New-York tribune., 1902-05-13
FAREWELL TO QUEEN.
SPANISH CABINETS ADDRESS TO PRES,
ENT RULER.

Madrid, May 1.-THE brilliant weather to-
ssy encouraged the crowds to pour out into the
streets Of the city and every thoroughfare was
sIIed with merrymakers who were apparently
IN the happiest humor.
The appearance of the streets was In strong
contrast TO the scene which at the same time
was being enacted within the palace. Here the
festivity gave place to a drama. The Queen
Regent OF Spain sorrowfully taking leave OF
her ministers and practically relinquishing 10
the hands of her son the solemn charge which
she has so faithfully fulfilled for the last sixteen
and a half years.
Premier Sagasta and his colleagues proceeded
10 the palace at IL o'clock this morning for a
formal leave taking Of the Queen Regent and to
present for her majesty's signature the last
DEGREES to which her hand and seal will ever be
affixed as Regent of Spain.
When the Queen Regent withdrew her pen
from the parchment conferring the order of the
Golden Fleece upon the Duke Of Cumberland
her majestys eyes were moist. Her regency
really terminated at this time although until
the King takes the oath in the presence OF the
combined Chambers May II his mother
mains officially the Queen Regent.
It was a pathetic scene when the ministers
we're ushered into the Queen Regents cabinet
She received them with the young King at her
side. Premier Sagasta. in an eloquent address,
delivered in behalf OF himself and his colleagues.
recalled the day when the Queen Regent. fresh
from the grief Of widowhood. honored him with
her confidence. although she scarcely knew him.
He compared that day TO this when the young
King with his devoted mother at his side. was
about to exercise his constitutional prerogative.
81 was Prime Minister then. and am Prime
Minister now" said Sehor Sagasta. In the in
tervening years the speaker said. the noble
Queen Regent had been a slave to duty. She
had sacrificed her youth to the jealous guardian
ship Of her children. She had suffered much,
but found compensation to-day in the happiness
Of the King.
Turning the King, Senor Sagasta compared
the difficulties which confronted him to-day
with the situation at the death Of the late King,
his father. The present difficulties" said the
Premier, "are not insurnountable. Spain has
not progressed as much might be desired;
still, she has made substantial progress. Peace
and tranquility have been secured. the of
military pronunclamentos is past, and the atten-
ton of the people is centred in education and
labor"
Premier Sagasta said also that he hoped the
new reign would be pregnant with greater
achievements and greater blessings to the ma
tion than the preceding reign had been.
The Queen Regent listened 10 Sehor Sagasta
with increasing emotion. Finally, tears run
ming down her cheeks. she responded and
thanked the Premier for his words. Her
majesty said that, however short she might
have fallen from her own ideal, she had always
had the welfare Of the country sincerely at
heart and had done what she could TO repay
the loving kindness which had always been
shown to her. She said she hoped the coua-
cillors before her would help her son IS they
had helped her, because. although the Kins
might possess natural gifts, he was still young
and needed good advice
Then, after signing the decree fixing the cere-
rnonial Of taking the oath for May II, the Queen
Regent announced her desire to modify this
ceremonial Her majesty said that on May IL
her governmental functions would cease. and
that she would then become simply the Queen
dren but standing absolutely aside from public
affairs. Therefore. her majesty explained. she
desired to go 10 the Chamber accompanied solely
BY her daughters as the widow OF the late
monarch without any Gstentation and receiving
only the honors due her personal rank.
Premier Sagasta respectfully replied that the
ministers were unable TO accede to her mai
estv's desires in this matter because until the
King took the oath she was still the Regent
and ought to accompany her son until the last
solemn moment.
The Queen Regent yielded to Premier Sa-
gasta's representations and agreed TO accom-
pany the King 10 the steps of the throne.