Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1885 — THE KING IS DEAD! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE KING IS DEAD!

Alfense oF Spain Passes Away, and the Queen Has Been Appointed Regent. The Ministry Resign, and Sagasta Be* turned to Power—Ho Danger of Revolution. At the early age of twenty-eight Alfonso Francesco de Assisi Ferdinando Pio Joan Maria de la Concepcion Gregorio, son of Isabella 11. and King of Spain, has yielded his scepter and sleeps with his ancstors. Robust neither in mind nor constitution, aggravating by his oyrn incontinence the infirmities inherited with his regal rank, this young monarch passed a feverish and unhappy existence. During much of his

nonage his mother was in exile, but in 1874 he was called to the throne only to encounter the rebellion of the Carlists. This suppressed, the nation has enjoyed a large measure of tranquillity, which may disappear in revolution now that he is gone, leaving as his heir only a very young daughter, during all of whose infancy a regent would be necessary. THE MONARCH’S DEATH. The Queen Appointed Regent—Political Future of Spain. [London dispatch. King Alfonso of Spain died at Madrid on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 25, of consumption, accelerated by dysentery. Throughout Monday . night the King had spasmodic fits, the result of fever and debility. Six doctors from Madrid and two physicians of El Pardo were In constant attendance upon him. They decided on Tuesday morning that his Majesty was in a dangerous condition. The fits continued throughout Tuesday, and finally resulted in his death. The Pope’s benediction arrived before he expired. All officers of state and the Cabinet members, except the Minister of War and the Minister of the Interior, were present at the death-bed. The Cabinet met immediately, and the Queen was appointed Regent. In accordance with the law, the members of the Cabinet have tendered their resignations, but will remum in office pending the Regent’s pleasure. Grave fears are entertained of a disturbance, and orders have been given to have the troops confined in the barracks. It has boen decided to proclaim a state of siege at Madrid. A large force of military and police is being quartered throughout the country as a precaution against a Carlist uprising. Princess Mercedes, the five-year-old daughter of Alfonso, will be Queen under the regency of her mother, Christina. Senor Sagasta will form a new Cabinet. Washington telegram. The Spanish Legation on Massachusetts avenue is draped in mourning on account of the death of King Alfonso. Mr. Valera, the Spanish Minister, speaking of the probable effect of the King’s death upon the political future of Spain, said to-day: “I see no reason why it should materially disturb the existing condition of things. It is natural to suppose that the Queen will be appointed Regent until her eldest child, now five years old, shall reach her majority. The King had grown in popularity ever since his succession to the throne eleven years ago. At that time the republican spirit was very strong among a certain portion of the Spanish people, ! and Alfonso had many bitter prejudices to overcome. This he gradually dim” 1

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Historical Sketch of the Deceased Ruler. Alfonso Xn. (Alfonso Francisco de Assisi Ferdinando Pio Juan Maria de la Concepcion Gregorio, etc.), King of Spain, eldest son of the exQueen Isabella 11., was bora Nov. 28,1857. When his mother was driven from the throne by the revolution of 1808, he accompanied her to Paris, where he resided with her for some time, but subsequently he went to Austria, in order to prosecute his studies in the Theresianum, or nobleman's academy, at Vienna, to which he was admitted Jan. 20,1872. He .remained there three months. June 25, 1870, Queen Isabella formally abdicated her right to the throne of Spain in favor of her son, but no open steps were taken at that time to secure for him the position which this abdication left open to him. His pretensions were, however, opposed by his cousin, the eldest son of the Duke of Montpensier, and his aunt, the Infanta Luisa, bqt as so many qretenders were calculated to complicate matters, the claim of Louis Philippe’s grandson was ultimately waived in favor of the heir of Isabella, Early in 1874'the Princo of the Asturias, as he was then styled, visited England, was entered as a student at the military college at Sandhurst, and witnessed the antumn'-manenvers at Aldershot, Dartmoor, and other places in the fall of ths year. December 29, 1874, General Martinez Campostproclaimed him King of Spain in Valencia, and a few days later Alfonso, who had gone over to 'Paris in order to spend the Jour de I’Ah with his mother, left France for Spain, arriving at Madrid Jan. 14,1875. He was most enthusiastically received. Feb. IG, 1876, he departed from Madrid to take command of the troops operating against the Carlists, and the 20th of the following month he returned in triumph to the capital at the head of 25,000 men, having Bubdued the Carlist insurrection. In the same year the ex-Queen Isabella returned to Spain, and was received by her son at Santander JUly 29. King Alfonso married, Jan. 23. 1878, at Madrid, his cousin, the Princess Maria de las Mercedes, Infanta of Spain, daughter of the Due de Montpensier. (She was bom June 24, 1860.) The exQueen Isabella was much opposed to this union, and to mark her disapproval she left Spain abd went to Paris before the marriage Ceremony took place. Queen Mercedes died June 26, 1878. King Alfonso married secondly Nov. 29, 1679, Maria Christina, daughter of the late Archduke Charles Ferdinand, of Austria. (She was bom July 21,1858. Oct. 25, 1878, King Alfonso was fired at In Madrid by Juan Moncasir a workman, but escaped unhurt, Defe. 30, 1879, as the King and Queen were driving in an open ferriage through the palace gates at Madrid a youth named Francisco Otero Gonzalez Igans fired two pistol shots at the royal pair, one passing between them, and the other through an attendant's hat, but fortunately without doing further damage. Otero was tried in February, 1880, and sentenced to death. In 1883 the King made a visit to Germany and France. In Paris a demonstration was made against him which called out strong feeling in Spain and made the King more popular in his own country than he had ever been before. This popularity was increased by his visit to the cholera-infected districts last summer. In the order of succession fixed bjy the constitution of. 1870 Alfonso’s children come first, then his sisters, next his aunt, the second daughter of King Ferdinand, and her legitimate descendants, and’ finaUjw bis uncles (the brothers of Ferdinand,VlL) Should all the lines become extinct “the nation pill elect its monarch.* Panthers, wildcats and bears are reported very numerous in Sullivan and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania,