Luis Padial
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General Luis Padial (February 6, 1832-March 5, 1879), was a soldier, politician and one of the most important figures who was responsible for the abolishment of slavery in Puerto Rico.
, the capital city of Puerto Rico
. He received his primary and secondary education in some of the city's best private schools. After he graduated from superior school (another name for high school), his parents sent him off to Toledo, Spain
, where he was to prepare himself to become a career soldier.
. Padial's battalion was deployed with the intention of "squashing" the rebellion. He was badly wounded in a skirmish and was sent back to Puerto Rico to recover from his wounds. Padial had been a witness of the cruel treatment that the Dominicans
had suffered in the hands of the Spaniards and became convinced that their quest for independence was a noble and just one. After he recovered from his wounds, Padial became an active and outspoken person on behalf of the cause of the Dominican Republic. This led to his deportation from Puerto Rico by orders of the Spanish Governor of the island, General Messina, in December 1864.
Padial went to Spain and joined the liberals, who wanted to overthrow the Spanish Monarchy of Queen Isabella II
and establish a republic. The rebels were under the command of General Primm. Padial organized an attack from Portugal
in 1866 and another from France
in 1867. In 1868, the Spanish Monarchy was overthrown and a republic was established. Padial was named Brigadier General of the Battalion of Madrid.
as a model.
on November 19, 1872, Padial together with Roman Baldorioty de Castro
, Julio Vizcarrondo
and Minister Segismundo Moret, presented a second proposal for the abolition of slavery. On March 22, 1873, the Spanish Government approved the proposal which became known as the Moret Law
.
, when the Spanish Monarchy returned to power. Padial returned to Spain on January 1879 and died on March 5, 1879 in Madrid
.
Early years
Padial, (birth name: Luis Padial y Vizcarrondo), was born into a well-to-do family from San JuanSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, the capital city of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. He received his primary and secondary education in some of the city's best private schools. After he graduated from superior school (another name for high school), his parents sent him off to Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, where he was to prepare himself to become a career soldier.
Military career
Padial attended the Military Academy of Toledo and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Spanish Army upon his graduation. He was stationed in Puerto Rico in 1863, when a pro-independence rebellion occurred in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Padial's battalion was deployed with the intention of "squashing" the rebellion. He was badly wounded in a skirmish and was sent back to Puerto Rico to recover from his wounds. Padial had been a witness of the cruel treatment that the Dominicans
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
had suffered in the hands of the Spaniards and became convinced that their quest for independence was a noble and just one. After he recovered from his wounds, Padial became an active and outspoken person on behalf of the cause of the Dominican Republic. This led to his deportation from Puerto Rico by orders of the Spanish Governor of the island, General Messina, in December 1864.
Padial went to Spain and joined the liberals, who wanted to overthrow the Spanish Monarchy of Queen Isabella II
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
and establish a republic. The rebels were under the command of General Primm. Padial organized an attack from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1866 and another from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1867. In 1868, the Spanish Monarchy was overthrown and a republic was established. Padial was named Brigadier General of the Battalion of Madrid.
Abolitionist
He returned to the island and in 1869 was elected to represent Puerto Rico in the Spanish Courts. On November 13, 1869, Padial sent a letter to the Minister of the Overseas Department, Segismundo Moret, to consider granting Puerto Rico more autonomy and to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico using CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as a model.
on November 19, 1872, Padial together with Roman Baldorioty de Castro
Román Baldorioty de Castro
Román Baldorioty de Castro distinguished himself as one of Puerto Rico's foremost abolitionists and spokesman for the island's right to self-determination...
, Julio Vizcarrondo
Julio Vizcarrondo
Julio Vizcarrondo Coronado was a Puerto Rican abolitionist, journalist, politician and religious leader. He played an instrumental role in the development and passage of the Moret Law which in 1873 abolished slavery in Puerto Rico...
and Minister Segismundo Moret, presented a second proposal for the abolition of slavery. On March 22, 1873, the Spanish Government approved the proposal which became known as the Moret Law
Moret Law
The Moret Law was a form of freedom of wombs approved in Spain on July 4, 1870 for application in the colonies as a result of the efforts of Roman Baldorioty de Castro, Luis Padial, Julio Vizcarrondo, and Segismundo Moret...
.
Later years
In 1874, Padial went into a self-impossed exile in SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, when the Spanish Monarchy returned to power. Padial returned to Spain on January 1879 and died on March 5, 1879 in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel