The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-04
CASTELAR,, THE STATESMAN.
DR.. Henry NJ. Fields "Reminiscences
of His Friend.

of His Friend.
New York June, 2.-There is probably
no man in this country so well qualified to
describe the character and personality of
Senior Castelar,, the dead leader of the Re-
publican party i'm Spain, as Dr. Henry M
Field. A personal acquaintance begun
many years ago, was kept up by a long
correspondence. DR.. Field loved the great
Spaniard as a man and admired him as a
statesman. He regards CASTELAR, as one of
the great men of the generation and says
of him:
My acquaintance with CASTELAR, began
after his second return to Spain, when he
was a member of the Cortes from Madrid
MY first view of him was disappointing,
and he had not the grand figure which we
are accustomed 10 associate with a grand
orator. He was short, thckset and broad
shouldered. with the neck and breast of
a bull. He was bald and his dome like
head seemed massive in it's proportions.
His voice was low and pleasant, his man.
ner deliberate.
This was the orator In repose, but when
stirred to the depths of feeling in a great
speech, he made different impression. 1
heard him make such a speech in Decem-
Der, 1884, after the revolt of that year of
which he had disapproved He had been
accused by The monarchists of supporting
the rebellion and by his own associates of
lukewarmness in failing to support it. He
made this speech to explain his position.
l shall never forget the impression he
made then. AS the fire kindled within
him hfs 1yniea rosa The words aaFpa fa
ter and faster till the stream became a
torrent and the breeze swelled to the war
of a tempest. His gestures answered to
his voice; his right arm quivering as
though with electricity pointed wherever
he wflled that the lightning should strike.
AT times he used a gesture 1 had
never seen in any other speaker.
He would clasp his hands or double his
fists, raise them above his head and then
throw them violently out in front OF him
as though he had taken red-hot bail cut
of his fiery brain to dash it in the face of
his enemies.
His oratory was not all thunder and
lightning. There were flashes of wit,
touches of pathos and strains of humor.
With the hand of a master he touched ev-
cry note in the scale of human feeling. /
understood Spanish but imperfectly, yet l
was never more moved by any speech in
my life. 1t was Impossible not to feel the
power and enthusiasm of the man behind
the words. il was human finger that
touched us as weil as a human voice that
thrilled us.
As a talker CASTELAR, was no less gifted
than as a speaker He was one of the
most brilliant conversationalists ! ever
met and 1 recall many pleasant hours
passed in his very modest Madrid house,
when he ran on from one subject TO an
other-books, art, music, literature, his
tory, men, nations-every topic that can
attract the intellectual man.
The FIRST time met MIN he spoke in elo-
quent terms of his admiration for our own
country From this the talk ranged nat
urally to the cause of liberty and it's adj
vancement in all parts OF the world. As he
talked on and on he became more enthu-
siasuc and kept moving closer to me as
we sat together on a djyan and finally he
took hold of the lapels Of my coat, at the
climax Of some point he had been leading
up to, and shook me violently as though to
force tho truth home to me in such a way
that could never forget It.
Similarly In walking along the street /
have known him TO pause and deliver a
regular speech. with all the infections ana
gestures that he employed in the chamber
II was simply the mate enthusiasm of the
man which carried him entirely out OF
himself That was the basis of his won
derful power as an orator.
CASTELAR, was born at Cadiz In 1882, He