1874 - Political Events

Political Events

Britain's first Gladstone ministry ends February 17 as the Tories regain power. A second Disraeli ministry begins February 21 and will continue until 1880.

Spain's president Emilia Castelar y Ripoli is defeated in the Cortes (National Assembly) January 3 and forced to resign, ending the first Spanish republic. General Manuel Pavía y Rodríguez de Alburquerque, 46, uses force to dissolve the cortes in a coup d'état designed to block a return of more radical republicans to power, and he summons former prime minister Francisco Serrano y Domínguez to head a new government. Alfonso XII, now 17, declares a constitutional monarchy November 24 and issues a manifesto from England's Sandhurst military school December 1 in response to a birthday greeting from his followers, who include generals disillusioned with the republic (see 1873). General Arsenio Martínez Campos, 43, issues a pronunciamento December 29 restoring the Bourbon monarchy. No Alfonso has ever reigned over a united Spain, but Alfonso XII, son of the deposed queen Isabella II, proclaims himself the sole representative of the Spanish monarchy and begins a reign that will continue until his death in 1885. The fourth Carlist pretender, Carlos María de los Dolores de Borbón y Austria-este, duque de Madrid (Don Carlos), now 26, flees the country, as does Francisco Serrano y Domínguez (who will not recognize Alfonso until 1881), and Martínez Campos takes command of Alfonso's forces (see 1876).

The Hawaiian king Lanalilo dies February 3 at age 39. His political opponent David Kalakaua, 37, wins election to succeed him and will reign until his death in 1891.

Lyme, Connecticut-born lawyer-politician Morrison R. (Remick) Waite, 57, wins unanimous Senate confirmation January 21 as chief justice of the Supreme Court to succeed the late Salmon P. Chase. Waite has had no judicial experience, has never argued a case before the high court, but served ably as a counsel in the Alabama proceedings at Geneva and will preside over the court until his death in 1888.

Former U.S. diplomat Nicholas P. Trist dies at Alexandria, Virginia, February 11 at age 73; former president Millard Fillmore at Buffalo, New York, March 8 at age 74; Sen. Charles Sumner (R. Mass.) of a heart attack at Washington, D.C., March 11 at age 63.

President Grant appoints former solicitor general Benjamin H. Bristow secretary of the treasury July 3, and Bristow will effect drastic reforms in the department (see 1873; Whiskey Ring breakup, 1875).

A Cuban revolutionary tribunal deposes President Carlos de Céspedes in absentia (he has been criticized for his ambivalence on the slavery issue), and he is forced into hiding (see 1873). Spanish troops discover the rebellion leader and shoot him at San Lorenzo on or about March 22 at age 54, but the insurrection that started in 1868 continues (see 1876).

British troops under Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley enter the Ashanti capital Kumasi (Coomassie) February 4, ending the second Ashanti War (see 1826). Now 41, Wolseley lost an eye at Sevastopol in 1855, served in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, and commanded an expedition to put down the Red River Rebellion in Canada 4 years ago. He sets Kumasi afire before withdrawing, but hostilities will continue (see 1896).

Britain annexes the Fiji Islands in the Pacific.

Japanese leader Issei Maebara helps to suppress a great rebellion at Saga led by his former associate Eto Shimpei (but see 1876).

Japanese troops invade Taiwan in July despite opposition from officials who include Takayoshi Kido, who resigns in protest (see Korea, 1873). Tokyo excuses the invasion by citing the deaths of 54 Okinawan seamen who were killed in 1871 after a shipwreck. The Japanese send delegates to China to assure the Chinese that no offense is intended, but they reassert claims to Okinawa (see 1873) and agree to recall the expedition from Taiwan in October only after China agrees to pay an indemnity and recognize Japan's right to Okinawa. Takayoshi Kido resumes office (see 1895; Korea, 1876).