Little has been received from Spain this week except rumours.
It is reported that Espartero, a childless man, is to be declared King, under the amazing name. of Baldomero I. ; that all Catalonia and Andalusia will declare for a Republic ; that Don Carlos, Junior, will invade the Basque Provinces ; that Prim will be declared Dictator; that Madrid is on the point of insurrection ; and that the Duke of Aosta is intriguing for the throne. Very few of these reports are worth ten minutes' attention, and the only facts are that Spaniards are subscribing readily for the loan ; that Serrano has created Prim Captain-General of the Army; that Prim has ordered the soldiery to abstain from politics, in an order that is a delicious satire on his own career ; and that the Cortes is to consist of only 350 deputies, so as to be as little popular as possible. Lastly, the Minister of the Interior has reduced the sentences to be inflicted on all classes of criminals, the most impudent assumption of legislative power yet ventured on even by the Provisional Government, and the day for the meeting of Parliament remains unsettled.
Previous page
