In the late 1860s Melgar, from his youth demonstrating impressive ease of writing, commenced co-operation with a number of Madrid right-wing periodicals[REF] and befriended Traditionalist pundits of the era, like Francisco Navarro Villoslada, Antonio Juan de Vildósola and Candido Nocedal;[REF] with Antonio Aparisi Guijarro he was even distantly related [REF].
Carlos VII entrusted Melgar with setting up an official Carlist bulletin, which materialized in Tolosa as El Cuartel Real.