The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-05
MAN AND STATESMAN
ELOQUENT DESCRIPTION OF THE
ORATOR IN GREAT SPEECH.
Dramatic Life of Spain's Foremost
Republican-Wrote Novels at IL
Professor In University of Ma
drid at 25-Editor at SO, and
President of Spain at Al.

castelar,, the QedQ ledQer OIL the ftepuD-
lican party in Spain, as DR.. Henry NJ
Field. A personal acquaintance begun
many years ago was kept up by a long
correspondence. DIR. Field loved tbs
great Spaniard as a man, and admired
him as a statesman.
My acquaintance with Castelar, be-
gan after his second return to Spain
| when he was member of the cortes
from Madrid. My first view of him was
| disappointing and he had not the grand
figure which We are accustomed to as
sociate with a grand orator. He was
| short thickset and broad shouldered
was bald and his dome-like head seem
| ed massive in its proportions. His
voice was low and pleasant, his manner
deliberate.
This was the orator in repose. bu,
when stirred to the depths of feeling
in a great speech he made different
impression. heard him make such a
speech in December, 1884, after the re-
! volt of that year, of which he dtsaD-
| proved He had been accused by the
monarchists OF supporting the rebellion,
| and by his own associates of hlkeWarn-
| ness in failing to support it. He made
! this speech to explain his position.
1 shall never forget the impression
! he made then. AS the fire kindled
|
came faster 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 willed
| 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
oh n throw
them violently out in front of him as
| though he had taken a redhot ball out
of his fiery brain to dash it in the face
of his enemies . .--......--
Great As An Orator.
His oratory was not all thunder and
lightning. There We're flashes of wit,
touches of pathos and strains of humor.
With the hand of master he touched
every note in the scale of human feel
ing. 1 understood Spanish but imper-
fectly, yet l was never more moved by
any speech in my life. 1t was impos-
sible not to feel the power and enthu-
siasm Of the man behind the words. 1t
was a human finger that touched US, as
well as human voice that thrilled
us.
AS talker CASTELAR, was no less gift
ed than as a speaker. He was one of
the most brilliant conversaionalists L
ever met, and / recall many pleasant
hours passed in his very modest Madrid
house, when he ran on from one sub
ject to another-books, art, music, lit
erature, history, men, nations-every
topic that can attract the intellectual
man
The first time 1 met him he spoke in
eloquent terms of his admiration for
our own country. From this the talk
ranged naturally to the cause of liberty
and it's advancement in all parts of the
world. AS he talked on and on he be-
came more enthusiastic, and kept NOV
ing closer to me as we sat together on
a divan, 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
the truth home to me in such a way
that could never forget it.
Similarly in walking along the street
1 have known him to pause and deliver
a regular speech, with all the inflec-
tions and gestures that he employed in
the chamber. 1t was simply the in
nate enthusiasm of the man which car
ried him entirely out of himself. That
was the basis of his wonderful power
as an orator.
Castelar, was born at Madrid in 1892
He came naturally by his liberal prin-
ciples. His father had been forced to
ledNt the COuillTy 10 escape a SeHteHce
of death for participating in liberal
movements. Like Canovas, Sagasta and
Costello, this youth who was to be-
come the tribune of the people had to
make his own way in the world. He
early displayed his intellectual powers,
and by the time he was is had written
two novels. Then, with what assistance
his relatives were able to give him and
his own earnings from journalistic |
Writ no hn oh rN 70 Ins mi
versity of Madrid.
The young man prepared himself for |
an educational career. Soon after he |
had finished his work as a student an |
examination was held to fill the pro- |
fessorship of history and philosophy in |
the university. He carried off the prize |
over the heads of all his older competi- !
tors. and became a full-f1edged pro- |
fessor in one of the oldest universities |
in Europe at the age of %.
First Public Appearance.
Like almost every change in his ca |
reer, Castelar's first appearance in |
public life was made under dramatic |
He had gone to attend |
a Liberal meeting in the Theatre del /
Oriente. AT that time he had never |
made a speech in his life, did not know
that he could make one. But. as the |
progressed, he became so ex- /
cited that he rushed to the tribune and |
delivered an address which sent the |
audience wild with enthusiasm.
That event made CASTELAR, a we'll |
known man. and. more important, it |
revealed him to himself. 1t led to his
on the most important |
Liberal paper in Madrid. Two years
ater he founded a paper of his own
LIE Democracia.
BY his speeches and writings, Cas-
telar helped to bring about the revo-
luton of 1866 When that failed his
paper was suppressed and he was con-
iemned to death. He received warning,
however, in time to escape into Switzer-
and. Two years later he returned to
become the leader of the Republican
party.
since played important parts in their
history were included under
he same ban with CASTELAR,. They were
5agasta and Martos. In one of the
most powerful speeches he ever made.
[ heard CASTELAR, refer to this fact, and
lie pointed out as showing the progress
If liberal principles that Senior Sagasta
vas at that moment the prime minister
If the country.
CASTELAR, became president when the
'epublic was already doomed. If any
nan could have saved it, he would have
lone so. He did save the country from
.ivil and foreign war and prevented it
rom being torn to pieces before he was
second time driven into exile by the
placing of Alfonso XII on the throne.
Though CASTELAR, was a thorough
,oing Republican he was never plot
err or an extremist. He would never
onsent to turn his country's difficult
les to party advantages. There was an
=