New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-21
CASTELAR,.
4 SHADOW PORTRAIT OF A GREAT MAN

With a FrontsPece. Small syo .IpIp PIP, S'y Warne &
lie Men OF To-day" Series. Frederlch wan"
II Emilio Castelar, be indeed the s'ie"' a"'
trtHing creature here portrayed II II aosu'u "
expend upon him volume OF 2''9 pages - SIN
Gle paragraph would have sun'ceo' "
houever much reason to believe that the pooh
does not do justice to Its subject IL purpo'' ~
he a biography OF Castelar,. II Is, IN lac,' ''''
tory of Spanish politics since the time vi po'"
parte As such 1t is brilliantly writteh-H e''o''
in grammar may be overlooked-and ih'e'es'''e
and instructive. IL due allowance DE 'i""e
errors Of fact
Even then it is unsatisfactory MT harnas
Knows Spain thoroughly, but he has absolutely
70 sympathy with IT, He makes no account u
the nature and traditions of Spain Of the excep-
t,onal circumstances Of the last century "h''
have so strongly tended to hold the who're I'D
,;on in bonds of ignorance and tyranny. lie
deems IL inexcusable that Spaniards are not as
.nl;chtene5 and as calm and self cohtaiheu dS
Anglo-Saxons.
romantic Imagination Is scarcely needed 10
see something beyond the commonplace IN caste
lars introduction to public life. The rise OF coii
moner. plebeian, to supreme rank IN the "os'
fastidiously patrician State or Europe Is III IL
self a fascinating phenomenon well worthy Vi I"
chapter where author gives II recoiu i" d"
single perfunctory line. The manner ana Gil"
cumstances of his first appearance before 'he
people should have inspired something 1ar o'her
.ban the bloodless sentences in Mr.. Hannays
book. A more dramatic incident Is scarce! ~
hs imagined There was a crisis in the affairs OF
the nation that had once been all but the who're
worlds master A great public meeting was
held. addressed on vital issues by some OF the
foremost men of the day An unknown young
man attended casually. as an obscure listener.
Just as the assembage was about to disperse
he snrane to his feet and made an impromptu
speech which held his hearers till the last woro
and electrified them as nothing ever hau oeioie'
The next morning he awoke to mo MS Worus re-
echoing in every quarter OF the Knsoo"i' MI
uannav does not think highly OF Castelar's ora
tory. nor indeed of any Spanish oratory, recK-
oning IL merely words. words. words Eio-
ouence. after all, is TO be judged chiefly by its
effects and thus judged Castear's must nave
high rank.
Passing over the years OF castelar, CROWNS
influence and leadership among the Repuphcahs
of Spain, in which he was never rioter' con-
spirator or rebel. but always man OF peace LOT
which Mr.. Hannay very CONSIDERABLY does ho'
h.me him. we come to his accession to supreme
authority, nomnaly as Chief OF the Executive
Government practically as Dictator. Mr. Han
massage in his life but a very curious episode
In the history OF the revolutionary agitations or
the Continent" 1t was all of that In the sum-
mer of 1873 Spain was in a desperate condition.
Cuba was in revolt. The Carlists were rampant
and menacing. The forces of disorder every
where were busy. The wretched Federallst "o'-
eminent Of the Cortes Constituencies was thor-
oughly discredited. many of the best fepuoh-
cans being disguised with its well proved IN
canactv. The ancient kingdom was on the
verge of anarchy actually topping over Amid
such circumstances the very weakness and cow
ardice of the Cortes proved the salVauoh oi
Snain That miserable body made castelar,
Chief of the Executive. and then adjourned nseit
for four months. leaving him with absolute au
,hor,tv It was surprising performance. and
various theories have been advanced, and are
mentioned by Mr.. Hannay to explain It, There
con be little doubt that the true explanation Is
that at which we have already limited. The
C,ortes realized that II had got affairs into an
owh,, nouddie far beyond its own ability 10
straiehten out so 1t threw the responsibility
upon Castelar,, and then incontinently scuttied
out of the way. If he succeeded in bringing or
der out of chaos. the Cortes would enjoy the
fruits OF his labor. II things went wrong, 'he
blame would fall upon him and not upon the
Cortes.
Castelar, was never blind. Perhaps the very
manner in which he found himself being VIC
timized had It's effect upon his administration.
since such responsibility was thrust upon him.
he unhesitatingly assumed and welded COM
nensurate authority. Never was dictator more
arbitrary He did not hesitate to reverse square
" the whole policy OF the body which had put
hin, into office nor TO reverse his own long
cherished plans Spain required it, that was
erough Charge me-" he said. with inconsistent
cv IL Won please will not defend myself Have
7 the right to prefer my reputation to the safety
Of my country? Let my name perish. let pos
terity pronounce its anathema against me, lei my
contemporaries send me into exile. Little care
]. I have lived long enough But let not the
Republic perish by my weaknesses, ana ABOVE
ALL let no one say that Spain has perisheo IN
our hands" Mr. Hannay thinks there is
something theatrical in these words Ihere
NAV have been in all great utterances Certain
10 these were as Mr. Hannay Is constrained 10
admit essentially manly and sincere WORDS CAS-
telar knew when he spoke them that MS con-
temporaries would soon drive him into exile from
oe,ce and that in future years many would curse
his name as they are doing to-day. But ne put
al, such considerations aside. His one duty was
10 save SPAIN and he did It. In four months he
ala moro for the best interests of the country
,hor had been done In four and twenty years
before Then the fatuous Cortes reassembled
ord deaf TO all reason, blind to all the signs OF
tho times turned him out Of office the next
moment by a happy incidence of poetic justice
Non Manuel Pavia turned the Cortes itself out
at the point Of the bayonet. and there was an
end ~ the Federalist fool play in Spain
7, ,s told In some recent literary gossip that an
old gentleman once upon time bought Tor MS
own private perusal an old and rare COTTON oi
1.-The Decameron" Of Boccacco. He was anxious
49,. ,,s conc shou,d no. read the volumes. and he
vas much perplexed how TO prevent their doing
...-~- a..=s he forbade them 10 open