Oliveira (Canon Alfredo César de)

This illustrious Madeiran, the son of Augusto César de Oliveira, was born in the town (vila) of Santa Cruz (‘Holy Cross’) on 22 May 1840.

After studying at the Lyceum (Liceu) and the seminary (Seminário) of this city, he was ordained priest on 30 August 1863. He held parish posts in the parishes of São Roque (‘St Roch’) and Santa Maria Maior (‘St Mary Major’), and by royal letter (carta régia) of 15 February 1867 he was presented to a canonry of Funchal Cathedral (the Sé) (Sé do Funchal). He also held the ecclesiastical offices of vicar general, member and president of the governing board (junta governativa) of the bishopric, and deputy to the governor of the diocese. In 1880 he was transferred to the archiepiscopal cathedral of Évora, and he lived in that city until his death.

As a preacher, as a writer, poet and journalist, as a politician and parliamentarian, and as a citizen holding various important public offices, Canon Alfredo César de Oliveira always displayed the superiority of his intellect. He showed the versatility of his talent, which could deal with varied and complex questions on subjects diametrically opposed and without any affinity with one another – a gift granted only to choice minds, privileged by nature.

The most characteristic side of his mind, and the one in which he shone most brilliantly, was that of preacher, politician and journalist. In all these expressions of his intellect he showed his undeniable worth and the rare abilities he possessed.

From a very early age he devoted himself to preaching from the pulpit. He made his debut, with the most auspicious success, in his native town while still a mere deacon, at the festivities held there to celebrate the marriage of King Luís I to Dona Maria Pia.

From then on his triumphs as an orator were great. Here in Madeira he enjoyed the reputation of an accomplished preacher, and some of the sermons he delivered in the Cathedral (Sé Catedral) and in other churches of this diocese were truly remarkable. In the pulpits of the capital he confirmed the reputation as a distinguished preacher that had preceded him there, delivering several sermons in the churches of the Madalena (‘Magdalene’) and the Incarnação and in the chapel of Saúde, which earned him the most flattering mentions in the Lisbon press. He planned to publish his sermons, but as far as we know he published only two sermons as separate pamphlets and another in a newspaper of this city.

Canon Alfredo was a skilful and adroit journalist who combined ease and elegance of expression with tightly reasoned argument. This made him a formidable debater and an opponent to be feared. He was a tireless fighter who never retreated, even in the thick of combat. He took part in memorable press campaigns in which the heat of passion sometimes drove the contenders to excesses of language, but our distinguished fellow Madeiran bore no grudges and readily forgot the wrongs done to him. He wielded the weapons of irony and ridicule with rare skill and, taking aim at his adversary now in prose, now in verse, almost always emerged the victor in these often sterile battles of the pen, whose chief spurs are political partisanship, vanity and personal interest.

He contributed more or less regularly to the Imprensa Livre, the Revista Semanal, the Aurora do Domingo and the Crença, of Lisbon, as well as to other newspapers. He was the founder and chief editor of the periodical A Lâmpada, published in Funchal in 1872. In 1876 he undertook the publication of the first daily newspaper here in Madeira. Many at the time thought the venture impossible or bound to be very short-lived, but it overcame every obstacle and still exists today with a promising future: the Diário de Notícias of Funchal. In the city of Évora he also founded the Notícias do Alentejo, the first daily newspaper published there (see vol. I, p. 359).

He was also an inspired poet, writing a number of lyric poems that lie scattered through various newspapers. He also cultivated the satirical genre, at times showing himself a worthy disciple of Nicolau Tolentino.

Canon Alfredo and Councillor (conselheiro, honorary title of the royal council) José Leite Monteiro, wishing to save from oblivion many poetic works of undeniable merit by Madeiran poets, which remained unpublished or scattered through the newspapers, undertook the publication of ‘Flowers of Madeira’ (Flores da Madeira), of which two volumes appeared. The collection earned high praise from the eminent writer Teófilo Braga in a letter published in 1872 in a newspaper of this city.

Besides countless articles, he wrote the novels Uma noite num hotel, published in the Revista Semanal, and Os Mistérios do Funchal, published in the Diário de Notícias.

Canon Alfredo César de Oliveira was a passionate politician. With a prominent place on the platform of the press, and able to draw on the influence of many friends and colleagues scattered throughout the district, he wielded remarkable party ascendancy here in Madeira. This soon marked him out for elective posts and positions of political trust: he served as a representative (procurador) to the District General Council (Junta Geral) and as a member of the District Council (Conselho de Distrito).

His influence and learning had naturally marked him out to represent his fellow Madeirans in the Cortes (Portuguese parliament). On 13 October 1878 he was elected deputy for the opposition by the constituency of Ponta do Sol for the legislature of 1879, and he was elected again by the same constituency on 19 October of that year for the legislature of 1880–1881. On 6 March 1887 he was once more elected deputy for Madeira, but he withdrew his candidacy in favour of his close friend and our distinguished fellow Madeiran Henrique de Sant'Ana e Vasconcelos, who had been the candidate with the most votes after the four deputies elected.

In parliament Canon Alfredo confirmed the reputation he enjoyed as a preacher. He proved a distinguished parliamentarian, revealing considerable gifts as an orator, above all in the debate he conducted with the noted publicist Rodrigues de Freitas. He always defended the interests of his fellow Madeirans with great fervour; particular mention should be made of his speech and bill on the afforestation of the mountains of Madeira. He was president of the administrative committees of the Misericórdia (Holy House of Mercy, a lay charitable brotherhood) and of the Asilo da Mendicidade (Mendicity Asylum) of Funchal, and he also carried out other public-service commissions.

In Évora he declined the posts of civil governor and deputy with which his friends and fellow party members on several occasions wished to honour him.

He died in the capital of the Alentejo, where he enjoyed the greatest prestige and the most heartfelt esteem, on 19 April 1908.