The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-22
ICo NTINUED.)


come time before received from the Royal Father,
assuring his majesty, that he never had the
slightest Information of the circumstances which
he communicated respecting his sonthe Prince of
Asturias, nor ever received any letter from his
Royal Highness.- Nevertheless, his majesty con-
sented tn Che proposed interlnarriaSc with Prin-
cess of his family, undoubtedly with an intenti-
on of amusing, the Royal Parents whilst he was
sending into Spain, under various pretexts, all
the troops which he had then disposable, and was
studiously propagating an idea that he was favo-
rablc 20 the cause of the Prince of Asturias, and
thus endeavoring to captivate the good opinion of
the spanish nation.
The ROYAL Parents. struck with the terror
which this conduct of the Emperor naturally in
spired, and the Favorite being still more aston
ished, opposed no obstacle to the entrance Of the
French troops into The peninsula on the contra
ry, they gave the most c!tctual orders. that they
should be received and treated even or better
footing than the Spanish troops.
The Emperor, und.r the pretence of con-
sulting the securtyof these troops, ordered his
Generals, by stratagempf force, to get possess
ion of the fortressc8 Of PaTnpeluna, St. Sebasti-
an, Figuieras, and Barcelona, which alone could
present any obstacle to IN INVASION. They were
accordingly taken by irlud and surprize, to the
Indignation and sorrowof the whole nation, to
which the French still Infected to proiIs friend
ship and alliance.
The Emperor, ooiceiving himself already
master of all Spain, and thinking the time had ar
rived for accelerating lis measures, thought pro-
per to write letter to the Royal Father, COM
planning, i'll the bitterst terms, that HIS maj sty
had not renewed his application for an Imperia.
Princess for his son tie Prince OF Asturas. The
King was pleased to return for answer, that he
adhered to his former proposal, and was will
ling that the marriage should Immediately take
place.
" Some important proceeding was still neces-
sary to carry the project to proper degree OF
maturity, and the Emperor not willing to trust it
to writing, thoughthe could not find better in
strurnent than DonEugenio Isquerdo, whom he
had detanad in Pats in state of great detection
and terror, that had been arttuliy impressed up
on him for the purpose OIL his more eHectualiy eX-
ecuting his compassion, by impress'ng the Roy
al Parents and the Fayorite with the same feet.
ings
dered Isquierdo to repair to Spain, which he
accordingly did, in very precipitate and mystic
rious manner. According to his verbal state
ments, he brought no proposal in writing with
him, nor was hcto receive any, and he had orders
to remain only three days
On his ARRIVAL, under these circumstances
at Aranjuez, the Favorite conducted him to the
presence of the Royal Parents, and their confer
ences were conducted with so much secrecy,
that it was impossible for any to discover the
object IF his mission but soon after his depar-
ture from this capital, their maiesties began TO
shew II disposition TO abandon the Metropolis and
the Peninsula, and to emgrate TO Mexico.
The recent example OF the determination ia
ken by the Royal Family of Portugal, seemed 10
have fully correspondent with the views of the
Emperor, and there is reason to think that his I'M
perial majesty promised himself similar success
in Spain.
But he must have been very Ignorant; OF the
Spanish character, to fattcr himself with such
expectations. Scarcely had the first reports gone
abroad, the intention of tie Royal Family to a.
bandon their residence, resolution clearly indi-
Gated by the many preparations which were go
ing on, when discomfort and fear were depicted
i'm the most lively colors in the features of all the
inhabitants of the capital, md of all ranks and
classes of persons. This alone was sufficient to
induce their majesties to refute the rurior, and
to assure the people that they would not abandon
them
Nevertheless, such was the general distrust
such the magnitude of the evils which must
have resulted, and such & so many the symptoms
of determination to eutigrate, that every ore
was ON the alert, and all seemed 20 be impressed
with the necessity OF preventing measure preg-
nant with SO many Inischiefs. The danger in
creased, and the fears of tie public kept pace
with it. The consequence was, that the cCnmo-
tons of Aranjuez, on the 18th and 18th OF March,
burst forth like sudden explosion the peopl.
being led by sort Of instinct Of self-preservatl-
on.
The result was, the Imprisonment ofthc Fla.
vorite, who without the title of king, had eXerci-
scd all the functions of royalty
Scarcely had this tempcstuous scene taken
place, when the Royal Parents finding themselves
deprived of the support of their FavOrite, took the
unexpected but voluntary resolution which they
had Tor some time entertained to abdicate the
throae, as they accordingly did in favor of their
son and heir tie Prince Of hst,Tias.
The Emperor, ignorant oil this sudden event,
and perhaps never surprising that the Spafiards
were capable Of displaying such resolution, had
ordered Prince Murat to advance with his army
towards Madrid, Under the idea that the Royal
Family were already on the coast, and on the
point Of cmbarking, and that far from meeting
the slightest obstacle on the part Ollie people, all
OF them would receive him with open arms, as
their deliverer AMI guardian angel lie cOnce-
we'd that the nation was In the highest degree dis
satisfied with their government, and never rehec-
ted that they were only dissatisfied with the
abuses which had crept into the administration
OF it.
{" The instant the grand duke Of Berg was ar
priced Of H. occurrence at AraDjuez, hc All
yanced with his whole army 20 occupy the CAPT
tai Of tho kingdom intending, no doubt, to pro-
fit by the occasion, and t. take such steps -
Combayc fh;s state5xrs, ;rih nc eoTsc-fs u
tie Ieifer I No Gros.t his inetria. u!4yesfy 10
&iag FerGis1s! an .shieI. he dckHoS!s.iyes havine
received the ieter so,iffea H. hiA By tie Prince 0t
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