01-071 [Family]
1883.01.29 Madrid
From: José Rizal
To: Manuel T. Hidalgo
European Politics — Nunez de Arce, minister of colonies — General Jovellas to the Philippines — Proposed legal forms — Pleasant weather
* * *
Madrid, 29 January 1883
MR. MANUEL T. HIDALGO
MY DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW:
I have read your letter together with that of my sister and I’m very much pleased that you have written also even if your wife has already written me. The mine of my verbosity and news has been exhausted by the letters I have written to our parents and to my good sister Neneng. However, I believe I have something to your taste.
The French ministry is going through a crisis which indicates either death or convalescence. I fear very much that the events of ’93[1] might occur. Because of the excitement and tendency to exaggerate things such as outcome would not be surprising.
Neither does the present [Spanish] ministry offer large guarantees of stability. Nuñez De Arce, the minister of colonies has great plans. Let us hope that they would not be mere smoke and passing wind.
The general who is there is Jovellar. He is good they say, but he has a secretary…
According to a lawyer, the proposed legal reforms will never be carried out: First, because they are reforms; second, because we are in Spain; and third, because the mind of everyone is occupied with politics. Such reforms will be carried out with time – the great hope of the patient and lazy; and judging by the current trends, it that they will reform the reforms.
The weather here is very pleasant, like that of Christmas there. Two days ago I went out without an overcoat.
Greetings to my friends in Batangas, kisses to Freding; good, regulated, and reasonable hygiene for him.
Your affectionate brother-in-law,JOSÉ RIZAL
[1] Rizal is referring to the period of the French Revolution known as the “Reign of Terror” in 1793, when the First French Republic, and its Committee of Public Safety under the leadership of Maximilien Robespierre, executed over 1,400 individuals within a single year.