GON ALEZ BRABO.
[TO Tun EDITOR OF Tile "8pJACTAToR."] Sia,—Notwithstanding the well-known liberality of the Spectator, I was much surprised on reading your number of Saturday to find it the apologist of such a political adventurer as Gonzalez Brabo, the man who, after slandering the mother of the ex-queen (who, whatever her faults, never deserved to be designated as a " rameva"), made his peace with that lady by betraying the party his periodi- cal had disgraced, and subsequently filling Madrid with spies or " policia secrets," as they called themselves. I have been told that on her return from banishment she embraced him for his treachery, but I cannot believe it, much less vouch for the truth of the statement.
You stated that the Liberal party always regretted the defection of Gonzalez Brabo; if so, this might be sufficiently explained by the man's capacity for mischief. The Moderados in 1851 looked upon him as a black sheep, a man with whom, from fear or political motives, it might be necessary to shake hands in spite of the con- tamination ; at least, that was the tone in which they spoke of him to such of their Liberal opponents as they were on friendly terms with, 1 was even told by one of them that an official removed from his post, for peculation or taking bribes, had been replaced by G. 13. at the intercession of his daughter, with whom, when it was known, nobody would associate. In fact, the name of Gon- zalez Brabo is, I believe, synonymous in Spain with corruption of every kind,—espionnage, secret measures, irresponsible govern- ment, domiciliary visits, and the stilling of public opinion.. What more evident proof could you desire of the thorough falseness of the man and his intense selfishness than his recent conversion to the cause of Don Carlos ?
Such men are unquestionably the curse of Spain, even more than the Clericals, whose faith is not their fault, but their misfor- tune, and who, when sincere, may be credited with a sort of patriotism, however mistaken. If the Spectator can find even a
semblance of anything of the kind in a man with no ordinary courage and intellect, who unscrupulously, but consistently pursued but two objects, the promotion of his own interests and the grati- fication of his passions, it is even more liberal than, with all my admiration for it, I could have imagined, and I only hope that God may be as merciful.—I am, Sir, &c.,
170 Oxford Road, Manchester, Sept. 23. W. T. ALvAREZ.
[We are not aware that our article contained the slightest apology for the Spanish notoriety it commemorated. If it abstained from severe censure, that is no more than is customary, in con- formity with the very desirable habit of urbanity usually shown to the character of those who are recently deceased. — En. Spectator.]
Previous page
