CASTELAH% Emmo, b. 1832; an author, statesman, and president of the Spanish republic. He was the son of a broker, and at the death of his father was left in poverty, but managed to secure a good education. Ile came before the public as a writer of novels, more prominently as an advanced liberal in politics. In 1856, he obtained the professorship cf history in the university of Madrid, but lost the place in 1864, in con sequence of joining Carrasen in the establishment of La Democrueia, a radical journal. The paper was suppressed in 1866, and C. was sentenced to death for participation in the disturbance of June in that year; but he escaped to Switzerland, and subsequently went to France. At the beginning of the revolution in 1868 he went back to Spain and resumed his professorship, and in 1869 was one of the few republicans returned to the cortes. In that body he advocated republicanism and vigorously opposed the prospect of a regency. In the government chosen by the cortes after the abdication of Amadeo, C. was made minister of foreign affairs. In Aug., 1873, lie was elected president of the cortes, but vacated the post when, Sept. 6, he was nominated for president of the exec
utive power. His first act was to prorogue the cortes and assume complete authority. He made energetic but ineffectual efforts to suppress the Carlists, and sent the minister of war to Cuba, in person to protect Spanish interests in that island. When the cortes re-assembled, Jan. 2, 1874, a vote of confidence in president C. was defeated, and he at once resigned. Thereupon, Pavia, as capt.gen. of Madrid, forcibly dissolved the cortes and appointed a provisional government with marshal Serrano at its head. Soon after the pronunciamento in favor of Alphouso XII., Dec. 13, 1874, C. went to Switzerland, whence in Mar., 1875, he sent back his resignation of the chair of history in the univer sity of Madrid. Among his writings are novels, poems, works on politics, slavery, the war in Africa. Old "fume and New Italy (translated into English), parliamentary dis courses, etc. His oratory is vigorous and elegant.