Manila
Rizal given power of attorney — You should support Governor Mompeón y Loret of Laguna, because as long as he is in the province, we need not fear anything — “The governor general [Weyler] has delivered himself body and soul to the friars” — Now there is more patriotism; a newspaper that writes against Filipino writers is abandoned by its Filipino subscribers — Lectura Popular, under the direction of Mr. Juan Atayde
* * *.
Manila, 5 January 1890
MR. JOSÉ RIZAL
DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW,
Enclosed I send you the power of attorney which, as a precautionary measure, our brothers-in-law Ubaldo and López have granted.
Paciano also will grant one after the departure of the governor of our province Mr. Juan Mompeón y Loret, because he is so confident that so long as this official is in our province we need [not] fear anything. In fact, several times the friars have warned him that a rebellion would break out with Calamba as its focus and he answered them, as well as the governor general, that in the province under his jurisdiction there is no filibusterismo nor will there ever be, giving his head as security. For this reason he must be supported. The friars are discrediting him to the governor general, slandering him in the vilest manner, so that he would be suspended and then dismissed. The governor general has delivered himself body and soul to the friars. Whenever he goes, he is accompanied by two or three of them. No one of us here is safe.
Here we are having more patriotism. The newspaper that attacks Filipino writers, such as Isabelo de los Reyes or those who favor the country like Blumentritt, or speak ill of the country, immediately finds itself without Filipino subscribers.
I am the correspondent of España Oriental, bilingual, now Lectura Popular, which is under the management of Mr. Juan Atayde. I have succeeded to make many from Batangas and Laguna subscribe to it; in Calamba there are more than 40 subscribers. The Revista Cató1ica has folded up for lack of subscribers. La Opinión was sold by its owner to Mr. Atayde also for lack of subscribers as a result of the writings of Retana against the country. Now we can speak with more freedom in favor of the country.
Love. The whole family is well. Our parents are in good health.
Your brother-in-law who esteems you,
MANUEL DE HIDALGO
04-488 [Misc.]