Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
Is Paciano the noble, another victim of the bailiffs? – Newspaper campaign to denounce to the world the inhuman and barbaric violation of the most sacred human rights – Blumentritt recommends: “Ask the queen for protection against the abuses.” – One more station on the cia cruces which leads to redemption.
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Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
24 August 1890
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt
My Brother,
We deeply regret the grievous misfortune that your family has suffered at the hands of the friars. The Italian Carducci has reason to sing:
Wie lang’ Herr, soll die driest
Brut ,it den Heil’gen scherzen,
Theologie im Geiste
Und Niedertracht im Herzan! [1]
Is it Paciano, the good and noble, who is the victim of the bailiffs? Where have they taken him? Can one write him? Is it necessary to undertake a determined and bold newspaper campaign; the inhumanity and barbarity with which the most sacred human rights are violated under the banner of religion and of Spain should be denounced to the whole world? Can’t the queen do something? Does she not grant audiences like our emperor at which the subjects can implore and get the monarch’s protection when his officials had committed some abuses? I know that the queen has limited rights and being a foreigner, has to act cautiously, considering the nationalism of the Spaniards, but she should exercise the more sacred rights of a monarch, that of protecting her subjects against the abuses of her officials. See her. I know that you are prudent and you will not hurt her religious feelings with violent denunciation of friars. Go and see her as the Marquis Posa of Schiller went to see Phillip II. I believe she will [work]. The Filipinos would then have more one disappointment to bear and there would be one station more on the via cruces which finally leads to redemption. I fear that there would still be more stations for us. But we must not lose courage. Exoraire aliquis nostris ex ossibus ultor.[2]
What you say about the gifts with which the Filipinos wish to compliment me has touched me deeply but the same time breaks my heart. All these good souls are bringing upon themselves the hatred of Castilas [Spaniards] and friars, and when the bailiffs learn about it, they will suffer persecution and exile just for me. Now, I fear that because of me my friends would get into trouble. The gift is unnecessary; I know and I understand how grateful are the Filipinos; I know that their hearts are as rich as the exuberant vegetation of their country. I need no proofs of it. Regards to all my friends and fellow countrymen of my heart.
Now I’m too much moved to write more. I’ll answer the other points in your letter in my next.
Across mountains and valleys your brother sends you a thousand regards.
F. Blumentritt
03-571 [Reformists]
[1] Free translation: “How long, Sir, must the insolent rascal with theology in his head and vileness in his heart mock what is holy!”
[2] From Vergil’s Ae neid, IV, 625; “ May some avenger arise from our own ashes.”