26 November 1884

Madrid

Reiterates his desire to return home soon — He does not need a doctorate, inasmuch as he has no hope of getting a professorship — Would like to study some trades and visit famous clinics in ophthalmology — Huge demonstration of liberal students — The police attacks the University — Bloodshed in the University building — Resignation of the rector — Rizal criticizes the new rector — He would not want this diploma to be signed by him.

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26 November 1884

MY DEAR PARENTS AND BROTHERS,

In my previous letter of the 19th I expressed to you my desire to return there as soon as possible, seeing the trend of our business and foreseeing what may happen. I now reiterate my desire then and I repeat it here in case the letter has been lost, that I wish to return to that country as soon as possible in order to take part in the work of earning a livelihood, for I have spent much for a long [time] without my being able to put in something. Thank God, 1 have already finished my medical studies. The doctorate is not of very much usefulness to [me] now, because though that is needed to become a professor, I don’t believe that they will ever appoint me as such at the College of Santo Tomás. I say the same thing about the degree in philosophy and letters which is needed also for the professorship, which I doubt the Dominican fathers will give me. Besides, there are other serious incidents that occurred here which I shall relate to you presently. I believe then that with what I have studied, with my profession, with a short trip that I can make (if possible, without causing any great inconvenience, to England and Italy), I ought to be there by the month of May or July 1885. On this trip to London and Italy I should like to make, I would like to study and see a few things, to stay at some shops to work and learn some trade at the same time visit some famous centers of ophthalmology or eye diseases, to which study I should like to devote myself a little. Some two months will be sufficient for this and for which I don’t intend to spend more than ₱200, and from Naples take the boat for the Philippines. This, if it is easily possible, and if not, leave this place, tour Italy and embark at Naples, which will mean to me the expenditure of some ₱50 of my pension, which I intend to spend only on this trip. This is what I should like to do, but if it is still excessive, I plan to depart from Marseille and take a boat of the Messageries Maritimes for the Philippines. I’m not taking a Spanish boat to avoid serious “embarrassments”[1] which perforce must occur. I am not returning through this line, if I should return safe and sound and in peace. I only enjoin you — as I owe ₱100 a countryman who esteem me, inasmuch as you haven’t sent me my two months allowance and I had to matriculate — to please send me this amount to settle my account. Once there, I shall try to work as much as I can in order to heal these tremendous “saber wounds”. Without doubt my former plan was alluring and beautiful: Travel after my doctorate through Germany, England, Italy, France, learn their languages, study their progress, etc., etc. But now, not only is it impossible to carry it out, but also it is highly prejudicial and stupid, considering the present and the future. I’ll satisfy myself with this: may God provide the rest. I await then your reply.

The incidents to which I referred casually at the beginning of my letter are the following:

A professor here, Dr. Morayta,[2] read at the opening of the academic year in speech in which he proclaimed academic freedom. The bishops excommunicated him for this speech, and there was even a student who wanted to advocate the excommunication of the bishops. Then the liberal students held an imposing demonstration against the excommunication and as the liberals formed the immense majority, the demonstration was big. As they went through the streets there were shouts of “Long live!” and “Down!” That was enough to make the police chase the students, some of whom were wounded and others were taken prisoners. The following day the students of letters were greatly enraged and students of medicine, law, philosophy and letters and others joined together. It was then that the police committed barbaric outrage without equal in the history of any country. They attacked the University with sabers and revolvers in their hands, 200 of them, upon order of the governor, the rector notwithstanding. Many were wounded, blood was spilled on the stairways and corridors of the University, they laid their hands on the rector, seized the secretary, insulted the professors, wounded the children, there was shooting. I was then at the University, but I was in the class. When I came out, the thing had already taken another turn. . . This occurred on 20 November at 12 noon. After more or less tumultuous scenes, we were allowed to go out one by one between two rows of soldiers. The University was closed and in the afternoon all the streets were already guarded by a multitude of policemen and civil guards; there were at least seven or eight on every street corner. On that day there were also several encounters at the College of Medicine, many wounded, four or five in very serious condition, one professor held as prisoner. Madrid at night was silent and deserted. There was fear of an uprising. The jails were filled with students and the infirmaries with the wounded. The whole city was indignant. The rector,[3] who is very much liked by many, protested energetically and resigned; but the minister of development,[4] as a corrective provocation, appointed in his place a neophyte (Creus), a very unpopular man, disliked by everybody. . . The following day when the new rector went to assume office, tempers were highly irritated, blood could still be seen. It was agreed not to return to the classes until we were given satisfaction and the rector removed. There were repeated shouts of “Down with Creus”. I was also there. Today new encounters, new fights, wounded, and clubbings, imprisonments, etc., etc. This very day, the 21st, a police lieutenant and secret service man wanted to seize Ventura and me but we slipped away. Two Filipinos were jailed.

On the third day, Saturday, the 22nd, the new rector Creus, called the police to occupy the University from the top down to the great disgust of the professors and the great ire of the students. Today, because the police were staring at me so much, I don’t know why, I had to disguise myself three times. No one went to class. More clubbings, wounds, saber blows, etc. etc. More than 80 civil guards occupied the University up and down; in the auditorium were their guns and bugles. The Prado promenade was occupied by the cavalry, cannons, and soldiers. Therefore we swore not to return today to the dishonored University whose rector asserts himself by force, threats, and treats us like people without dignity, and we have sworn not to return while we are not given complete satisfaction and the old rector is reinstated and Creus is removed, who is the shame of the physicians who are trying to expel him from the Academy for his lack of dignity and delicacy in accepting a position that another had left with much dignity! This rector, in order to escape the hissing and the insults of the students entered and left the University through a false door in the garden. All the newspapers in Madrid and the provinces, excepting those of the ministry were in favor of us and they criticized the government severely. The people also are on our side and the students in the provinces to us. A rich banker offered ten thousand pesos to the ex-rector to bail out the student prisoners; the father of a boy, 50 pesos for the expenses of the lawsuit. The city council itself and all the students are in favor of us, so much so that they take our cause as their own. I had the good luck of not having received a single cane blow nor being taken as prisoner nor detained, and although in my double roles as a student of medicine and of philosophy and letters, I had to see many friends and find out what was happening. Whether or not it was a coincidence, the fact that was there were wounded old men, women, children, military men, and foreigners, while I didn’t even have to run.

Here’s the reason why I say that studying at Madrid disillusions me. It can no longer be an honor to anyone to come from this institution, dishonored, outraged, debased, oppressed, tyrannized. Knowledge ought to be free and the professor as well. I shall not get my medical degree so long as Creus is the rector. I don’t want my most glorious diploma to be signed by a man detested by all, thrown out of the Academy of Medicine and Surgery, a man without delicacy, without dignity, though learned. If he remains in power, perforce I shall have to give up the Doctorate of Philosophy and Letters, for it is not possible for me to remain at the University. I’ll try to send you some newspapers. Senators, deputies, the entire University faculty journalists, businessmen who have been imprisoned and maltreated by the police are going to protest. Nobody knows how this question will end. There was one Filipino who was mauled and beaten with a saber. No Filipino was wounded, but Cubans and Spaniards. . .

[The rest of the letter is missing]

01-111 [Family]