Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-07-17
IsABELLA,s HISTORY.
The Ex Queen Of Spain Tells the Story Of
E.s.-e her Reign.

From the Pail Mall Gazstte.l
The full text of Queen IsabeIla's
farewell to the Spanish people is pub
lished this morning. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Spdniayds: My long reign has seen
many sad and troubled periods-sad
above all for me, because the glory of
certain facts and the progress realized
while I ruled the destiny of our dear
country cannot make NE forget that.
loving peace and the increase of the
public good, l ever saw my deepest
and most cherished 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 a girl l had no thought but to
second proposals which appeared good
and calculated to secure your happi-
ness, 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 forti-
fed by experience, the ungOyernable
passions of men whom 1 would not
oppose at the cost of your
blood-mOre precious to me than
my own-have driven me to
a foreign country far from the
throne of my ancestors, to this friend
ly, hoSpitable and iIlustrious land,
but which is not my own country,
nor that of my children. Such, in
brief, Is the political history of thirty
five years, in which l have exercised
the supreme representative power Of
the people committed to my charge
by Gods law, by personal right, and
by national right. Rejecting upon
this period, [ cannot accuse myself of
contributing with deliberate inten-
ton either to the evils laid to my
charge or to misfOrtunes which | was
powerless to avert. A constitutional
Queen, / have sincerely respected the
laws. A Spanish woman before all,
and loving mother, Spain's sons are
all equally dear to me. The misfor-
tunes which could not prevent were
mitigated by me AS far as possible.
Nothing was more grateful to my
heart than to pardon and reward,
and l omitted nothing to prevent my
subjects tears from flowing in my
cause. With desires and feelings that
have nevertheless been vain to spare
me-. in my country or away from It,
the bitter trials afflicting my life, re-
signed to suffer them, and accepting
the designs of Divine Providence, /
believe L can yet freely and sponta-
neousiy perform this last of my acts,
all OF which, without exception, have
sought to promote your prosperity
and to secure your tranquility.
Twenty months have passed since /
set foot upon foreign soil, apprehen-
siye of Ills which, in their blind
ness, tenacious supporters Of lille
gitlmate aspirations, who have
been condemned by the laws of the
kingdom, by the vote of many assem-
blieS, by the right of victory, and by
the declarations of the governments
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, So
licitous for its greatness, integrity and
independence, grateful for the support
of those who were and are attached to
me, forgetting the afronts of those
who do not know me or insult me, for
myself / ask nothing, but I would
obey the impulse of my heart and the
loyal sentiment of the Spahiards by
conflding to their honor and noble
feeling the destiny of traditional
dynasty and the heir Of hundred
kings. ..-...... ..-...,.
Here follows the act of abdication
transferring the crown to the Prince,
under the title of Alfonso XII, Isa-
bella preserving all civil rights and
the custody of Alfonso while living
abroad, and until proclaimed king by
the government and Cortes represent
ing the legitimate vote of the nation.