Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-07-19
IRON tie PAN Mali G..ette.lI
Queen Isabella's Abdioation-Text Of
Her Proclamation to the Spaniards,.

Queen Isabella'a Abdioation-Text Of
Her Proclamation to the Spaniards.-
The full text of Queen Isabella's farewell
to.the Spanish people ispuBlished this morn
isg. 1t is as follows:
Spanidrds My longreigu hasseen many
sad and troubled periods-sad above all for
me, because the glory of certain facts and the
progress realized while ruled the destiny of
our dear country cannot make me forget that,
loving peace and the increase of the public
good ever saw my deepest and most cher
ished feelings, my noblest aspirations. and my
most earnest wishes for the prosperity of Spain
thwarted by acts Independent of my will
As child thousands of heroes proclaimed my
name, but the horrors Of war surrounded my
cradle. As girl bad no thought but to
second proposals which appeared good and
calculated to secure your happiness, but the
heated strife of parties allowed no time for the
law and for the love of prudent reforms to'take
root. AT an age when reason Is fortified by
experience, the ungoyernable passions ofmen
whom would not oppose at the cost of your
blood-more precious to me than my own
have driven me to foreign country far from
the throne of my ancestors to this friendly.
hosbitable and illustrious land, but which ia
not my own country, nor that of my children
Such, in brief, is the political history ofthirty-
FIVE years, in which have exercised the SUI
preme representative power of the people
to my charge By Gods law, by personal right,
and by national right. Rejecting upon this
period, I cannot accuse myself of contributing
with deliberate intention to the evils laid to
my charge or to misfortunes which 1 was
powerless to avert. A constitutional Queen,
i L., koJt ~ SsI,
woman before all, and loving mother, SPANS
sons are all equally dear to me. The misfor>
tunes which could not prevent were miti-
gated by me as far as possible. Nothing was
more grateful to my heart than to pardon and
reward, and omitted nothing to prevent my
subjects tears from flowing in my cause
With desires and feelings that have ueverthe-
less been vain to spare me, in my country or
away from it, the bitter trials affecting my
life, resigned to suffer them, and accepting
the designs of Divine Providence, believe
can yet freely and spontaneously perform this
last of my acts, all of which, without excep-
ton, have sought to promote your prosperity
and to secure your tranquility. Twenty
months have passed since l set foot upon
foreign soil, apprehensive of ills which, in
their blindness, tenacious supporters of ille-
gitimate aspirations, who have been con-
demned by the laws of the kingdom, by the
vote of many assemblies, by the right of
victory, ard by the declarations of the govern
ment of civilized Europe, do not hesitate to
endeavor to reproduce. In these twenty
months my afflicted soul has never ceased to
hear the suffering cry which arises from my
never-forgotten Spain. Full of faith in its
future, solicitous for its greatness, integrity
and independence, grateful for the support of
those who were and are attached to me, for
getting the affronts of those who do not know
me or insult me, for myself 1 ask nothing,
but would obey the impulse of my heart
and the loyal sentiment of the Spaniards by
coniding to their honor and noble feeling the
destiny of a traditional dynasty and the heir
of hundred kings.
Here follows the act of abdication trans.
ferring the crown to the Prince, under the
title of Alfonso MI, Isabella preserving all
civil rights, and the custody of Alfonso while
living abroad. and until proclaimed King by
the Government and Cortes representing tho
legitimate vote of the nation.