Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-05
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Cuban Prisoners to the Pub.

.,
who have been lately liberated. being stig-
matised as mendieants. rogues. &C.. pub
lie meeting ofthose liberated, was held in
New York on the 10Th inst, when they
adopted an address TO the public. from
which we select the following extracts:
In view Of the opprobious epithets con.
tanned in the remarks Of Aldermen Sturte.
want and Denman. the Cuban prisoners
have deemed it advisable, through the un-
dersigned, their committee, to notice such
ofthose remarks as have direct tenden.
cy to cast stain upon their hitherto fair
character. We have seen, with deep re.
gret and chagrim, the harsh, unfeeling
and detracting language used in relation
to US, the survivors Of the late unfortunate
expedition. Messrs Sturtevant and Den.
man. have not spared the English Ian
guage to brand and hold US up to the pub
lie gaze in the blackes, and most perfdi.
GUS characters. They have applied to US
the titles Of some Of the greatest crimes
contained ina Newgate calendar. They
call us little less than pirates. and not en,i-
tied to the sympathy of soldiers; rogues,
vagabonds, who "left their country for
their country's good" who, if they had
never returned, would have rendered an
essential service 10 their country. The
Tines has also chimed in, and lent its
equivocal voice to the vote of these un-
charitable Aldermen. This paper does
not exactly call US "rogues and gabonds
who left their country for their conntry's
good" but snys, that the universal sym
pathy felt for us by the people. proves the
contrary; but it charges US with having
violated the laws Of our country, and con
sders US in the light of criminals, unde.
serving of the assistance of our country.
men. 1t also objects to our wearing
badges 'in memory ofour lost comrades )
stigmatzes us as spublic beggars, and ud
vises US 10 obtain some honest employ
ment. and "work ont our own salvation
with fear and trembling"
We went to the Island of Cuba for the
noble purpose of assisting the inhabitan,.
Of that beautiful isle to throw off the CALLING
yoke of tyranny. This vas the true and
the ostensible purpose Of the expedition
Our object Was to aid the unfortunate Gre
oles in their efforts to emancipa,e them
selves from the thraldom of despotism.-
AS soon as we landed on the Island. we
unfurled the flag of Liberty. and offered
peace. plenty and happiness to the down
trodden people of Cuba.
We have all read, while the warm blood
thrilled through our veins, and caused us
to wish for an opportunity to initiate their
example, the eloquent encomiums passed
upon the brave and generous Lafayette,
De Kalb, Steuben, Kosciusko. and other
valiant foreigners, no violated the laws
of their country in galanlly rendering aid
TO our fathers in the revolutionary strug-
gle for independence. When the first
guns were fired at Concord and Licking.
ton, in behalf of universal freedom, were
not our ancestors stigmatised as rebels,
ninrderers, &c.i Was not the patriotism
generosity and valor Of Lafayette and bis
brave colleagues lauded to the skies, after
the goddess of liberty had extended her
balmy influences over the land Of peace
and plentyl But such is the Inconsistent
cy offrail human nature, that had our ef.
forts on the part Of liberty proved success
full. we would also have been extollcd in
the highest degree. But we failed-and
therein lies the secret of the invectives
that have been hurled against US. without
paying even the slightest regard to COM
mon decercy in the choice of terms.
Our efforts were not weak ones, as some
suppose. We challenge comparison with
the battles of Los Posas, Cafetel del Frias,
and even Candelarias. At the first nam.
ed place, small party of raw. undis-
ciplined youths, not exceeding in humber
230, all told, many of whom were now,for
the first time, ,"to flesh their maiden swords" !"
opposed to over 700 regular troops of the
Spanish army, taken completely by sur
prise. while preparing their morning meal,
at 81 o'clock, contending with this supe-
rior force from that hour till noon. and
eventually compelling them to make an
inglorious and precipitate retreat, cannot
be considered as Intellectual attempts to
advance the cause of general freedom
Nor at Cafetel del Frias. where we
were attacked by over 1900 Spanish
troops. most of the men reposing quietly
under the grateful shade offered by mag
uifcent grove of mango trees; the first init
nation Of the presence of an enemy was
given by the sight of a body of cavalry,
charging upon US in beautiful array, down
the sloping ground in front. They charg-
ed upon US with admirable order, but
many handsome cavalier was tumbled
from his saddle by the unerring aim of our
best marksmen. General Lopez here
considered our best plan was to make for
the gorges in the mountains, and fortify
ourselves; for at the same time, we per-
ceived a large body Of infantry coming
down the mountains to attack US. They
intercepted us in our passage over small
hill in the midst of the plain. but were de.
feated, with the loss of the second in COM
mand TO the Captain General, (Gen. Emma J
and near three hundred killed and wound
ed. while our loss was one killed and
several wounded.
As to our being public mendicants, We
think we should not be considered in that
light. Recently arriving from the trials
and privaiions ofa prison in foreign coun-
try, landing in strange city far from our
homes, it is almost an impossibiity to get
employment where many of the resident
population are unable 10 obtain it. When
at home, we have hitherto, earned an hon
est and respectable living. Such are still
our wishes as soon as we have the good
fortune to arrive at our respective homes
in the South. After all we have suffered
e.ferra ct alto, in battles, forced marches,
from cold, hunger. thirst, and i'll treatment
at the hands Of our captors, we think we
are at least entitled to the sympathy OF our