Letters of J.

Rizal to
F.Blumentritt
Years 1888 to 1889

23 June 1888 London

Paciano Rizal isPhilosopher Tasio- the only man,
according to the lieutenant of the civil guard
General Salamanca asks for the punishment of Filipino
reformists - The Spanish Senate is indifferent - "We pay
taxes, we shed our blood for Spain, and when we raise a
petition, punishment is our reward!"
The simile of the oldcocotte- "Fight for truth : Raise us
or knock us down!" - Fame for the defense of the weak
The Filipinos have lost faith in Spain
The second edition of the Noli.

My friend Taviel de Andrade said that he

(Paciano Mercado) was the only man in the
Philippines - the young Philosopher Tasio.
When I think of him, though anIndio, more
generous and noble than all the present-day
Spaniards put together.

General Salamanca gave proofs of military

valor when he asked for the punishment of
those Filipinos who, with due respect,
submitted their petitions to the Government.
The whole Senate did not find a word of excuse
for the Filipinos, no compassion. We pay our
taxes, we shed our blood for the glory of Spain,
tolerating her ignorance, and when we dare to
express our desires, then they cry for an
"exemplary punishment for us". And we are not
slaves and it was the Government that
encouraged this petition of the Filipinos and
certainly it had provoked it!

With all our ignorance and savagery, we are

more noble than the Senate, the Government,
and all the Spaniards put together. We have
defended the Spaniards against all their
adversaries and we still defend them. We offer
them hospitality. And even though my brother
knows the hatred and sufferings of the people,
nevertheless he has defended the Spaniards
against the vengeance of some gravely wronged
compatriots.

You say that you are fighting for me and my fellow

countrymen. I thank you for it. But I beg you not to
fight for me and my countrymen but for truth,
because, after all, my countrymen and I will soon
perish, and you ought to work for the imperishable.
Forget that you are my friend, because I would be
very sorry if you would suffer anything for our cause. I
believe that it is already late; the majority of the
Filipinos have lost already the hope they have pinned
on Spain! Now we await our fate from God and from
ourselves, but never any more from any Government!

Iam planning to make the second edition ofNolinot

very different from the first. It seems to me that literary
creations suffer much when alterations are made in
them, for the public will ask "In which is the author
sincere, in the first or in the second edition?" If I should
make changes, I am afraid they may be very bitter and
sour. I shall only correct typographical errors and shall
correct the erroneous citation of Shakespeare in place of
that of Schiller. Let the first flower of my youth walk
about with all its errors and defects and let it be a proof
that formerly I believed in the government and in its
good will!

14 November 1888 London

The booksBauernspiegelseem to portray the life of the
Filipinos with regard to courtesy..
Rizal declines the offer to manage a periodical. Vidal y
Soler asks for Spanish and European immigrants giving
them landed property. But not for Orientals.
What are colonies for? Rizal does not agree with the
explanation ofreason of state. No one ought to go to the
neighbor's house and subordinate the interests of the
neighbor to his own interests. "We came here," the
Spaniards said to our forefathers, "to be your friends;
recognize our king and pay him a small tribute and we are
going to defend you against your enemies."

I have read them (Bauernspigel books) with

great interest and I believe I have found in
their various passages a description of the
life of the Filipinos especially in reference to
courtesy.

After much thinking and reflection I gave up the idea

of being director. I got 50 votes in fact, or rather 60
against 5 who voted for Lete. But I saw that the
sympathizers of Lete were very jealous and as Lete,
my former friend, has not behaved well towards me
when my articles appeared inEspaa en Filipinas, I
withdrew. No one, neither Lete nor his friends, could
say that Rizal has accepted the management of the
periodical for vengeance in order to be able to hurt
and eclipse Lete. However, if I knew that I was the
only capable Filipino, I would not mind what people
might say. But there are many there, thank God, who
are more worthy than I. On account of my withdrawal,

Icannot accept your kind explanation of reason of

state. I suppose that the welfare of the country
ought to be suppressed in the interest of the state
as you say. That reason can be alleged only when
the country forms an integral part of the state and
if the happiness or the misfortune of the whole is
the happiness or misfortune of each part, when the
country is within the nation.

This is not the case of the Philippines. The

Philippines is not Spain; she only belongs to Spain.
The happiness of Spain is not the happiness of the
Philippines but indeed her misfortune. Here it is
not a question of interests of state but only of
Spanish rule. Spain already existed and was more
powerful before acquiring the Philippines. Thisour
sovereigntyis only a name. They want to sacrifice
our welfare to Spanish pride, and pardon me for
not being in accord with this.

Moreover, a country should have colonies

only when she has too many people and too
much culture at home, and then she should
pledge herself to promote the happiness and
welfare of her colonies.

No one ought to go to the neighbor's house

and subordinate the welfare of the neighbor
to his own interests. This would be an
outrage; it would be the reign of force. If a
colonizing nation cannot make her colonies
happy, she ought to abandon them or give
them their liberty. No one has a right to
make others unfortunate!

We have not called the Spaniards. They came and

said to our forefathers: We came here to be your
friends; we shall help one another; recognize our
king and pay him a small tribute, and we are going
to defend you against your enemies. In those
times there was no talk of taking away our lands.
The friars talked about heaven and promised us all
kinds of wealth. To certain natives they did not
mention the tribute but only friendship and trade,
and now you want us to give up the welfare of the
Philippines for a high-sounding name!

I cannot understand why a colored peasant

ought not to be a landowner like a
European; their work makes them equal. I
shall understand reasons of state only when
the Philippines can enjoy the same rights of
sovereignty as Spain. Then her interests can
be trampled upon in the interest of the State
but not under the mere name of Spanish
rule.

14 January 1889 London

Association Internationale des Philippinistes
To hold a congress during the Exposition at Paris
Rizal asks Blumentritt for advice and suggestions to
improve it.
Awaiting theExequatur- Mac Havelaar's book.

We
have
formed
anAssociatio
Internationale des Philippinistesof which
you should be the president. Don't say no
before having read the whole thing. I
enclose with this a copy of the project so
that you can analyze it and express your
important points of view.

Association Internationale des Philippinistes

I

The object of this Association is to study the Philippines from the

historic and scientific point of view.

In order to attain this objective the Association shall

lst, Convoke international congresses;
2nd Open public contests on subjects that are in accord with the
objective of the Association;
3rd Work for the establishment of a library and museum of Philippine

II
This Association shall be composed of charter members and all those whom the Board
of Directors may admit.

The latter shall be either ordinary or honorary members.

The Board of Directors shall be composed of a president, a vice president, two
counselors, and a secretary.

In case of resignation or death of any member, his successor shall be elected by the
other members of the Board.

In the absence of the President, the senior or the oldest counselor shall perform his
functions.

The ordinary members shall pay an annual fee of ten francs.

All correspondence, letters, reports, etc. shall be addressed to the Secretary of the
Association.

Board of Directors of the

International Association of Philippinists(Candidates)
President: Prof. F. Blumentritt (Austrian)
Vice President: Mr. Edm. Plauchut (French)
Counselors:
Dr. Ant. Regidor (Spanish)
Dr. Reinhold Rost (German)
Secretary: Dr. J. Rizal (Filipino)
Messrs. Edm. Plauchut, Ant. Regidor, and J. Rizal have already accepted
their nomination for vice president, counselor, and secretary respectively.

We are planning to hold a congress at Paris

during the Exposition. You will receive money for
the trip and stay in Paris.
Write me your observations and advice so that
we may be able to improve the Association. We
should like to invite all scholars who are
interested in Philippine affairs.