Moret y Prendergast, Segismundo

Moret y Prendergast, Segismundo (sāhēsmn`dō mōrā` ē prāndārgäst`), 1838–1913, Spanish statesman. In 1863 he was elected to the Cortes, and as colonial minister in the cabinet of Juan Prim he advocated the abolition of slavery. After the restoration of Alfonso XII (1875), he reentered the Cortes and held several cabinet posts. Moret was colonial minister, 1897–98, and advocated a policy of conciliation toward Cuba and Puerto Rico. He opposed the Spanish-American War (1898). After the death of Sagasta (1903), he became a Liberal party leader and was twice premier (1905–6, 1909).