Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
The sufferings of Rizal’s family – Expose the injustice and the harshness of the Government – Silvino Pellico’s In mia prigone – “Friars and Priests” – Rizal’s articles for Times and Globus – The intellectual unity of the human species – A circular of the Societe Indo-Chinese – Equality and preference in the employment of the natives – The French will grant pagans rights which Spaniards deny Christians.
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Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
15 October 1890
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt
My Brother:
I’m deeply grieved to read in your last letter about the sufferings of your family due to the barbarities of the Spaniards and the friars. This cries to the sky; this asks for revenge. We should take advantage of this opportunity to expose to the peoples of Europe and America the injustice and harshness of the government of the Philippines. When the Italian patriot Count Silvino Pellico published his work In mia proigion [In my Prison], the Austrian government was compelled by the pressure of the stirred and indignant European opinion to abandon its despotic system of imprisonment. I’ll send you the German version of Pellico’s work. I’m very sorry that I haven’t received Paciano’s letters. Can I write him? To what address? Naturally, I’ll avoid any political remark.
Please greet Ponce cordially on my behalf. If he likes, he may also read my article on Friars and Priests. I’m at present writing my second article which the friars will like less, because in it I also take off their mask.
I await with pleasure your articles for the Times and Globus. For the Globus you should deal with social questions; for the Times, the political. Dr. Andree, the editor of the Globus, is an excellent and noble man. He studies with German fastidiousness the customs and superstitions of all the peoples of the world and his studies have contributed principally towards establishing the intellectual unity of the human species, because all superstitions and ideas are reflected surprisingly and in parallel lines among all races and peoples.
When you were still in Brussels, I sent you a little circular of the Societe Academique Indo-Chinese in which the academy petitions the French Government that in filling posts, etc. to give preference to the nationals of Indochina, or (if my memory does not fail me) adopt equal conditions for the French and the Indochinese. When I think that the culture and religion of the Hindus and Tamils of Chandernagore, Mahe, Yanaon, Carrical, and Pondicherry are not the same as ours, but belong to the circle of Brahmanic culture, it is an honor for the French that a society has taken this step and expects the government to grant it. I was hoping that you or del Pilar (to whom I also sent a copy) would utilize it for an article which should show to the Spaniards that the French are trying to concede to the pagans rights which the Spaniards deny to the Christians.
I’m slightly indisposed; I have caught cold and I have diarrhea. For this reason I haven’t gone out of the house today.
Goodbye. Affectionate regards from my family and an embrace of your
Blumentritt
01-583 [Family]