DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47347#0075
THE SPANISH SUCCESSION.
59
Cortes on the 14th of September, 1789, under the pre-
sidency of Count Campomanes, at the same time president
of the Council of Castile. After the verification of the
powers, which embraced every thing that the king might
have to submit to the deputies, the Cortes constituted them-
selves, and were declared opened on the 19th of September.
In the sitting of the 23rd, the Cortes took the oath of fide-
lity to the Prince of the Asturias (Ferdinand VII.), as legi-
timate successor to the throne. In the same sitting, the
president, Count Campomanes, caused the royal proposi-
tion to be read by Don Pedro Escolano de Arrieta, royal
notary, sent by the king to collect the decisions of the
Cortes. Its tenour was as follows:—
Roval Proposition.
“ Whenever an attempt has been made to alter or to reform
the method established by our laws and immemorial custom,
and the mode of succession in the inheritance of the crown,
the result has been sanguinary wars and disturbances, which
have desolated the monarchy, God permitting that, in spite
of the designs and measures contrary to the regular succes-
sion, the latter should always prevail.
“ Commencing with the most recent fact of our history,
every one knows that the succession of this kingdom, on the
death of king Charles II., devolved to the grandson of the
Infanta Dona Maria Teresa of Austria, sister of the king
and wife of Louis XIV. of France, and consequently to
Philip V. his grandson, the throne of France having de-
volved to the dauphin his father, and to the duke of Bur-
gundy his elder brother. Every one knows, we repeat, that
the evidence of right was attacked and combated, upon the
pretext of a renunciation made by the Infantas married
to French princes. Thence resulted a war of succession
at the beginning of this century, a war from which the
kingdom suffered most severely. However, after a struggle
59
Cortes on the 14th of September, 1789, under the pre-
sidency of Count Campomanes, at the same time president
of the Council of Castile. After the verification of the
powers, which embraced every thing that the king might
have to submit to the deputies, the Cortes constituted them-
selves, and were declared opened on the 19th of September.
In the sitting of the 23rd, the Cortes took the oath of fide-
lity to the Prince of the Asturias (Ferdinand VII.), as legi-
timate successor to the throne. In the same sitting, the
president, Count Campomanes, caused the royal proposi-
tion to be read by Don Pedro Escolano de Arrieta, royal
notary, sent by the king to collect the decisions of the
Cortes. Its tenour was as follows:—
Roval Proposition.
“ Whenever an attempt has been made to alter or to reform
the method established by our laws and immemorial custom,
and the mode of succession in the inheritance of the crown,
the result has been sanguinary wars and disturbances, which
have desolated the monarchy, God permitting that, in spite
of the designs and measures contrary to the regular succes-
sion, the latter should always prevail.
“ Commencing with the most recent fact of our history,
every one knows that the succession of this kingdom, on the
death of king Charles II., devolved to the grandson of the
Infanta Dona Maria Teresa of Austria, sister of the king
and wife of Louis XIV. of France, and consequently to
Philip V. his grandson, the throne of France having de-
volved to the dauphin his father, and to the duke of Bur-
gundy his elder brother. Every one knows, we repeat, that
the evidence of right was attacked and combated, upon the
pretext of a renunciation made by the Infantas married
to French princes. Thence resulted a war of succession
at the beginning of this century, a war from which the
kingdom suffered most severely. However, after a struggle