352 353
Portugal does not offer much war-interest, though plenty of historical associations, in its postage stamps. The Republic followed so soon after the assassination of King Carlos that the stamps with the portrait of the young King Manuel had no long service without a distinguishing mark to show that the stamps were issued by the Republican Government ([Fig. 350]). These have since given place to a distinctive Republican design ([Fig. 351]). It is interesting to note that the Red Cross Society and the Civilian Rifle Corps in Portugal have a limited privilege of free postage, for which they use their own special stamps ([Figs. 352, 353]).
The postage stamps of Spain introduce us to the revolutionary element in 1868 in which year Isabella II. fled to France as a result of the revolution under Prim and Serrano. That was in September, and the current stamps were overprinted before the end of the year with the words HABILITADO POR LA NACION (authorised by the nation), signifying that they were now being used under the Provisional Revolutionary Assembly. One of the forms of overprint reads HALILITADO POR LA JUNTA REVOLUCIONARIA. Some of the known overprints did not emanate from the headquarters of the Provisional Government but were added at the order of local juntas or revolutionary councils. The familiar emblematic figure of Spain followed on the stamps issued on January 1, 1870.
The republican form of government did not last long, and in 1870 the Duke of Aosta, second son of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, was chosen King of Spain, now a limited monarchy, as Amadeus I., and his portrait was introduced on the stamps
of 1872-73. The tiny ¼c. de peseta stamps of the former year bear a small design of a royal crown.
Changes at this period followed in rapid succession, and Amadeus failing to make headway as a constitutional Sovereign resigned his troublesome crown in February, 1873, in favour of peaceful retirement in Italy. The little stamps aforementioned were changed under the new government—this time another form of republic—to shew a mural crown in lieu of the royal one, and the portrait of Amadeus gave way to an emblematic figure Peace in July, 1873. Peace! What most desire, but few can obtain and keep. Nor was the next stamp design of Justice (July, 1874) much less wide of the mark.
There were actually in Spain between the revolution of 1868 and the restoration of the house of Bourbon three different types of republic, the limited monarchy under Amadeus, and a military dictatorship. In 1872, too, the pretender Carlos proclaimed himself King of Spain, and issued the celebrated Carlist stamps from 1873 to 1875. So far as the general issues of Spanish stamps are concerned, their changes subsequent to the restoration of Alphonso XII., son of Isabella II., are free from further revolutionary changes, but there are postal war tax stamps of 1874-1879, and 1898 (Fig. 354).
