The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-08-11
LIFE OF CANOVAs.
How He Rose from the Masses Ia Head
OF the Ministry.

born OF humble parents at Malaga,
February s, 1925. He took the course In
philosophy and law In the university at
Madrid and began his career as Journal
ist In 1851 he made his debut under the
patronage of Sonora Rios, Rosas and Pa
checo, as chief editor of the Patria. I'm
which he defended conservative ideas.
About this time he published a volume OF
lyric poems and a series OF historical pa
pers He was in doubt whether to follow
a literary or a political career. but soon
found himself turned TO politics by the
course OF events. In 1852 he was named
deputy for Malaga, and from that time TO
his death had never ceased to occopy
seat I'm the cortes. In 1856 he was charge
d'affaires at Rome and prepared the his
torical memorandum on the relations or
Spain with the holy see which served as
basis for the concordat
After serving the crown as governor OF
Cadiz In 1855, director-general OF the nd-
ministration from 1858 TO 1861 and lastly,
in that same year. as under-secretary or
state for the interior, the queen called him
to the ministry as a member or the Mon
cabinet. In 1865 he held the portfolios OF
finance and the colonies In the O'Donneli
cabinet, and II devolved upon him TO draw
up the law for the abolition OF the slave
trade. Shortly before the revolution or
1865 he became especially conspicuous as
one OF the last to defend with energy in the
cortes the principle of blending liberal and
concilatory ideas with the constitutional
monarchy, when all the parties that had
supported this political doctrine had de-
serted the parliament.
His Title tn Fame.
He was banished a short time before the
revolution occurred. and took no part In It,
In the face of the triumphant revolution,
after his return from exile and in the full
constituent assembly of 1865. supported by
Seniors Elduayem, Bugallel and two
others, he hosted the standard of legiti-
NNrV. aI .kNY Ia
is his greatest title 10 fame His fidelity
and ability finally secured for him the SUI
preme direction of the Alfonsist party;
and on the proclamation OF Alfonso XII.
as king on December 81. 1874. Senior Can
ovas del Castillo became president OF the
council and chief OF the new cabinet. called
the cabinet of Cancellation. He retired IN
September. 1875. because OF the demands
of the extreme conservative party. but he
was called back TO the presidency OF the
council on December OF the same year
charged particularly with the direction
OF the first legislative elections OF the new
regime. He was himself elected to the
cortes from the city OF Madrid In Janu-
airy, 1876. 1t devolved upon him then to
repress the second attempt OF the Carlsts
to bring on a civil war and to deal with the
first instruction in Cuba.
With the exception OF an interval Of
few months he continued to hold the pre-
miershp down 10 1879. when, on the re-
turn of Marshal Martinez Campos from
Cuba, he retired from the premiership, and
was succeeded by Campos, who accepted
as his colleagues the principal associates
of Senior Canovas The opposition raised to
the policy of Campos soon forced him to
retire. Senior Canovas skillfully resisted,
delayed and finally defeated the free trade
and emancipation projects OF Campos. On
the reassembling OF the cortes In Decem-
Der. 1879, Campos gave up the attempt TO
conduct the government. and Senior Can
ovas formed a new cabinet on December
10. with a second Cuban Instruction to
be dealt with. He charged Gen. Blanco
with this task. but the reactionary tendency
Of his home policy became more and more
marked until the financial projects in
which he wished to embark drew upon him
the bitter attacks not only OF Castelar, and
the republicans, but also those OF Cam
pos and Sagasta, and he was compelled
to resign. In 1881 he returned again TO
power but his conservative cabinet was
speedily overthrown and coalition gov
eminent with Sagasta and Campos at its
head took the reins OF affairs.
Returned to Power Again.
At the general election of the same year
he was returned TO the court and from
Madrid, and became the chief and spo<es-
man Of the intermediate party, known as
the party Of conservative liberals On jan
nary Is, 1884, he was called upon to form a
conservative ministry In order to secure
a majority devoted like himself. to ideas
of order and Of liberty. in harmony with
the monarchical principle. he dissolved the
cortes. and the new elections resulted IA
Vorably. But on November 26. 1885. on the
question Of the occupation Of the Caroline
islands by Germany, he was again COM
PEELED to resign, being succeeded by Senior
Sagasta. The same day he was elected
president of the chamber by 222 votes
against 112 cast for Senior Romero Robledo.
and he signalized his entrance upon his
new functions by funeral eulogy of King
Alfonso Kill, who had died the previous
day. In 1890 another reversal brought him
back into power, and on July he took the
presidency of a conservative cabinet. re-
placing the liberal ministry OF Sagasta.
Two years later the pendulum swung to the
opposite extreme, and the liberals, under
Senior Sagasta. won the general elections,
and retained power until 1895, when disa-
greements in the Sagasta cabinet led the
queen to summon Canovas again TO the
premiership.
His Inst Recall.
Canovas came last into power on Febru-
airy Z, 1895. A number Of officers had broken
and pillaged the offices OF various newspa-
pers which had made inSinuations against
the conduct OF officers engaged in suppress
ing the Cuban revolt. The war minister
seemed to support the officers, whereas the
premier, Senior Sagasta. ordered the jour
nalists to be protected. This led TO the re-
tirement of the ministry. Marshal Cam
pos was temporarily Inauc Captain BeIleThl
of Madrid, and the greatest excitement
prevailed Finally Senior Canovas formed
a ministry, although he lacked the support
OF a section OF the conservative party.
The government was defeated on vote
of censure on June 3. 1895, but did not re-
sign. The general elections OF April, 1896,
returned an overwhelming majority TO the
cortes In favor of the policy of the Can
ovas cabinet, though the opposition
charged that the ministerialists carried
many OF the election districts by gross
frauds. June 2 last Senior Canovas ten
dered the resignation OF the cabinet, ow-
ing to the difficulty the ministers expert
enced in carrying on the government In
view of the parliamentary situation caused
by the refusal OF the liberals to take part
in the deliberations OF the cortes. This
attitude Of the liberals was due TO a per-
sonal encounter between the duke of
Tetuan, minister OF foreign affairs, and
Prof. Comas a distinguished liberal sem
ator May q. when the duke slapped the
face of the professor, after a heated de-
bate on the Morgan resolution adopted by
the United States senate. After four days
OF conference with the leaders OF all po-
litical parties. the queen-regent requested
him to withdraw the resignation OF the
cabinet. and he did so. being confirmed
by the crown In his ministerial powers
with the personnel and policy of the cab