violent onslaught on his Boyal Highness ; who was defended by Admiral Topete against what would seem to have been imputations of. cowardice and indifference to the success of the revolt against Queen Isabella's corrupt rule. When the war with Morrocco broke out — said Topete — the Duke desired, but was not allowed, to take part in the campaign ; and if he did not come to Cadiz with the revolutionary leaders in September, that was because he had been advised by one of them — even .by the Admiral himself — that such a course was not proper, or the best, for him to pursue. Here, then, we have a frank admission that there was correspondence between the Duke and the chiefs of the revolt before the pronim- i ciamiento of Cadiz had shaken Queen Isabella from her throne; and that, if the Montpensier was not placed in the front of the Revolution, it was simply because his friends did not consider that his interests would thus best be served. It is impossible not to recognise the insight which these disclosures give into the secret history of recent events in . Spain ; even if they had not been followed up by the distinct declaration of Topete, that he preferred the accession '• '6f the Mbntpensiers to the establishment'^ No doubt, the j outspoken Admiral does not now possess an official capacity, as he did before Serranno was made Provisional Dictator ; while the cautious and conciliatory Marshal deprecated discussion as to who should succeed Isabella, affirmed that Topete' 1 j Jittered " only his individual ~o^iniip!i£ atfid 1 professed that the Goverhtrient and the country wfere" bound to

await the supreme decision of the Cortes. We know, however, that the Deputies, by a majority of three to one, are in favor of a Monarchy ; the only question before them is, 'Who shall be our Monarch Y 1 And the name of every candidate but the Montpensier has ceased to be mentioned, either within or without the Cortes Hall.