The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-07-30
SflisfeIIaneons ISeIeftions.I
IsABELLA TOR SPAIN.
BT JAMES PARTON

Unhappy Spainl Il has been cursed
for nearly two centuries by. a roya
family which has united the pride aDd
languor Of Spaniafds with the obstinacy
and ignorancs of the Bourbons. Isabells
IL the taWdry, idle and sensual woman
just driven from the throne of Spain
itly ends a dynasty which has never
contributed to the throne respectable
individual. 1n1H1 eri ~ Is'r5J ~
Her full name is Marie Louise Isabel,
and she was bOrnlin. 1880. Her father
was that absurd, incompetent Ferdinand
VII whom Napoleon deprived Of his
icrown, IN order to place It upon the
hsad Of Joseph Bonapafte. This
ferdinand, as the reader may remeni-
Der, was so infatuated by Napoleon,
that he sent from his French prison,
"his sincere compliments to the En-
iperor upon the Installation Of his we'll
beloved brother upon the throne of
Spain" Nay, more the dethtoned
monarch wrote to Joseph, soliciting Che
t'honor of his friendship" and asking
to be decorated with the grand Gordon
of his order AT the same time, he
|sento him a. proclamation, signed by
his own hand, calling upon his late
subjects to submit to their new SOW
FereigD. At the chateau assigned him
by Napoleon, he celebrated the victories
of that tonqueror by fireworks and
illumination; and especially did elcele-
brste the victories gained by Napoleon
over the Spanish. Having asked in vain
the hand of an imperial princess in
marriage, he stopped to write to one of
.NapOleon's senators words Ike these.
. HThat 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" ~ FL dA'i - 8.
After degrading himself and his
country thus, he was allowed, upon the
settlement of European affairs, to re-
turn to Spain, and re-ascend the throne.
Then, with his usual weakness he
fell into the hands of bad advisers, who
caused him to revive the inquisition,
and return to the system of absolute
government There never was worse
king. He would have ruined Spain if
Spain had not existed in state Of ruin
Tor a hundred years. Z He was one of
those bad, weak monarchp who are as
ungrateful to their friends as they are
cruel to their enemies. One day, dur
ing an insurreetion, when regiment
of loyal volunteers came to salute him,
he said to the attendant couTtiers. ar
"These are the same dogs, with diff
ferent collars"
'i Three times this royal fool had been
married but each Of his wives in sue
cesssion had died without leaving an
heir to the throne. In 1929, he mar
RED a daughter. Of the king of Naples,
who year after, gave birth to Isabella,
the subject Of this article. She came
Of bad blood on botho sides ,.fon it is
to say which royal family was
the more detestsble, that of Naples or
Of Spain. edi |
Ruled by his new wife (for it was
necessity of his nature to be ruled by
somebody the king now promulgated |
an edict which was the cause of lasting
calamities. For a hundred and fifty |
years, the Salic law had been in force |
in Spain, which excludes females from |
the thfones According to, this law,
and according to public expectation, |
Don Carlos, the kings brother, was the |
heir presumptive, and the new born |
infant was excluded. Fefdinand's |
young wife, however, three days after
the birth Of Isabella, prevailed upon
him to issue a decree which annulIed |
the Salic law, aud re-established the /
right for females to inherit the crown. /
s1Soon after, to 'sppease the anger of |
bis brother Carlos, he rescinded this |
decree, "A little later, overcome, by |
,he reproaches Of his wife and his
Rife's family, he established fit
Soon after his second PRONUNCIATION,
.he poor weak king died, leaving to his
daughter, aged two years and eleven
a disputed succession, anditot
Spain g civilowar. The qdeen-mother
Waa appointed Regent of the kingdom
To ingratuate herself with the people
,he granted a liberal constitution.
The Cortes soon after, formally accepted.
her daughter as Queen Of Spain, and
rs formally rejected the claim of Don
Carlos That prince, however, at the
head of q formidable party, maintained
,he contest for seven years, during
which some Of the fairest provinces oil
Spain we're devastated Il by fire and J
'Word. In August, 1889, the forces Of +
Don Carlos were finally defeated by,
and the prince sought ref
lge in France. He subsequently, re-
ired to- Austria, where he lived for
many years, and where, l think, he is
living still, quiet and harmless oldi
nan of eighty. -siIi
During the minority Of Isabella, the
history Of Spain consists only of the
itrugglesdofi rival politicians, and par-
81 G-,,skla,, ,o,.olk. 7 -.