The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-19

my house. Bu, Ia the mean time, what was your
conduct You threw my Whole palace into con
fusion. Yen instigated my guards TO turn against
me. Your father was your prisoner My prime
minister, whom had reared and adopted into
my family, was dragged bleeding from dungeon
To dungeon You have disgraced my grey hairs
you have bereft them of crown worn with lus-
tire by my ancestors, and which had preserved
without a stain; YOU have assembled my throne,
and put yourseifin,o the hands of the people OF
Madrid, who are nsigated by the members OF
your party, and OF the foreign troops that have
entered the city.
The conspiracy at the Escurial was accomplish
e., and the acts of my government were com
gncd to public contempt. Old, and loaded with
in6rmities, could not withstand this new mis-
Fortune, and fed 10 the French emperor, 10 lon
ger king at the head OF his troops, and sur
rounded with the lustre of the throne, but as an
unfortunate ard abandoned prince. / have found
place of refuge and protection in the midst OF
his army. lam indebted to him for my life, for
the life of my queen, and that Of my prime mi
MISTER. i have followed you To Bayonne. You
have brought affairs to such state, that hence
forth every thingmust depend upon the arrango-
ments and protection OF this great prince. To
nave recourse to instruction of the people, to
plant the standard OF faction, would be the ruin
Of Spain, and would reduce Yourself, my king
dom, my subjects, and my family TO the greatest
he emperor. He is acquainted With all the in
suits have received, and the usurpatons mpos-
ed upon me He has declared to me that he will
neNer acknowledge you as king, ANA that the enc
my of ms father can excite no confidence in the
! breast of a stranger. He has, besides, shewu
me letters which sontain proofs OF your aversion
for France
Under these circumstances, it is evidently my
right, and still more evidently my duty, 20 spare
the blood of my SUBJ ects, and not at tie cad of my
dsvs to adj Pta course which would expose Span,
20 fire and sword, and reduce the country TO a
most wretchcd condition Assuredly you ought,
fthfal to your duty, and to the feelings of nature.
10 have rejected the traiterous counsels given
you. Had you constantly appeared by my side,
resdy for my defence, and had waited TIL the u
sual course of nature had raised YOU TO the throne
then the political interests Of Spain might have
been brought TO coincide with the interests OF all
Doubtless for th0se six months circumstances
nave been very critical but snch as they were,
! should not have feared 90 meet them, support.
ed by the good conduct of my subjects, and even
my own feeble efforts, bat above all with the mo-
raj power which should have possessed in pre-
posing to my ally an arrangement calculated to
reconcile the interests of my subjects and my "a
mIly In depriying me of my crown, you have
broken your own in pieces; you have stripped it
OF al tllat vas lustrious, of all that renders it
sacred in the eyes of men.
i'Nt Eos' COiiSlucl towards me, ana your inter-
cepted letters, have erected a brazen wall he
tween you and the throne Of Spain. am 4 king.
IN the right of my ancestors My abdcation was
i consequence ri compusiun. nave, therefore,
nothing 10 receive from you. l can consent %
no meeting-I will consent to nothing that may
occasion civil war, insurr ecton. Evc,y
thing ought to be done for the people, but nothing
by them, and to forget this principle is to make
ourselves guilty of al the consequences which It's
L tbpOu prll my who lei
sacrificed myself for my people, and at the years
at which am arrived, shall never do my act re-
pugnant to their religion, their tranquility and
their prosperity But all my sacrifices will be
forgotten whenever l am informed that the reli.
gion Of Spain, tic invioablity of my provinces
and their privileges and independence are secur-
ed: shall then lie down in my grave, fnrs;v:ns
you all the sorrow which in my latter years you
nave occasoned me.
CHARLES.
Done at Bayonne, in the Imperial Palace, call
ed the government, May 2, 1903.