1808. ] 
_great Monarch, his ally, placing every thing 
in his protection, who alone can fix his hap- 
piness, and that of his whole family, and»his 
trusty and beloved subjects. Under the, pres- 
sure of the moment, and amid the clashing of 
weapons, and the cries of a rebellious guard, I 
fuund that I had to choose between my life 
and death, and that my death would-be fol- 
lowed by that of the Queen: I was compelled 
to abdicete the throne: but to-day peace is 
restored, and, full of confidence in the gene- 
rosity and genius of the great man, who has 
at all times declared himself my friend, I 
have taken my resolution to xesign myself 
into his hands, and await what he shail re- 
solve on my fate, and that of the Queen, and 
the Prince de la Paz. 
‘6 I address myself to your Majesty, and 
protest against the events which rook place at 
Aranjuez, and against my dethronement. I 
rely with confidence, and altogether, upon 
the cordiality and friendship of your Majesty, 
praying that God may have you in his holy 
Keeping. ‘¢ Sir, my Brother, 
*¢ Your royal and Imperial Majesty’s 
‘* affectionate Brother and Friend, 
6 Aranjues, March 25. CARLOS.” 
‘* I protest and declare, that my Decree of 
the 19th of March, in which I renounce my 
crown in fayour of my son, isa deed ta which 
Y was compelled, in order to prevent greater 
calamities, and spare the blood of my beloved 
subjects. It is therefore to be considered as 
of no authority.” 
(Signed) “CJ, THE KING.” 
Letter of bis Majesty the Emperor to the Prince 
of Asturias. 
My Brotuer!—lI have received the let- 
er of your Royal Highness: in the papers 
which you have received from the Kings your 
Royal Highness’s father, you must have 
found a proof of the interest which I have al- 
ways felt for you. You will permit me, un- 
der the present circumstances, tospeak to you 
with truth, and I wished, ,by my journey to 
Madrid, to draw over my illustrious friend 10 
some necessary ameliorativns of his. States, 
and also to give a certain satisfaction to the 
public ieelings. The removal of the Prince 
of the Peace appeared to me to be necessary 
forthe prosperity o- his Majesty and that of 
his subjects. die afiairs of the North had 
retarded my journey. The events at Aran- 
Juez took piace. I pass no decision on what 
bad previously fallen out, nor upon the con- 
duct of the Prince of the Peace ; but I know 
wel] that it is dangerous fur Kings to accus- 
tom their people to shed blood, or to seek to 
redress chemselvg@. 1 pray Gop, that your 
Royal Highness may never feel this by your 
own experience. It is not the interest of 
Spain to injure a Prince who has married a 
Princess of the Blood Royal, and who for a 
Jong time directed the alfuirs of the Kingdom, 
He no longer has any friends; your Royal 
Highness will pessess them mo longer than 
> 
; 
State of Public Affairs in May. 
4612 
while you shall be fortunate. The people - 
willingly revenge themselves for that he-« 
mage which they pay use How also can the : 
process be drawn up against the Prince of the 
Peace, without involving in it the Queen and © 
the King your Father? ‘This process would 
give nourishment to hatred and factious pass 
sions, the issue of which would be fatal to 
your Crown. Your Royal Highness has no. 
other right thereto than that which you derive 
from your Mother. Jf this process degrade 
her, your Royal Highness destroys your own 
right. He who has len: an ear to weak and. 
disloyal counsels, has noright t» pass sencence 
on the Prince or the Peace. His misdeeds, if 
he can be reproiched withthem, go to.destroy 
the rights of the Crown. I have frequently. 
expressed a desire, that the Prince of the. 
Peace should be removed from affairs; the 
friendship of King Chales has eften induced 
me to remain silent, and to turn away my eyes 
from the weakness of his conduct. Unhappy 
mortals that we are! Weakness and error, 
these. are our mottos; but all may be ar. - 
ranged 5 uamely, that the Princeof the Peace 
should be banished from Spain, and I should 
invite him toa place of retirement in France, 
As to the abdication of King Charles the, 
Fourth, that has taken place. at a moment 
when my troops were traversing Spain; and 
in the eyes of Europe, and of posterity, I 
should seem to have sent so many troops 
solely for the purpose of pushing from his 
throne my ally, and friend. As a neighbour 
Sovereign, it ts ht that I should’ know this 
abdication, before 1 acknowledged it. 1 say 
it to your Royal Highness, to the Spaniards, 
and to the whole world, if the abdication of 
King Charles has proceeded trom his own 
will if be was not driven to it by the insur- 
reccion and uproar at Aranjuez, I make no 
scruple to accede to it, and to acknowledge 
your Royal Highness as King of Spain. The 
circumspection which £ have ovseryed for this 
month past, must de a security to you for the 
Support which you shall find in me, sheuld 
ever party differences disturb you, in your - 
turn, upon the throne. 
When -King Charles made us acquainted 
with the events of last October, I was very 
much affected by them: and I think that by? 
my ettorts the affair of the —Escurial reccived 
a happy issue. Your Royal Highness was 
much to blame—lI have no need of any other 
proof of this, than the letter which you wrote 
to me, and which I shall always desire to cons 
sideras not having come tyme. Your Royal 
Highness must distrust {ul popular commo- 
tions and insur:ections—A few of my. soldiers 
may be murdered, but the subjugation of 
Spain shall be the consequence of it. 
i see with pain that sme persons at Ma- 
drid have disseminated certain letters of the’ 
Captain-Gesjeral of Catalonia, and have done 
ev-ry thing to excite disturbances emong the 
people. Your Royal Highness perfectly com- 
preheuds my meaning. You perceive. 
ZT have 
