Madrid
12 February 1890
[Mr. Jose Rizal]
MY FAVORITE FRIEND,
How many [times] have I wished to send you the enclosed translation but I always forget.
Its translation has been done stealthily, so that in case it is to be used, be careful that the translator is not revealed.
Our Austrian friend is very furious. He says he is going to answer Desbarrantes[1] in a series of articles whose titles are the following: 1. German Bismark; 2. Malayism; 3. Friars and Jesuits; 4. Barrantes’ Confessions; 5. An Idea on the Separation of Colonies.
My news from our country is good. They say that the friars are very much disturbed because of the promulgation of the decree on fixed salaries.
Oh, I have forgotten. When Antonio Regidor was here, we met, but as we could not tarry, he told me with a wink that we have many things to talk about and to go to his brother’s house or else he would come to mine. He left without our meeting each other again. When I went to Govantes on account of your letter, he told me that there is a high political personage who said to him that the friars, it seems, would like to enter into an understanding with Filipino young men and he said that we may take it into consideration.
We separated without concluding our conversation. However, that very afternoon, I met Ricardo Regidor at the cafe Suizo who told me the same thing and that his brother Antonio suggests that we accept it, for it is difficult to go against the powerful. He also said that he is delegated by Font and Nozaleda to come to an agreement with us on their behalf. Here is the proposed programme:
They are going to lead the movement to grant the Philippines a colonial council that the government will be compelled to consult with respect to any legislation it would like to enforce; the Filipinos will have a say on the budget, and this is my own proposal which according to him the friars would accept; and the governor general will be deprived of the power to banish without the decision of the courts of justice.
According to him they would establish a party and we should write for it.
All that is asked of us, according to him, is that we do not oppose it.
I replied that the purpose is beautiful; nay, it must be realized. I said we need to be in peace with them owing to their power. Ricardo, not satisfied with this reply, wanted me to give him a definite answer. This is what I said to him: That they publish a programme in accordance with our conversation signed not by just anybody but by the friars themselves and they invite the Filipinos under those promises. They can expect, I said, that all or many will be willing to be under their flag.
“And you and Rizal, what would be your attitude?”
“I cannot answer for him,” I replied. “It seems to me that if the programme is published, we would not fight it without being defeated ourselves.”
Receive an embrace from
MARCELO.
03-503 [Reformists]
[1] A play on Vicente Barrante’s name. From the Spanish verb desbarra , meaning to err in what is said or done, to go beyond limits, etc. He was a Spaniard who held high posts in the Philippine government and in whose writings manifested anti-Filipino sentiments.