Chapter 17 - Rizal's Life Works and Writings

CHAPTER 17:
MISFORTUNES IN MADRID
(1890-1891)

1.
FAILURE TO GET JUSTICE
FOR FAMILY

ARRIVAL IN MADRID
Rizal sought the help of the Filipino
colony, The Asociacion Hispano-Filipina, and
the liberal Spanish newspapers (La Justicia, El
Globo, La Republica, El Resumen, etc.) in
securing justice for the oppressed Calamba
tenants, including his family.

INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER FABIE
Together with M.H. del Pilar (who acted
as his lawyer) and Dr. Dominador Gomez
(secretary of the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina),
he called on the Minister of Colonies (Señor
Fabie) in order to protest the injustices
committed by Governor General Valeriano
Weyler and the Dominicans against the
Calamba folks.

INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER FABIE
But nothing came out of
the interview with Minister
Fabie.

“To cover the ears, open the
purse, and fold the arms – this is
the Spanish colonial policy.”
~ El Resumen

TERRIBLE NEWS
From his brother-in-law Silvestre Ubaldo,
Rizal received a copy of the ejectment order by
the Dominicans against Francisco Rizal and
other Calamba tenants.

SATURNINA’S LETTER
Rizal learned of the deportation of
Paciano Rizal, Antonino Lopez, Silvestre
Ubaldo, Mateo “Teong” Elejorde, and Dandoy
(Dr. Rizal’s relative) to Mindoro. They were
arrested and shipped out of Manila on
September 6, 1890. In addition, their parents
had been forcibly ejected from their home and
were then living in the house of Narcisa
(Antonino’s wife).

DR. RIZAL’S DESPERATION
Rizal sought the aid of the liberal
Spanish statesmen, who were former members
of the Ministry, including Becerra, and Maura.
Sadly, these statesmen merely gave him
honeyed words of sympathy and nothing else.

DR. RIZAL’S DESPERATION
Blumentritt in Leimeritz urged Rizal to
see Queen Regent Maria Cristina. But how? He
had neither powerful friends to bring him to the
queen’s presence nor gold to grease the palms
of influential courtiers.

2.
RIZAL’S EULOGY TO
PANGANIBAN

DOLEFUL NEWS
August 19, 1890, after a lingering
illness, Jose Ma. Panganiban died in
Barcelona. He was a friend and a
talented co-worker of Rizal in the
Propaganda Movement.
Rizal wrote a great eulogy to him
describing on how great he was and
how unfortunate our nation was that
he died.

DOLEFUL NEWS
August 19, 1890, Feliciano Gomez
Timbang, a friend and a countryman, died the
same date as Jose Maria Panganiban.

3.
ABORTED DUEL WITH
ANTONIO LUNA

SOCIAL REUNION
 End of August, 1890, Rizal attended a social
reunion of the Filipinos. Wine was served.
 Antonio Luna became drunk, bitter of his
frustrated romance with Nellie Boustead, he
blamed Rizal for his failure to win her. Later, he
uttered certain unsavory remarks about Nellie.
 Rizal heard Luna and challenged him to a
duel.

SOCIAL REUNION
 Rizal was a better pistol shot than Luna. But
the latter was his superior as a swordsman.
Luna had choice of weapons. Other Filipinos
tried to pacify them pointing out to both that
such a duel would damage their cause in Spain.
 Fortunately, Luna became sober, realized he
made a fool of himself and apologized for his
bad remarks about the girl. Rizal accepted his
apology, and they became good friends again.

4.
RIZAL CHALLENGES RETANA
TO DUEL

WENCESLAO E. RETANA
 Bitter enemy of Rizal in pen. Press agent of
the friars in Spain. He attacked Filipinos
including Rizal, in various newspaper in Madrid.
 He imprudently wrote an article in La Epoca,
an anti-Filipino newspaper in Madrid, asserting
that the family and friends of Rizal had not paid
their rents so that they were ejected from their
lands in Calamba by the Dominicans.

RIZAL’S CHALLENGE
 Rizal then challenged Retana to a duel
because of the article the latter wrote. Only
Retana’s blood or his apology could vindicate
the good name of Rizal’s family and friends.

RETANA’S APOLOGY
 Retana believed that discretion is the better
part of valor, and more to save his own skin.
Retana at once published a retraction and an
apology in the newspapers. The incident
silenced Retana's pen and he developed a
great admiration for Rizal.

5.
INFIDELITY OF LEONOR
RIVERA

TEATRO APOLO
One night Rizal and his friends attended
a play at Teatro Apolo, and there he lost his
gold watch chain with a locket containing the
picture of Leonor Rivera, his beloved
sweetheart. The loss of the locket proved to be
a bad omen.

DECEMBER 1890
With the cold winds of winter sweeping
across the shivering city, Rizal received a letter
from Leonor, announcing her coming marriage
with an Englishman (Henry Charles Kipping –
the choice of her mother) and asking his
forgiveness. This letter was a great blow to him.
He was stunned, his eyes dimmed with tears,
and his heart broke.

FEBRUARY 15, 1891
Several agonizing weeks passed before
he could confide to his best friend, Blumentritt.
Blumentritt sent him a comforting letter. Three
months later, Blumentritt sent another
comforting letter.

“ I am grieved with all my heart that
you have lost the girl to whom you
were engaged, but if she was able
to renounce a Rizal, she did not
possess the nobility of your spirit.
She is like a child who cast away a
diamond to seize a pebble . . . In
other words, she is not the woman
for Rizal.”
~ Blumentritt

CLOSING DAYS OF1890
There arose an unfortunate rivalry
between Rizal and Del Pilar for supremacy.

RIZAL’S IDEALISM
Rizal tried to imbue his compatriots with
his own idealism, he believed that to gain
prestige for the Propaganda Movement and to
win the respect of the Spanish people they must
possess high standards of morality, dignity, and
spirit of sacrifice. Unfortunately his idealism was
not shared. some of his supporters turned on
the leadership of Del Pilar.

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
 Fearless lawyer-journalist
 Gained prestige in Madrid for his
vigorous editorials in La Solidaridad,
which he became to own. He had
purchased this fortnightly periodical
from Pablo Rianzares, its proprietor,
and had replaced Graciano Lopez
Jaena as its editor

MARCELO H. DEL PILAR
 The editorial policy of La
Solidaridad under his management
enhanced the cleavage between
Rizal and him
 The periodical’s editorial policy
was opposite to Rizal’s political
views

JANUARY 1, 1891
 About ninety Filipinos in Madrid met to patch
up their differences and to intensify the
campaign for reform
 They decided that a leader called
Responsable be chosen to direct the affairs of
the Filipino community and to determine the
editorial policy of La Solidaridad

JANUARY 1, 1891
 Del Pilar opposed the proposition, however
he was willing to publish articles that would
express the aspirations and demands of the
Filipino people
 Owning to Del Pilar opposition the meeting
proceed to the business of electing
the Responsable
 It was agreed that the Responsable should
be elected by a two-thirds vote of the Filipinos

7.
RIZAL ABDICATES HIS
LEADERSHIP

VOTING
 The Filipinos were divided into two hostile
camps – the Rizalistas and Pilaristas
 First and second day of voting, Rizal won but
he did not obtain the required two-thirds vote to
be a Responsable
 Third day of voting, Rizal won and became
the Responsable because of Mariano Ponce
that appealed to his countrymen to vote for
Rizal

DECLINATION
Rizal graciously declined the coveted
position. He preferred to abdicate his leadership
rather than be the cause of disunity and
bitterness among his countrymen.

FAREWELL
 Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his
compatriots for electing him as Responsable.
Sadly he packed up his bags, paid his bills, and
boarded a train leaving for Biarritz.
 As he gazed through the window of his train
at the city of Madrid, where he was happy
during his first sojourn (1882-85) but unhappy
on his second visit (1890-91). It was the last
time he saw Madrid.

Chapter 17 - Rizal's Life Works and Writings