DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. 



259 



will cover in mourning and blood the capita] of 

 Spain ? Rather than this should happen I prefer that 

 this should be the last day of my life. Alter having 

 struggled thirty years for the republic, a solution 

 that embraces all, and is the only salvation of the 

 country, shall we repel it for the convenience of a 

 dying dynasty? 



The President interrupted Figueras, saying, "I 

 beg, sir, you will not reflect upon the dynasty." 

 Many deputies exclaimed, "There is none I" Zor- 

 rilla cried out, excitedly, " Prove to me there is no 

 dynasty ! " an exclamation that provoked laughter. 



Fiirueraa responded that he always yielded to the 

 chair. He could do no less, however, than to put on 

 record, in conclusion, the words pronounced by the 

 Minister of State when he fought with us in the op- 

 position : " If the King disappears or perishes, wo 

 will say long live the nation." The King goes. What 

 are we to say now ? " Long live the nation I " The 

 crown renounced I From the moment those words 

 fell from the lips of the King, and the President 

 communicates them to us here, they are beyond 

 recall. 



Zorrilla eaid ho had made no official communica- 

 tion to the Chamber of the abdication of the King. 

 If he had communicated to the Council of Ministers 

 what his Majesty had said he had only done his 

 duty ; was that official ? What reason has Scnor Fi- 

 gueras given to precipitate a crisis and ask the Cortes 

 to declare itself in permanent session ? Is he afraid 

 that for some reason or other our liberties will be 

 lost ? Does he suspect us to be traitors ? Does he 

 think we are weak ? Suppose we are weak ! What 

 powers does he wield to substitute for ours, to do 

 what we are unable to accomplish ? What is meant 

 by this permanent session ? I beg Senor Figueras to 

 explain his purpose. Is it understood that the ses- 

 sion is to go on even in the absence of a majority of 

 the deputies, as if an enemy were at our gates ? Is 

 it intended that the Chamber may at any moment 

 come to a supreme decision, overturning the dynasty 

 and the Government and all the public powers i If 

 BO, the Government cannot accept the proposition. 



Figueras said he did not suspect any one in par- 

 ticular, but every one in general. lie was like the 

 authors of the representative system, deither more 

 nor lees. He was accustomed to hear many promises, 

 and the sound of cannon answered them. It was 

 not intended that the Cortes should go on debat- 

 ing interminably, because moments may happen in 

 which there will be nothing to discuss. But he de- 

 nmridvd there should be no adjournment ; that they 

 should await events in their seats, and meet them in 

 a way becoming the magistracy of a great nation. 



Zorrilla said he recognized the solicitude of the 

 Chamber, but he could not admit that the Govern- 

 ment needed a guardian to see that it performed its 

 duties. The cabinet was competent to fulfill its 

 trusts and defend liberty. 



Figueras said he was sure the minister had not 

 understood him. Every one knew there was no ex- 

 ecutive power ; that a struggle was imminent between 

 the legislative and executive departments. We were 

 menaced by a reactionary ministry. The President 

 of the Council himself intimated that he had so ad- 

 vised the King. 



Zorrilla interrupted and said he had not said this, 

 but he ha<l a right so to advise the Kinjr. 



Figueras : " I so understand you ; if I am mis- 

 taken I am glad. We are in critical moments. It is 

 necessary that Madrid see a power to protect it ; that 

 the Cortes be here in the exercise of their powers to 

 meet any exigency." 



Zorrilla: "Let' it be understood that I have had 

 no occasion to advise the King, and that I have not 

 advised him. The ground taken that there is no 

 executive power confirms my position. One of two 

 things must be done. If there is an executive author- 

 ity, as I affirm, there is no need of a permanent ses- 

 sion. If the Chamber thinks that the executive has 

 ceased to exist, then let it proceed to name one at 



once. The Republicans and other deputies can be as 

 distrustful as they choose, but I maintain that the 

 cabinet exercises the executive power, with the 

 sanction of the crown and the vote of the Chambers, 

 until we are dismissed by the one or the other. I 

 might have furnished Senor Figueras a solution con- 

 sistent with the dignity of the Government and the 

 apprehensions of himself and his friends, but he 

 wishes something else to which I cannot consent." 



The Minister of State (Martos): "This is not the 

 time for long speeches, but for great and patriotic 

 decisions. 1 he situation is grave. Let us not ag- 

 gravate it. Let us consider calmly what is happen- 

 ing. Senor Figueras has reminded me of what I said 

 on a former occasion. I do not forget the words. I 

 said one day, from yonder benches (pointing to the 

 left) that when all should be lost, that when un- 

 happilv there should be no king, we would cry : 

 ' The King is dead long live the nation ! ' I repeat 

 it now. But let the Chamber say it when the King 

 is gone. I beg you to hear me, to listen to one who 

 has a right to your attention j because he has never 

 spoken unless to express his honest, sincere, and 

 patriotic purposes. Does not the constitution afford 

 us the means to meet pacifically and legally any 

 crisis that may arise ? If so, you have not the 

 right to anticipate events or to manifest distrust. 

 Your apprehensions may be excused by your patriot- 

 ism, hut they have no foundation. Has the moment 

 arrived when you should bring to this bulwark of 

 liberty the torch of discord? I am a minister of 

 the crown, one of a cabinet that has thus far mer- 

 ited the confidence of the Chambers. I must pre- 

 serve my honor and loyalty as one of his Majesty's 

 ministers, and more than ever if his Majesty per- 

 sists in his determination. I heard with disdain 

 the excitations to a greater loyalty addressed to me 

 in times when the dynasty was prosperous, but in 

 this hour of the King's extremity I shall not refuse 

 him my voice, mv counsel, or my life. It is true, 

 gentlemen, that I fear the decision of the King is 

 irrevocable. After making known his purpose, I 

 fear he must execute it. This being so, I ask, can 

 any thing be more clear than the future of the Re- 

 publican party ? The difficult point in the situation 

 is with those who are resolved to perform their du- 

 ties as a government until the King has signed his 

 abdication, and until the Cortes have established 

 such a government as it may please them to ordain. 

 I know that in maintaining our trust we may see 

 the blood of the people shed, and you will compre- 

 hend the gravity with which we appreciate the 

 situation. This last duty to the dynasty performed, 

 I nm also one of tliose who will be found where 

 liberty is fighting, in the ranks of her common sol- 

 diers, indifferent to the mere name inscribed upon 

 the banner. This is one of the difficult moments 

 of public life, not for you, Republicans, who have 

 only to be patient, because, if the King goes, there 

 is nothing else possible but the republic. And you, 

 by your impatience, are compromising the republic 

 and liberty. [Loud protests from the Republican 

 seats !] Rather than your interruptions I would pre- 

 fer reasons. I would rather Senor Castelar should 

 tell me whether or no I am right. Yon demand a 

 permanent session. That is to say, there is no 

 executive, and the Assembly assumes all powers. 

 [ l No ! No ! '] Then if you do not mean that, so much 

 the better. The Government says we can preserve 

 order better than an assembly, because deliberative 

 bodies cannot be efficient guardians of public order. 

 [A voice, ' We watch over liberty 1 '] The Govern- 

 ment will look after liberty and we will all look 

 after the liberties of Spain. But are we in that ex- 

 tremity that we must watch without a moment of 

 rest? There is no occasion for such sleeplessness, 

 because the dangers which Senor Figueras imagines 

 do not exist. After all, what has Senor Figueras 

 told us ? That we may have a reactionary ministry, 

 supported by an armv that might reach Madrid in 

 twenty-four hours. The moment when the King 



