Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-08-12
RinprMnhical.

Senior Antonio Canovas del Castillo, accord
ing to the Dictionaire I'm iversal deS Contem-
porains. was born at Malaga, February s, 1928
He took the course in philosophy and law in
the University of Madrid and began his career
as journalist In 1851 he made his debut, I'M
der the patronage of Seniors Rios, RosaS and
Pacheco, as chief editor of the Patria, in which
he defended conservative ideas.
About this time he published volume of ly-
rio poems and series of historical papers.
He was in doubt whether to follow literary
career, but soon found himself turned to poll
ties by. the course of events. In 1852 he was
named deputy from Malaga, and from that time
to his death has never ceased to occupy q seat
in the cortes In 1856 he was charge 'affaires at
Rome, and prepared the historical memoran-
dunn on the relations of Spain with the holy
see, which served basis for the concordat
After serving the crown governor of Cadiz
in 1855, director general of the administration
from 1858 to 1861 and lastly, in that same year,
as under secretary of state for the interior, the
queen call him to the ministry, as member OF
the Mon cabinet In 1855 he held the portfolios
of finance and the colonies in the ODonnen
cabinet and it devolved upon him to draw up
the law for the abolition of the slave trade.
Shortly before the revolution of 1858 he be-
came especially conspicuous as one of the last
to defend with energy in the corteS the princi-
pie of blending liberal and conciliatory ideas
with the constitutional monarchy, when all the
parties that had supported this political doc
trine had deserted the parliament.
He was banished 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 1858, supported by Seniors FL
duayem, Bugallel and two others, he hoiSteo
the standard of legitimate and constitutional
monarchy. This is his greatest title to fame
His fidelity and ability finally secured for him
the supreme direction of the Alfonsist party,
and, on the proclamation OF Alfonso XII as
king, ON December 81, 1874, Senior Canovas del
Castillo became president of the council, and
chief of the new cabinet called the cabinet OF
cohciliation
He retired In September, 1875, because Of the
extreme conservative party, but he was called
back to the presidency of the council on Dec
ember 2, of the same year and charged partic.
ularly 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 January, 1873 He was called upon to re-
press the second attempt OF the Carlists &c
bring on civil war and to deal with the first
insurrection in Cuba
With the exception OF an interval of few
months he continued TO hold the premiership
down to 1879, when, on the return OF Marshal
Martinez Campos from Cuba, he retired from
the premiership, and was succeeded by Campos,
who accepted as his colleagues the prin-
cipal associates of Senior Canovas- The
opposition to the policy of Cam
pos soon forced him to retire. Senior
Canovas skillfully resisted, delayed and finally
defeated the free trade and emancipation pro-
jects of Campos. On the reasSernbling of the
attempt to conduct the government, and Senior
Canovas formed new cabinet on December
10,with second Cuban insurrection to be dealt
with.