1808.] Siate of Public 
Queen Louisa Maria, Queen Maria Louisa, 
and the infant Don Francisco, dine to-day 
with the Emperor, and set-off to-morrow for 
Bourdeaux. They will make this journey in 
four days, and will repair to Fontainbleeauy 
whence they will go to Compeigne. It is be- 
lieved that this residence has been destined by 
his Majesty for King Charles, that he imay | 
spend the remainder of his days there. The 
Prince of Asturias, the infant Don Carlos, and 
the infant Don Antonio, spent the evening 
yesterday with their Majesties the Emperor 
and Empress. They will spend two days at 
Bourdeaux, and will afterwards. proceed to 
Valency, whence it is probable they will go 
to Navarre. ‘It is believed that the Emperor 
has ceded to them that superb domain, and the 
forest appertaining to it. 
King Charles has announced his abdi- 
cation in the following letter :— 
To the supreme Council of Castile, the Council of 
Inguisition, Ge. 
«¢ In the present extraordinary circum- 
stances, we Rave resolved to give a new proof 
of our affection towards our beloved subjects, 
whose happiness, during the whole course of 
our reign has been the ¢onstant object of 
our solicitude. We have therefore abdicated 
all our claims upon the Spanish kingdoms in 
favour of our friend and aily, he Emperor of 
the French, by a treaty which has been signed 
and racified, and. which stipulates for the in- 
tegrity and independence of the Spanish king- 
doms, and the preservation of our holy reli- 
gion, not only as the predominant, but as the 
sole and exclusive religion in Spain. 
‘¢ We have therefore thought proper to 
send you this letter, that you should conform 
yourselves thereto, publish its contents, and 
make every exertion in support of the Empe- 
peror Napoleon. Display the utmost frank- 
ness and friendship towards’ the French, and 
above all, direct all your care to preserve the 
country from insurrections and tumults. 
*¢ In the new condition upon which we are 
entering, we shall frequently turn our eyes 
towards yeu, and happy shall we be to know 
that you enjoy peace and contentment. 
“© Given at the Imperial Palace, 
4th of May, 1808. 66 J, rue Kino.” 
The Prince of Austurias and the infants 
Don Carlos and Don Antonio, have re- 
peated their renunciation of all their 
rights to the Spanish throne (already ex- 
pressed by their assent to the treaty pre- 
viously known to have been concluded), 
by a solemn proclamation addressed to 
the Spaniards, from Bourdeax, on the 12th 
of May. 
‘¢ Don Ferdinand Prince of Austurias, and 
the infants Don Carlos and Don Antonio, 
deeply sensible of the attachment and fidelity 
displayed towards them by all the Spaniards, 
with the utmost grief behold them on the 
point of being plunged inte anarchy, and threate 
“ 
Affairs in Fune. 547 
ened witb all the dreadful calamities conse- 
quent thereupon; and being aware that these 
might, in a great measure, proceed from the 
state of ignorance in which they now are, . 
both as tothe principles of the conduct hi- 
therto pursued by their Highnesses, and the 
“plans already formed for the benefit of their 
country, their Highnesses find themselves un- 
‘der the necessity of making an effort to open 
their eyes, by that salutary counsel which 
they require, in order to prevent any obstruc- 
tion to the execution of those plans ; and thus 
to give them the dearest proof of the affection 
which they cherish for them. 
‘¢ Their Highnesses cannot, therefore, abe 
stain from informing them, that the circum- 
stances under which the Priuce, upon the ab- 
dication of the King, assumed the reins of 
government 3; the occupation of several pro- 
vinces of the kingdom, and of all the frontier 
fortresses, by a numerous body of French 
troops; the actual presence of more than 
60,000 of that nation in the capital and the 
environs; in short, the knowle!ge of many 
other circumstances known only to themsclvesy 
convinced them that, surrounded by difficul- 
ties, they had only chosen, among various exe 
pedients, that which was likely to produce 
the lesat evil; and that, as such, they ree 
solved upon aoleney to Bayonne. 
«€ On the arrival of their Royal Highnesseg 
at Bayonne, the Prince, then King, was un- 
expectedly apprised that his father had pro- 
tested against his act of abdication, d-claring 
that it was not voluntary. The Prince, who 
accepted the crown only under the impression 
that the abdication was voluntary, was no 
sooner informed of the existence of such a 
protest, than his sense of filial duty instantly 
determined him to give back the throne. - 
But a short time after, the King his father 
abdicated it in his own name, and that of 
his.whole race, in favour of the Emperor of the 
French, in order that the Empero;, consulting 
the good of the nation, should determine the 
personand race which should hereaiter occupy 
it. 
‘¢ Their Royal Highnesses, in this state of 
things, considering the situation in which 
themselves stand; and the difficult cireume 
stances in which Spain is placed, considering 
that, under these circumstances, any attempt — 
on the part of the inhabitants of Spain for the 
maintenance of their rights, would be not 
only useless but ruinous, and could tend only 
to make streams of blood flow, and to render 
certain the loss of at least a great part of her 
provinces, and that of ali her trans-marine co- 
lonies: being further convinced, that the 
most effectual means of preventing these 
evils, isthattheir Royal Highnesses, for them- 
selves, and al! connected with them, should 
assent to the renunciation of their rights to 
the throne, a renunciation already executed 
by the King, their father; taking also inte 
consideration, that his Majesty the Emperor 
of the seen engages, in this case, to main- 
tain 
