Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-13
BID ADIEU TO QUEEN REGENT.
Spanish Cabinet Members Parties to a
Pathetic Scene.

A dispatch from Madrid yesterday says:
The brilliant weather today encouraged the
crowds to pour out into the streets OF the
city. and every thoroughfare was filled with
merrymakers.
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 Span was
sorrowfully taking leave of her ministers
and practically relinquishing to her son the
solemn charge which she has so faithfully
fulfilled for the past sixteen and a half
years.
Premier Sagasta and his colleagues pro-
ceeded to the palace at IL o'clock this morn
ing for formal leave-taking of the queen
regent, and to present for her maiesty'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 comforting the Order of
the Golden Fleece upon the Duke of Cum
berland her eyes were moist. Her regency
really terminated at this time. although
until the king takes the oath in the presence
of the chambers, May IL, his mother re-
mains officially the queen regent.
1t was a pathetic scene when the minis
tiers We're ushered into the queen regents
cabinet. She received them with the young
king at her side. Premier Sagasta, in an
in behalf of himself and his colleagues. re-
called the day when the queen regent, fresh
from the grief Of her widowhood, honored
him with her confidence, although she
scarcely knew him. He compared that day
to this. when the young king, with his de-
voted mother at his side, was about to enter
upon an exercise of his constitutional pre-
rogative.
new reign would be pregnant with greater
achievements and greater blessings to the
nation than the preceding reign had been.
The queen regent listened to Senior Sa-
gasta with increasing emotion. Finally,
with tears running down her cheeks, she
responded and thanked him. Her majesty
said however short of her own ideal she
might have fallen, she always had the well
fare of the country sincerely at heart, and
had done what she could to repay the loving
Kindness always shown her. She said she
hoped the councillors would help her son
as they had helped her, because, although
the king might possess natural gifts, he
was still young and needed the help of good
advice.
Then, after signing the decree fixing the
ceremonial of taking the oath for May
H. the queen regent announced her desire
to modify this ceremonial. Her majesty
said that on May II her governmental func-
tons would cease, and she would then be-
come simply the queen dowager, jealous
for the welfare of her children, but stand
ing absolutely aside from public affairs.
Therefore, her majesty explained that she
desired to go to the chamber accompanied
solely by her daughters, as the widow of
the late monarch, without any ostentation.
and receiving only the honors due her per-
sonal rank.
Premier Sagasta respectfully replied that
the ministers were unable to accede to her
majesty's desire 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 Sagasta's repre-
sensations and agreed to accompany the
king to the steps of the throne.