The Federal Republic of Spain: A Tumultuous Era
The newly formed Cortes proclaimed the Federal Republic. Francisco Pi y Maragall became president, and Nicolás Salmerón was elected president of the Congress of Deputies. The draft constitution was not approved, although Castelar’s legacy would clear the path for decentralization. The Spanish nation was envisioned to be composed of seventeen states, grouping peninsular and island territories, plus Cuba and Puerto Rico.
A traditional division of powers was augmented by a fourth power: the power relationship between the other powers, exercised by the President. The legislature was vested in the Cortes, composed of two chambers: the Congress (deputies elected by universal suffrage) and the Senate (members elected by the Cortes). The constitutional draft would not proceed due to a series of events that disrupted political life. These events coincided with social and political demands.
The Cantonal Movement
The cantonal movement had a significant geographical reach and involved the local response of the Federal Republicans, who sought to implement their political ideals. A Public Health Committee in Madrid supported the rebellion of local organizations. On July 12, the canton of Cartagena was proclaimed, taking the form of an independent republic, and similar movements arose in other cities. The army eventually suppressed the cantonalist movement.
The cantonalist movement led to the downfall of Pi y Maragall, who was replaced by Salmerón as president of the Republic. Salmerón resigned due to his resistance to reinstating military ordinances regarding the death penalty. Castelar was then elected to replace him, which accentuated the conservative shift already begun by Salmerón’s presidency of the Congress.
The Road to Restoration
Despite Castelar’s attempts to restore the principle of authority, the demands of the Carlist War and the Cuban insurgency strengthened the role of the army. By year’s end, all Republican leaders appeared willing to abandon Castelar. General Pavia, in charge, evicted the Constituent Cortes in the early hours of January 3. General Serrano became the new president of the Executive of the Republic and formed a government integrating various political currents. Days later, the government dissolved the Constituent Cortes and published a manifesto congratulating itself on restoring social order. The First International was also dissolved, and the canton of Cartagena surrendered. Only the war in Cuba remained unresolved.
The Carlist leaders and the leaders of the Republic of 1874 lacked a defined political purpose. Cánovas del Castillo orchestrated the project to restore the throne to Prince Alfonso, son of Isabella II. His idea was that the Prince’s candidacy would triumph through social support, not through military action in the Carlist War. The pronouncement became an argument for those who favored the Alfonsine restoration.
The Manifesto of Sandhurst
In response, Cánovas advised Prince Alfonso to issue a document proposing a constitutional and hereditary monarchy as a guarantee of the rights and interests of all social classes. This document, the Manifesto of Sandhurst, was well-received. The pronouncement of General Martínez Campos in Sagunto followed. Prince Alfonso was proclaimed king as Alfonso XII, and Cánovas del Castillo was put in charge of a ministry-regency pending the new king’s arrival.