Year: 1869

document called the manifesto of Queen
Isabella has appeared IN Pads, aud is TO this
eject


Sran ard. Since my infancy, and because you
desired 1t, have been the national symbol OF
your rights and your liberties. Men whom ]
had loaded with benefits when they appeared
before me as your friends and your defenders:
all at once pretended, after having hundred
times sworn the contrary, that my dynasty was
All lnBurM oun able obstacle TO your happiness,
to the glory of our country, to the extension OF
It's moral and material interests. Ny heart told
me that they he'd; but never would undeceiVe
you at the cost OF civil war, preferred leaving
them to sDose, without obstacle and without
eoutlOi, OF the power by which they were to
make you more happy, more glorious, aud
richer. God is my witness hat II they had OBJ
tanned that result / would have blessed them
from my place of exile in spite Of their ingrai-
tCde to myself, happy to sacrifice my son to
yCu, and to rem ain 10 weep alone far from my
country. Five months have now passed a way.
Are you happier? Are you TicherY Are you
more glorious? Your best and poorest blood
has Redeemed the pavements of Cadiz and
Malaga. Your honor has been flung at the feet
OF all princes who put by with disdan the
crown TO which we ADDED the new jewel OF
Teluan; and your fortune is diminished by all
the gold which is divided before your eyes. Oar
precious and dear Cnba is on the point of being
given up to the foreigners who have acquired
1t; aud cur navy, whose guns thundered but
yesterday in the Pacific is become the humble
guard OF your bre. .hren crowded IN the holds OF
our ships. The tolerance Of which my soul has
drawn The secret from yours was enlarging
gradually before Us the horiz ms which raith
has opened TO US. Fanaticism has been reused
by the gratuitous insults offered to the servants
OF our God; and, as the tabernacles OF our
churches possess great value, they have laid
their hands even on our chalices in order to
prepare their inventory and their sale.


What are the political principles that have
been promulgated? Spain has lost in the Euro
pean concert the 1ank OF sixth great power
which We together had gained for her. Let but
some great event occur now in the world aud
We shall be excluded from common action.
Our noble country, towards which the eyes of
the world once turned when question of honor
was TO be settled, is low become tue theatre OF
scandalous iratIc. People suppose you are TO
be sold because some have I'D themselves; but
well know that you are still the iDheri,ors OF
the chivalrous honor of the Cid. Commerce
and industry are dead. Civil war, with its hor-
rors, is imminent, ard, as there Is no keystone
TO your social eddce, every one sees that IT must
tall upon you.


While embracing my children 1 think of
your 5, and kneel aud pray to Heaven to raise
up some one TO save you, even were he to bind
on his brows the dIadem which hold from my
ancestors. But, alas the salvation OF nations
can Only result from the application of defined
principles; and when genius is wanting the
81 mbol alone may be efficacous; but 1t is not
- around q symbol that an unsettled nation can
be reconstructed. That truth dictates to me my
duty; it makes me persist more than ever in the
firm resolve TO remain your sovereign.


The calamities which have fallen upon me ON
the throne must be to you sure guarantee that
If ! resolved not to deCcend from 1t, il is only
because desire to fulnl the duties which God
has imposed upon me, and because my whole
lite should be devot d Ia you.


Let us concert together to restore to Spain
peace, fortune, and glory. Let US put aside
without anger the i'll Lcapabie men who have de-
luded you. | ask o. you to pardon them as a
proof of the good they have done me in giving
you an opportunity OF avo wing that it is not
who was an obstacle to your happiness. The
reaction will never be saneuinary where my
heart can intervene, where your will, expressed
by unrestricted sutfrages, shall indicate the dis.
interested men who are to assist me in healing
the wounds of our country. Let US together
resume, bat henceforth enlightened as to per-
sons the work of regeneration, of tolerance,
and, above all, of liberty, Of which / am the
symbol. Let us prepare an era of glory and
prosperity for Your children, whom my
Alfonso learns from me each day to cherish
more and more. What has passed is but q
dream. Let us awake from it without even
remem bering that Spanish men have been found
to solicit from the foreigner the exercise of an
influence which my ancestors accustomed you
10 exercise all over the world. [ speak to you
at once as the heiress of Pelayo. OF Isabella the
Catholic, of Charles V, and OF Charles III, but,
above all as the chosen of your hearts-as the
woman whom you have habituated to suffer
with your suderings to feel pride with your
pride, TO be strong with your strength. / am
wholly yours and, with my son in my arms,
come 10 restore what has been taken from you
--repose, fortune, power, aud the supremacy of
your faith.