In the mean time, the Spanish are in such an excited state that the Government of Spain fears for the safety of our minister. A special guard was therefore ordered to accompany him from San Sebastian to Madrid.
On his arrival at Madrid, the guard, which had travelled with him on the train, again took him in charge, and conducted him safely to the American legation.
It is to be hoped that this angry feeling will soon subside, and that the Spaniards may allow the United States to show that her only wish in the matter of Cuba is to do what is just and right for all parties concerned.
The resignation of the Spanish ministry will of course delay the answer to our letter, as it would be wrong for the Government to press for an answer while affairs are so unsettled in Spain.
Austria has been having her share of excitement during the past week.
On the opening of the parliament in Vienna, a disgraceful scene was made by the members of the lower house.
The session was to be opened by the Premier, Count Badeni. When he entered the hall he was greeted with howls and hisses, and cries of derision.
For certain reasons, which we will explain later, the Premier is at present very unpopular with the parliament, and so the members greeted him in this shameful manner, and finally one of the members, becoming more excited than the others, advanced toward the Premier, and began calling him names.
The result has been a duel between the member, Dr. Wolff, and the Premier, and the occurrence has raised a storm throughout the country, for that a Prime Minister should fight a duel with another member of the Government is an unheard-of thing.