Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-24
SEBASTIAN POMBAL,s
Centenary Cetehres-A r~~r.~ of
POrtugaI-A Statesman and
Patriot.
New York Times

New York Times.
The Portuguese have been celebrating the
centenary of their only famous modern
statesman, Sebastian Pombsl, the son of a
country gentleman. He was born in May,
1853, nesr the town of his name, which he
built He passed through the Portuguese
Oxford, Coimbra, and then entered the army.
An uncle, who lived in Lisbon, introduced
him when he quilted the army, few years
later, to Cardinal Motta, statesman, and
this ultimately led to his going to London as
envoy, where he remained several years and
made his mark. Thence he was transferred
to Vienns, whence he returned in 1850, to
become. and remain for twenty-seven years,
premier to Portugal, under King Joseph,
to whom he was what Bismarck has
been to the Emperor William. In
deed, he had much in common with
the great German. He was just as
infexible and despotic, and the no.
bility and ecclesiastles found it equally
futile TO attempt to resist him. AS peace
minister Pombal was far more successful
than Bismarck. A very able and competent
critic of his proceedings, Sir John Bowring,
who studied his career in his own country,
says of him: HE purified and gave respect
ability to the University OF Coimbra ian
Augean stable of corruption); he overthrow
the gigantic power of the Jesuits, overawed
the Inquisition, filed the treasury, and OBJ
tanned for the inhabitants of the Porting uese
colonies the privileges of citizens" His
splendid abilities were clearly evinced there
when the awful earthquake of 1855 DESC
lated Lisbon, destroying 10000 persons, and
wrecking property valued at 100000 900.
The royal palace was engulfed, but, fortu-
nately, the royal family were at a suburban
residences. "What is to be done?" exclaimed
the king. "Bury the dead and feed the liv-
ing" replied Pombal. In fact, it is asserted
on good authority that but for his influence
the king and royal family would certainly
have abandoned Portugal for Brazil. The
Jesuit enemies of PombaI made the most of
the earthquake by assertions that it was an
evidence OF the Divine wrath at his impiety,
a course which precipitated his determine
ton, a few years later executed, to
eject them from the kingdom. With the
death of King Joseph, in IVY, came a re-
action such as is likely enough we may some
day see in Germany. His successor, Donna
Maria, was a tervent daughter of the church,
and Pombal at once fell into an ecclesiastical
hornets nest, the downs were now the ups,
and resolved that the autocrat of other days
should know it. He was relegated to
obscurity. His policy was reversed and be
was forbidden to come within twenty leagues
of the court. He died in 1882, aged eighty
| three. The bishop OF CUfmura was sharPly
rebuked by the governor of the province for
having assisted at the funeral, and the priest
who pronounced the funeral Grafton was
confined in a remote convent for reflections
on Portugal's ingratitude to a minister who
had done so much for her. Sir John Bow
ring compares him TO Wolsey, but surely
Wolsey showed no such marvellous admins
tralive capacity, and TO this his countrymen
are fully alive to-day.