PROTEST OF A PIONEER REPUBLICAN.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Many years ago in Lisbon, when Admiral Taylor and some other officers of the British Navy were being entertained at the Royal Palace, King Carlos pointed out to his guests the captain of the Guard, and said, smiling, "Do you know who that is? He is Homem Christo, the indomitable Republican." That a fervent Republican should be allowed to act as captain of the King's Guard appeared a curious and somewhat dangerous anomaly, but King Carlos explained the situation. "Uncompromising in hie republicanism, Christo does not hesitate to denounce me to my face, but he is abso- lutely incapable of treachery." This anecdote is eminently descriptive of Senhor Francisco Homem Christo. A determined adversary of every form of humbug, hypocrisy, and pretence, Senhor Christo, who in 1910 was editor of an important paper, the Povo d'Aveiro, continued under the Republic the frank- ness which had been habitual to him during the Monarchy. The Republic, from its inception up to the present moment, has been almost hysterically intolerant of criticism, and Senhor Christo consequently is now an emigre in France, his paper, the Povo d'Aveiro, being printed in Paris and having become converted into the Paco d'Aveiro no Exilio. He has to-day sent me the following letter to translate and forward
to the Spectator.—I am, Sir, Ste., E. M. TENISON. Yokes Court, near Sittingbourne, Kent.
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