The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-01-06
ISABELLA II, OF SPAIN.
By JAMES PARTON.

Unhappy Spain 1t had been cursed for
nearly two centuries by royal family which
has united the pride and language of all
Spaniards with the ObstInacy and Ignorance
of the Bourbons. Isabella H., the tawdry,
idle, sensual woman Just driven, from the
throne of Spain, fltly ends q dynasty which
has never contributed to the throne . re-
spectacle individual.
Her full name waf Marie Louise Isabel,
and she was born in 1910. Her father was
that absurd, incompetent Ferdinand VII,
whom Napoleon deprived of his crown, in
order to place it upon the head of Joseph
BOnaparte. This Ferdinand, as the reader
may remember, was so infatuated by Napo-
leon that he sent from his French prison,
''his sincere compliments to the Emperor
upon the installation of his Well-beloved
brother upon the throne of SPAIN" Nay,
more, the dethrOned monarch wrote to Jo-
seph soliciting the Honor of his friendship
and asking to be decorated with the grand
GORDON of his order. At the same time, he
sent him proclamations, signed by his own
hand, calling upon his late subjects to sub
NIT to their new sovereign. At the chat
teau assigned him by Napoleon, he celebra-
ted the victories of that conqueror by fire.
works and illuIninations, and especially did
he thus celebrate the victories gained by Ma
poleon over the Spanish. Having asked in
vain the hand of an Imperial Princess in
marriage. he stopped to write to one of Ma
poleon's Senators words like these:
''That which occupies me at present is
the ardent and cherished desire of my heart
to become the adopted son of his majesty
the Emperor, OUR august sovereign"
After degrading himself and his country
| thus, he was allowed, upon the settlement of
l. off To fr nd re-.
ascend the throne. Then, with his usual
weakness, he fell into the hands of bad ad-
VisSrs who caused him to revive the Inquisi.
| ton, and return to the system of absolute
! government. There never WAS a worse
| king He would have ruined Spain, if
Spain had not existed in a state OF ruin for
/ q hundred years. He was one of those bad,
weak monaIchs who are as ungrateful to
their friends as they are to: their enemies.
One day loyal volunteers came to salute him,
he said to the attendant courtiers:
''These are the same dogs with different
collars. - r
Three times this royal fool had been mar
ried but each of his wives in succession
had died, without leaving an heir to the
| throne. In 1929 he married daughter OF
the king of Naples, who year after gave
birth to Isabella, the subject of this article.
/ She came of bad blood on both sides; for il
is difficult to say which royal family was the
more detestahle, that of Naples or of Spain
Ruled by his new wife (tor it was ne.
cessity of his nature to be ruled by some
body the king now promulgated an edic
which was the cause Of lasting calamities
For hundred and fifty years the Salic Law
had been in force in Spain, which excluded
females from the throne. According TO thii
law, and according to public expectation
Don Carlos, the kings brother, was the heil
presumptiye, and the new born infant wa
excluded. Ferdinand's young wife, how
ever, three days after the birth of Isabella
prevailed upon MIN to issue decree which
annulled the Salic law, and re-establisheC
the right of females to inherit the crown.
Soon after to appease the anger of hi
brother Carlos, he Fesoinded the decree. 4
little later, overcome by the reproaches O
his wife and his wife's family, he re-estab
lished It. Soon after this second promulga
| ton, the poor, weak king died, leaving Il
his daughter, aged two years and clever
months, disputed succession, and to Spail
q civil war. The queen mother was ap
pointed regent of the kingdom. To ingra
iiate herself with the people, she granted
| liberal constitution. The Cortes, soon after
formally accepted her daughter as Queen o
Spain, aud, as formally, rejecteh the CLAIM
of Don Carlos. That prince, however q
the head of formidable party, maintaine'
the contest for seven years, during whicl
some of the fairest provinces Of Spain wer
devastated by fire and sword. In August