160] ANNUAL REGISTER, iSig. 



ing a constitution for the general 

 benefit; and expressing their hope 

 that their American brethren would 

 aid the cause by a voluntary sub- 

 scription among all ranks and 

 classes, to be deposited in the royal 

 chests, and remitted to Spain. 



The Cortes, about this time, gave 

 a further proof of the liberality 

 of their sentiments, by a decree to 

 enable all Spanish subjects of 

 Moorish origin, either by the fa- 

 ther's or mother's side, to take de- 

 grees in the universities, and to 

 enter the religious orders, or the 

 priesthood — privileges, of which 

 former bigotry had deprived them. 



The 18th of March presented 

 an august and interesting spectacle 

 to the citizens of Cadiz, and to 

 all the Spaniards assembled for the 

 purpose of witnessing the com- 

 pletion of the labours of their repre- 

 sentatives. On that day the general 

 and extraordinary Cortes held a 

 solemn sitting for the purpose of a 

 public signature of the articles of 

 the constitution. Deputies from all 

 parts of the Spanish monarchy were 

 present, and 184 persons signed 

 two copies of the constitution. A 

 decree which had been approved at 

 a secret sitting was then read, re- 

 lative to the succession to the 

 crown, the object of which was to 

 guard against its coming into the 

 possession of those who were just- 

 ly considered as enemies to the 

 national independence. It was to 

 the following effect : " The gene- 

 ral and extraordinary Cortes, con- 

 sidering that the welfare and secu- 

 rity of the state are incompatible 

 with the concurrence of circum- 

 stances in the persons of the Infant 

 Don Francisco de Paula, and the 

 Infanta Donna Maria Louisa, Queen 

 of Etruria, brother and sister of 



Don Ferdinand VII. have resolved 

 to declare and decree, that the In- 

 fant Don Francisco de Paula, and 

 his descendants, and the Infanta 

 Donna Maria Louisa and her de- 

 scendants, remain excluded from 

 the succession to the crown of the 

 Spains. In consequence, in de- 

 fault of the Infant Don Carlos 

 Maria and his legitimate descend- 

 ants, the Infanta Donna Carlotta 

 Joaquina, Princess of the Brazils, 

 and her legitimate descendants, 

 shall come to the succession of the 

 crown; and in default of her heirs, 

 then Donna Maria Isabel, here- 

 ditary Princess of the two Sicilies, 

 and her legitimatedescendants; and 

 in default of these three nearest 

 relatives of Ferdinand VII. and 

 their descendants, then shall suc- 

 ceed the other persons and lines 

 who ought to succeed according to 

 the constitution, in the order and 

 form which it has established. At 

 the same time the Cortes declare 

 and decree excluded from the suc- 

 cession to the crown of the Spains 

 the Archduchess of Austria, Donna 

 Maria Louisa, daughter of Francis 

 II. Emperor of Austria, by his 

 first marriage, as also the descend- 

 ants of the said archduchess." 



A commission was then appoint' 

 ed to carry the constitution to the 

 regency, which received it with 

 profound respect, and engaged to 

 guarantee its observance in all the 

 Spanish dominions. On March 

 20th, all the deputies assembled in 

 the hall of congress to swear to the 

 constitution ; which being perform- 

 ed, the regency entered the hall, 

 and with due solemnity took the 

 oath of office prescribed in the 

 173d article of the constitution. 

 The president of the Cortes then 

 addressed the regency, and was 



replied 



