Transcription with doubtful readings: 59 of the 954 words of the text that remains after the deletions (6.2 %) are marked as uncertain ([?]) or illegible ([ilegible]), and each of them is explained in a note. Manuscript draft by Karl Marx, autumn 1854, kept at the IISG, Amsterdam (Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers, inv. A 36, images 2-3; the inventory describes it as a fragmentary draft of «Revolutionary Spain. III», New-York Daily Tribune of 20 October 1854). Transcribed from the digital facsimile by the Escuela de marxismo, 2026 (double reading and collation with the image). The draft is very small and heavily corrected: long deletions that cannot be read are given as [ilegible] (one mark per word, estimated) and are not counted above; in the lower half of the first page and at the end of the second, where additions above the line and in the margin cross each other, the order in which we give them is uncertain. The text printed in the Tribune, which differs from this draft, is on our site: Revolutionary Spain. Nothing has been completed from it or from other editions. Diplomatic transcription: spelling and punctuation of the manuscript; underlining in italics; deletions as text; additions above the line or in the margin in their place, with a note; [?] after an uncertain reading, [ilegible] for a word that cannot be read. Traducción al español

(January[?] 1809 Florida[?] Blanca[?] †)1

A Centraljunta. 26 Sept. 1808 (Aranjuez) — 29 Jan. 1810.

Madrid having been evacuated by the French, it was to be expected that Napoleon would soon re-appear at the head of his[?]2 army. [ilegible] [ilegible] were powerful3 Steady[?]4 Measures for of5 common[?]6 defence [ilegible] became thus7 inevitable and it was generally felt, that the Polygarchy of the Provincial Juntas, whose discordancy mutual8 jealousy and dissensions [ilegible] grew9 became even more clamorous after the victory at Baylen, [ilegible] must give way [ilegible] to some sort of Central Government. The Juntas [ilegible]10, jealous of [ilegible] anxious to [ilegible] retain11 their hold upon [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] Power, [ilegible] once[?]12 resolved, upon the proposal of the Junta of Sevilla, to select each from their own body two deputies who the union of whom was to constitute the Central government, while the Provincial Juntas remained invested with the internal government of their respective government. Thus a Central Junta, composed of 34 deputies of from[?]13 the Provincial Juntas met on Sept. 26, 1808, at Aranjuez and remained at the head of affairs till Jan. 29, 1810. The Central Junta was driven by the French [ilegible] invader[?]14 from Madrid to Sevilla and from Sevilla to Cadiz. While they waged a war of edicts from the Royal [ilegible] Palace of Aranjuez, the15 pass[?]16 of Somosierra was forced [ilegible] by the French, and while they [ilegible] amused[?]17 the people with vigorous[?] proclamations from Sevilla18 with false hopes, the passes of the Sierra Morena were lost, [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] and Soult's army inundated Andalusia ++19 their reign of the Central Junta20, the Spanish armies disappeared from the soil21, one disgraceful d[ilegible] ignominious defeats22 [ilegible] succeeding each other,23 [ilegible] disgraceful disaster following disasters[?]24 and the battle at Ocaña (Nov. 19, 1809) may be said to have been was25 the last pitched battle which the Spaniards fought, from that time confining themselves to a Guerrilla warfare. When the [ilegible] Junta "His Majesty" — this was the title assumed by the Junta — fled from Sevilla, Cadiz offered the [ilegible] only asylum, and unless if26 the Duke of Albuquerque, had followed their orders to proceed to Cordova, Cordova instead of marching with his corps upon Cadiz, had [ilegible] [ilegible] obeyed[?]27 their orders to proceed into28 to Cordova, his own army would have been cut off, Cadiz was must have surrendered to the French and there would have been an end of all any29 Central Power in Spain. ++ [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] resistance originally30 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible]31 by the regular army, in the open field, but by [ilegible] the part of particular besieged towns as at Saragossa and Gerona [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] The expulsion of the

These few reminiscences from the Spanish war of Independence suffice to characterize the Central Junta. Resistance [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] French army from the Spanish soil32 was the great object of their installation and in that object they signally failed. The revolution and [ilegible] [ilegible] and its[?] revolutionary33 [ilegible]34 [ilegible] [ilegible] still35 were than[?]36 under ordinary circumstances the37 [ilegible] of [ilegible] government [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] of the Central [ilegible] Government. The mere fact of the abandonment of the regular [ilegible] warfare38 for Guerrilla exploits proves the central power [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] natural39 centre before the local centres of resistance where the failure of the National Central national40 Government?

The very composition of the Central Junta certainly not suited that task imposed upon them Being41 contradictory powers they were too many and too fortuitously mixed together. They were to[?]42 few to pretend to the authority of a National Convention. The mere fact of their[?]43 [ilegible] powers being delegated from the 1 Provincial Juntas, also44 incapacitated them for overcoming[?]45 the jealousy [ilegible] self-[ilegible]46 propensities, the bad will, and the capricious egotism of those Juntas. The two most noting[?]47 members [ilegible] of the Central Junta48 their members, Floridablanca — the octogenarian minister of the [ilegible] reign of Charles III the enlightened despotism of Charles III — and Jovellanos, a [ilegible] [ilegible] well-intentioned49 [ilegible] reformer who from over-circumspection[?]50 [ilegible] was certainly not [ilegible] a match for the terrible [ilegible] that country was plunged[?]51 in. The same52 scruples as to the means never [ilegible] dared to [ilegible] accomplish53 too54 [ilegible] and [ilegible] unreliable[?]55 sense of their power with respect to the people, [ilegible] kept them in constant fear and suspicion of the military [ilegible] Generals56 as they57 of their own [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] with respect to and the the58 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] of the Central Junta. [ilegible] went over to the Bonapartist camp, after he had surrendered[?]59 Madrid[?]60 to Napoleon. Cuesta[?]61, + had had [ilegible] were obliged to [ilegible] the62 military[?]63 submit[?]64 [ilegible] General Morla[?]65, himself a member of the Central Junta and [ilegible] forging plans for the restoration of the old66 authority of the old67 Captains General and the was68 [ilegible] with69 [ilegible] among the [ilegible] Deputies to the Central Junta [ilegible] also afterwards70 seemed71 the same[?]72 a73 won[?]74 [ilegible] at the [ilegible] confidence of the Government [ilegible] [ilegible] proved[?] founded75 by76 battle lost the battles of the country [ilegible] Regent[?]77 distrusted[?]78 (Generals La Romana Royal Audiencia[?]79 [ilegible] and Castaños, [ilegible] the victor of Baylen, [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] the [ilegible] [ilegible] afterwards80 named[?] by81 [ilegible] by the [ilegible] address the former shown[?]82 his address to the nation [ilegible] in83 [ilegible] their84 vacillating[?]85 at of86 them in [ilegible] Sevilla, on October 4, 1809, and the [ilegible] Albuquerque87 by his + [ilegible] otherwise[?]88 later[?]89 conduct in the Regency. [ilegible] while90 a member of towards91 the Regency92 became a member of the Regency. The Duke of Albuquerque, the only man of [ilegible] who alone signally gifted with93 [ilegible] dignity[?]94 all95 of the Spanish generals of that epoch [ilegible] [ilegible] was perhaps[?]96 the only man to conduct a great war, seemed the to be made [ilegible] of the very [ilegible] [ilegible] all the qualities of a military dictator[?]97 [ilegible] [ilegible]98 [ilegible] [ilegible] and they stood, a [ilegible] reason [ilegible] sufficient to99 remove him from all100 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] this important command. We may then[?]101 give full credit to the Duke of Wellington[?]102 writing to his brother, the Marquis of Wellesley, on Sept. 1, 1809: "I am much afraid, from what I have seen of the proceedings of the Central Junta, that in the distribution of their forces they did not consider military defence, and military operations, so much as they do political intrigue, and the attainment of trifling political objects." The first [ilegible] popular government of Spain [ilegible] reigned[?]103 [ilegible] [ilegible] overawed104 by [ilegible] (a resentment of the great prominent[?]105 part military men were destined to act in that [ilegible] [ilegible] internal convulsions106 and as not less[?]107 could the108 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] alarm[?]109 [ilegible] revolutionary force by their very composition the Central Junta [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] petty110 [ilegible] On the other hand originally111 the [ilegible]112 upon113 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] petty intrigues in order to check114 [ilegible] their115 own generals [ilegible] [ilegible] On the other[?]116 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] while [ilegible] [ilegible] important [ilegible] success could only be expected from117 [ilegible] and118 [ilegible] [ilegible] incapable to resist the119 in120 presence[?]121 of popular [ilegible] clamours[?]122. They often123 forced the generals into precipitate action where only the most cautious and [ilegible] the124 [ilegible] [ilegible] [ilegible] defensive.

  1. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: «J…uary»; the second reading also has «January». Uncertain: «Flor…» or «Flo…da»; the second reading has «Belmont». The last word ends in «-ca» or «-nt» and is followed by a cross (†). Added in the top right corner, in a smaller hand. ↩

  2. «his» seems to be struck through with a hook; the second reading keeps it. ↩

  3. «were powerful» is written above «army. Steady», after two struck words; where it belongs is not clear. ↩

  4. S-t-e-d-y; the second reading has «Stronger». ↩

  5. “of”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  6. Abbreviated stroke «c…m…n»; the second reading has «union or». ↩

  7. “became thus”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  8. “mutual”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  9. “grew”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  10. An underlined word above «Juntas»: «themselves» in the first reading, «founded» in the second. ↩

  11. “retain”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  12. A short word after the struck one, perhaps not struck itself. ↩

  13. Written above «of»: «born» in the first reading, «been» in the second; «from» fits the shape and the struck «of». ↩

  14. The second reading only made out «…er». ↩

  15. “the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  16. «pass» or «passes»; the verb is «was». ↩

  17. «amused» or «aroused». ↩

  18. Added above the line or in the margin. «vigorous» or «ingenious» (second reading). ↩

  19. “and Soult's army inundated Andalusia ++”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  20. “of the Central Junta”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  21. “from the soil”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  22. “ignominious defeats”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  23. “succeeding each other,”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  24. Above the line; the second reading has «disastrous». ↩

  25. «may» was left unstruck. ↩

  26. “if”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  27. The word seems crossed by a hooked stroke, with an illegible word above. ↩

  28. “into”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  29. “any”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  30. “originally”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  31. Two short words under «originally»: «in short» (first reading) or «in that» (second reading). ↩

  32. “from the Spanish soil”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  33. Added above the line or in the margin. «its» or «of». ↩

  34. An illegible word added above the line. ↩

  35. “still”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  36. «then» or «than». ↩

  37. “the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  38. “warfare”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  39. “natural”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  40. “national”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  41. “Being”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  42. Added above the line or in the margin. Added in lighter ink at the end of the line; «to» may be «too». ↩

  43. «their» or «this». ↩

  44. “also”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  45. Reading by the shape «over…ing»; the second reading has «to overcome». ↩

  46. The second half of the compound cannot be read. ↩

  47. «noting» (first reading) or «marking» (second). ↩

  48. “of the Central Junta”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  49. “well-intentioned”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  50. «over-circum…»; the second reading has «over caution». ↩

  51. «plunged» or «planted». ↩

  52. “The same”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  53. “accomplish”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  54. “too”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  55. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  56. “Generals”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  57. “as they”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  58. “the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  59. «surr…d»; the second reading leaves it illegible. ↩

  60. Capital M and «-adrid»; not in the second reading. ↩

  61. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  62. “the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  63. Added above the line or in the margin. Interlinear, partly covered by other additions. ↩

  64. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  65. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  66. “old”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  67. “old”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  68. “was”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  69. “with”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  70. “also afterwards”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  71. “seemed”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  72. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  73. “a”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  74. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  75. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  76. “by”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  77. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  78. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  79. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  80. “afterwards”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  81. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  82. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  83. “in”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  84. “their”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  85. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  86. “of”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  87. “Albuquerque”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  88. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  89. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  90. “while”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  91. “towards”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  92. “the Regency”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  93. “signally gifted with”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  94. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  95. “all”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  96. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  97. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  98. A short interlinear addition at the end of the line, illegible. ↩

  99. “sufficient to”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  100. “remove him from all”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  101. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  102. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  103. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  104. “overawed”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  105. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  106. “internal convulsions”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  107. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  108. “could the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  109. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  110. “petty”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  111. “originally”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  112. Added above the line or in the margin. An illegible word in an interlinear addition. ↩

  113. “upon”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  114. “petty intrigues in order to check”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  115. “their”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  116. Added above the line or in the margin. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  117. “success could only be expected from”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  118. “and”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  119. “incapable to resist the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  120. “in”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  121. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  122. Uncertain: the second reading differs here. ↩

  123. “often”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩

  124. “the”: added above the line or in the margin. ↩