The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-28
CUBA.


Letter from the RevoIutIonIsts In Cuba "a
Secretary Seward-Prayer for Recognitieu
ar Belligerents.
the following communication was addressed
during the latter part Of October last by General @.
NJ Cespedes, Generan Chief Of the iberating forces
In Cuba and the members Of the Junta OF the pros
visional government, to Secretary Seward:-
the Cubans, weary OF the degrading oppression by
witch tney nave been ruled during more than three
centuries; derauded OF all their hopes TO obtain the
rights TO which all men aspire VINO In their COM
science wish for liberty humiiaIe even to the depri<
at the table OF civilization to wn,cn their known sp-
titude for filling all careers and publ offices entities
tnem nave finally raised the standard OF liberty ont
our Deautllul and unfortunate native soil under the
folds OF which all those have rallied who like our
selves, nourIsh the desire Of c0nquering our iber-
Ties and constituting . free government that cam
assure our future and open broad field enabling
US 10 march on the path OF progress towards those
aspirations which are the hope " humanity. 1
our country we arose AGAINST The government Of
SPAN. IN the encampment OF Demajagua, in the ju-
VINO although not all trained to warfare, were de~
termined to defend even unto death the Standard
.9as we nad raised until we mad obtained the object
driven the tyranny and desp0tsm VI Spain forever
from our shores which to the present day has
marked our brows with the stigma OF the most de-
Providence, that always helps and guides men
VINO feel their existence In order TO follow their
autonomy, has granted that we happily took the
path OF revolution, and although we were only i've
nuntred men, badly armed, ana still worse dis
tied government troops OF spain, we now.
number fifteen thousand men, suificientlJ
t wen equipped ana possessns ample NUM-
triumphantly, continually routing the enemy and
augmentlng because the voice OF liberty Is re-
sponded to from the bosoms of our forests, by men
willing to struggle against tyranny, like the plants
that rise and become animated by the first rays OF
that Ignorance awakea "a dare
ness to join in the strife.
We now hold much more than fifty leagues Of the
among which are the people Tor communities) OF
Jiguan Tunas, Barre, Yara, barrancas, Datil Cauto
hMDarcadeIo Guisa ana Horao, besides the cities or
Bayamo and Holguin, in all numbering 1918 in-
habitants, whol0bey us and have sworn to shed to
the last drop Of blood In our cause.
In the mentioned city OF Bay anO we have estab-
lished q provisional government and formed our
general quarters, where We hold more than 800 OF
the enemy prisoners, taken from the spanish army,
among whom are generals and governors OF high
rank. All this has been accomplished In ten days,
without other1 resources than those offered by
other arms than those taken from the enemy,
and without other losses than three or four killed
and six or eight wounded. What does this
indicator II indicates that the Cubans are not 50
weak nor such towards rum0red; 1t indicates that
we are prepared and capable to remove the govern
ment that Expresses u.s. that injustice cannot reign
forever, that day viii come when all great crimes
will meet with punishment and that the aspirations
OF people guided on their rough path by the finger
back.
However, in order to succeed in our holy cause.
we require the Intervention OF the influence OF civil
lied and free nations, so tnat recognized as BELLE
gerents they Will cause the rights of people and the
laws OF humanity to be respected, and avoid bar
barous measures that are not OF modern times
and could be brought into action by sucn govern
ment as that OF Spain, obligng US TO make reprlsas
that are rcpugnant to our sentiments and that
would tend to stain the purity and the nobleness OF
our cause
For this reason we recollect that in America there
exists great and generous nation to which we are
united Dy important ties OF commerce, and great
sympathy for its wise republican institutions that
have served us as basis for the formation Of ours,
we have not doubted for one moment IN addressing
ourselves TO 1t, through the medium OF the Minister
OF State, praying Tor It's and aid Of lts
influence In favor OF the conquest Of our liberty,
which cannot be doubtful or STRANGE after being
constituted we must form, sooner or later, an IN
tegrai part OF such powerful nation; for the same
reasons that the people OF America are called TO form
one nation, and to be the admiration and the fear OK
the whole world.
We take the liberty to hand you copy OF the mani
festo that we have published, with the two first
copies OF our official paper the Cldao Ltote the only
independent publication that has ever appeared IN
CUBA. We are, sir, &c., &c
G. NJ. CESPEDES, Generai-in-Chie., &c.