The people, displeased at the way the Cuban affairs were being managed, complained of the Government, and at the same time demanded that General Weyler should be recalled from the island.
At first the murmurs were not heeded, but they grew louder, until finally the people demanded that the Duke of Tetuan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
should be removed, for they supposed it was his fault that their requests were not granted.
The Duke himself put the finishing touch to the matter by boxing the ears of one of the members of the opposition party with whom he got into a heated discussion over the Morgan Bill.
The Spanish Parliament, the Cortes, was furious over this rude and extraordinary conduct. The opposition party absolutely refused to have anything to do with the Government party, to which the Duke belonged. No business could therefore be transacted in the Cortes, because the opposition would neither argue nor vote on the measures proposed.
It was suggested that the best way out of the difficulty was for the Duke to resign, but the Prime Minister, Señor Canovas, was unwilling that he should do so while Cuban matters were in such a very unsettled condition. He thought the best thing for the country would be a change of Ministry, and so he offered his resignation to the Queen.
The opposition rejoiced when the news of Señor Canovas's resignation was announced. The leader of the opposition, Señor Sagasta, was known to be in favor of giving the Cubans very liberal home rule, and also of recalling Weyler. Every one thought that he would be made Prime Minister in the place of Señor Canovas.
The Queen Regent, who rules Spain for her little son Alfonso, who is not old enough to govern for himself, sent for Señor Sagasta, and, as it is always the custom when a Prime Minister resigns for the sovereign to offer the post to the leader of the opposition
party, every one thought Señor Sagasta was as good as appointed.
The surprise was great therefore when the Queen, after her interview with Señor Sagasta, sent for Señor Canovas, and asked him to continue to be Prime Minister.