Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/160

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TORO
TORRES

and English correspondence, as well as two novels in Spanish, and several text-books for acquiring foreign languages. — His son, Manuel Alberto, b. in New York city, 2 June, 1862, was educated in the public schools, and since 1881 has been secre- tary of the Spanish consulate-general in New York city. Having rendered important services to the Spanish representatives in this country, in 1888 he was decorated by the queen regent of Spain with the cross of the order of Caballero de la Real orden de Isabel la Catolica. He has published " Spanish Tariffs, with Extracts from the Custom-House Regulations" (New York, 1888).


TORO, Fermin, Venezuelan statesman, b. in Caracas in 1807 ; d. there in 1865. He received an excellent private education, but was never gradu- ated. After being employed in his early years in the national treasury, he was promoted collector of the island of Margarita, and in 1831 was elected, before the legal age, to congress, where he soon be- came known as an orator. He was also a member of the constituent congress, and was called to the cabinet by Gen. Soublette as secretary of state and provisionally of the treasury, also representing his country as minister in Bogota and Madrid. In 1845-6, with Juan M. Cajigal, he edited " El Correo de Caracas." In 1858 he was one of the intimate ad- visers of Gen. Castro, and under Gen. Paez formed part of his cabinet. He published " Los Martires," a romance (Caracas, 1834) ; " Disertacion sobre la ley de 10 de Abril de 1834" (1835); "America y Europa" (1836); and many poems published by his friend, Manuel Caflete, under the pen-name of Emiro Kastos (Paris, 1847). He left in manuscript " La Sibila de los Andes," a novel, and " La Heca- tonfonia " and " El veinticuatro de Enero," poems.


TORO ZAMBRANO, Matéo de, president of Chili, b. in Santiago in 1724; d. there, 26 Feb., 1811. During the Spanish reign he occupied sev- eral public offices, and contributed to the construc- tion of the breakwater in Santiago, and of a bridge across Mapocho river. He equipped at his own ex- pense a company against the Araucanian revolt, the command of which he gave to his son, Jose Gregorio. In 1762 he was appointed acting presi- dent during the absence of Juan Balmaeeda, and. when President Manuel Amat went to Peru as viceroy in 1768, Toro Zambrano occupied his place {>rovisionally. Charles III. created him Count de a Conquista in 1771, and in 1809 the central junta of Seville gave him the rank of brigadier. When in 1810 the opposition against President Carrasco began, the audiencia, alarmed by the popular dem- onstrations, caused the latter to resign, and ap- pointed in his stead Toro Zambrano on 16 July. But the excitement continued, and on 18 Sept. Toro convoked a meeting of the authorities and citizens, before whom he resigned the presidency, and was elected again president of the new popular junta, of which Juan Martinez Rozas was the chief spirit. Toro Zambrano's age and feeble character prevented him from taking an active part in the government, and he died before the complete sepa- ration of the country from Spain.


TORQUEMADA, Juan de (tor-kay-mah'-dah), Spanish historian, b. in Valladolid about 1550 ; d. in Mexico about 1625. He went to Mexico in his youth as an officer, but assumed there the habit of St. Francis, and, besides studying theology, took a course in the Aztec language, history, and an- tiquities under the direction of the Indian cacique, Antonio Valeriano, who was one of the teachers at the College of Santiago de Tlaltelolco. He became a professor in Tlaltelolco, and finally superior of the college, meanwhile continuing assiduously his studies in ancient history, and after twenty years of labor published his great historical work. In 1614 he was elected provincial of his order at the^ general chapter in Xochimilco, and during his ad- ministration he constructed one of the great cause- ways that leads to the city of Mexico, which is now called San Cristobal. Besides some ecclesiastical biographies, he wrote " Monarquia Indiana, com- puesta de 22 Libros" (3 vols., Seville, 1615; Mad- rid, 1723), which, notwithstanding his ecclesiasti- cal prejudices, is considered fairly impartial and truthful, although it has been greatly improved by Carlos de Sigiienza's " Anotaciones."


TORRANCE, Frederick William, Canadian jurist, b. in Montreal in July, 1823. He was the son of a Scotch merchant of Montreal, and was educated at Paris and at Edinburgh university, where he received the degree of M. A. in 1844. On his return to Canada he studied law, was called to the bar in 1848, became professor of Roman law in McGill university in 1854, and was appointed puisne judge of the superior court in 1868. He aided in establishing the "Lower Canada Jurist," and managed it several years. McGill university gave him the degree of B. C. L. in 1856, and since 1870 he has been one of its governors.


TORRE, José Maria de la (tor-ray), Cuban archaeologist, b. in Havana in 1815 ; d. there in 1873. He studied law in his native city, and was admitted to the bar in 1841, but he never practised as a lawyer, devoting himself instead to teaching. He published a remarkable map showing the dis- tricts into which the island was divided before its discovery by Columbus, accompanied by learned researches and notes on the history of Cuba, and made numerous contributions to the geography, history, and archaeology of the island. In 1848 he was commissioned to travel in the United States and Europe to study improvements in agriculture and the industrial arts, and to introduce them into Cuba. The results of this journey were very useful. He was a member of the Royal academy of history of Madrid, and other scientific and anti- quarian societies. His works are "Mapa an- tiguo de Cuba" (Havana, 1837); "Gran Cuadro- Sinoptico de la Monarquia Espafiola " (1845); " Lo que fuimos y lo que somos," a history of Havana (1857) ; " El Robinson Cubano " (I860) ; and nu- merous text-books for schools.


TORRE, Tomas de la, Spanish missionary, b. in Salamanca about 1510; d. in Chiapa, Mexico, in 1567. He studied at the Dominican college of San Esteban, in Salamanca, and when twenty years of age entered the order and was attached to the mis- sions of Santo Domingo. He became there one of the most trusted assistants of Bishop Bartolome de Las Casas in his exertions in behalf of the con- quered Indians, and incurred the hostility of tho Spanish authorities by his fearless denunciation of their cruelties. Las Casas therefore ordered him to Guatemala in 1544, and he travelled for three vears through the country preaching the gospel. He became in 1547 vicar of Cinacautlan, prior of the convent of Guatemala in 1550, and provincial of the order in 1553. He founded the convents of Chiapa and Copanabaxtla and schools for the In- dians, and built churches and colleges. He left a valuable manuscript, " Ilistoria de los principios de la Provincia de Chiapa y Guatemala, del orden de Santo Domingo," which was used by Fathrr Antonio de Remesal in his " Ilistoria de las Pro- vincias de Chiapa y Guatemala" (Madrid. 1619).


TORRES, Camilo (tor'-rays), Colombian statesman, b. in Popayan, 22 Nov.. 1766; d. in Bogota, 5 Oct., 1816. He received his education in his