704 



SPAIN. 



offered to us the crown of this noble country, we 

 have judged, after acquiring the certainty that such 

 election would involve no obstacles to the peace of 

 Europe, that we ought to accept with gratitude an 

 offer so honorable for us, although it is so weighty 

 and imposes duties so difficult to fulfil. Thus it is 

 that we have only decided to accept it in the^firm and 

 unalterable resolution to employ all our efforts and 

 to consecrate all our existence to the good and pros- 

 perity of this great people. One of the surest means 

 of obtaining it will be the maintenance of cordial 

 harmony with the foreign sovereigns and states, 

 especially those Avith whom Spain has for some time 

 been bound up in friendly relations. Consequently, 

 on bringing to your Majesty's knowledge our advent 

 to the throne, which, after we took the oath to keep 

 and cause to be kept the constitution of the monarchy, 

 occurred on the 2d instant, we ask your Majesty to 

 be pleased to honor us with your friendship, and at 

 the same time to accept ours, which we hasten to 

 offer you, in the full security that it will be unalter- 

 able and continuous. In this confidence ^we ask God 

 to take your Majesty and the British nation into His 

 holy keeping. AMADEO. 



MADKID, January 20, 1871. 



The letter addressed to Ms father, Victor 

 Emmanuel, is couched in somewhat different 

 language, as might be expected from their re- 

 lationship. To the Pope, who was well known 

 to be as much opposed to the dethronement of 

 Queen Isabella and to Victor Emmanuel, the 

 King addressed the following letter : 



MOST HOLT FATHER : The Sovereign Cortes of the 

 Spanish nation having offered to us the crown of this 

 noble country, we have judged, after acquiring the 

 certainty that such election would involve no obsta- 

 cles to the peace of Europe, that we ought to accept 

 with gratitude an offer so honorable for us, although 

 it is so weighty and imposes duties so difficult to 

 fulfil. Thus it is that we have only decided to accept 

 it in the firm and unalterable resolution to employ all 

 our efforts and to consecrate all our existence to the 

 good and prosperity of this great people. Born and 

 educated in the pale of a Church which recognizes 

 your Holiness as its visible head, and being now 

 chief of a Catholic nation whose citizens, though 

 free to choose and practise the worship they think 

 best, in a great majority preserve the faith of their 

 forefathers vigorous and unblemished, it will be 

 our principal care, by our respect and adhesion 

 to your Holiness, that the constant relations be- 

 tween your Holiness and this generous nation may 

 be those which the spiritual father of the faithful 

 ought to maintain with his true sons. Consent, 

 therefore, your Holiness, that after notifying you of 

 our advent to the throne, which, after our swearing 

 to keep and to cause to be kept the constitution of the 

 monarchy, occurred on the 2d instant, one of the first 

 acts of our reign may be to protest our filial love and 

 profound veneration. In asking your Holiness to be 

 pleased to concede to us your holy apostolic benedic- 

 tion as a proof of your desire that we may be able 

 worthily to comply with our new and elevated duties, 

 we pray with all our heart to the Almighty to pre- 

 serve your precious life for many and prosperous 

 years. 



Given in our palace at Madrid this 20th day of Jan- 

 uary, 1871, Most Holy Father, from your Holi- 

 ness's humble and devoted son, AMADEO. 



In February a serious misunderstanding 

 arose between the Governments of Spain and 

 Egypt, in consequence of an insult offered to 

 the clerk of the Spanish consulate in Cairo. 

 The Spanish Government demanded satisfac- 

 tion, and, when this was not immediately 

 granted, it sent its ultimatum ; but at length 



the mediation offered by other powers was 

 accepted by both Governments. 



At the new elections for the Cortes, held from 

 March 13th to 15th, the ministry obtained a 

 two-thirds majority. The new sessions were 

 opened by the King on April 3d. In his speech 

 from the throne the King expressed an ardent 

 hope for the pacification of Cuba, and a strong 

 desire for the resumption of relations with the 

 Pope. He also recommended many reforms, 

 especially as regards ,the finances of the coun- 

 try. On April 4th Olozaga was elected Presi- 

 dent of the Cortes. Nearly six weeks were 

 spent in the verification of the election returns. 

 The most important event in the political his- 

 tory of Spain about this time was the split in 

 the Republican party. At a national assembly 

 of delegates of the party, about one-third, un- 

 der the leadership of Benitas and Salvoechea, 

 the latter of whom had been one of the lead- 

 ers of the republican insurrection in Cadiz, 

 declared their sympathy with the Paris 

 Commune; while the others, and, in par- 

 ticular, Salmeron and Morayta, denounced the 

 Commune and disclaimed any sympathy with 

 its tendencies. The sessions of the Cortes 

 were in general very stormy. A great tu- 

 mult was produced when, on May 22d, the 

 radicals presented a resolution for the estab- 

 lishment of a republic, and the Carlists sub- 

 mitted a motion declaring the election of King 

 Amadeo to be void, and that Don Carlos of 

 Spain was the rightful king. The discussion 

 was long and excited, but was finally adjourned 

 without a vote upon either proposition. On 

 May 29th the Government, in reply to an in- 

 terpellation of Castelar, the head of the Re- 

 publican party, who had thus far studiously 

 avoided expressing any opinion on the Paris 

 Commune, declared that Spain would not close 

 its ports against any fugitives, but the Govern- 

 ment would comply with every just demand 

 of France, and conscientiously execute all ex- 

 isting treaties. On the next day, a violent de- 

 bate took place on the principles of the Com- 

 mune, and, finally, a resolution censuring these 

 principles was adopted by 233 against 25 votes. 

 In June the law on the reorganization of the 

 army was adopted by 182 against 27 votes, 

 after republicans and Carlists, by leaving the 

 hall, had twice delayed its adoption. The 

 draft of an address to the King, prepared by 

 the committee, was likewise adopted by a 

 considerable majority, 164 against 98. Not- 

 withstanding these two victories, the ministry 

 was determined to resign, as it appeared to lose 

 ground in the confidence of the country, owing 

 chiefly to great embezzlements discovered in 

 the administration of the finances. After sev- 

 eral endeavors of the King to form a new 

 Cabinet, composed of representatives of dif- 

 ferent parties, had failed, on July 24th Ruiz 

 Zorrilla, one of- the leaders of the Progresistas, 

 accepted the position of Prime Minister and 

 Minister of the Interior. The other members 

 of the new Cabinet were, Cordova, Minister of 



