The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-05-07
HISTORY OF THE REVOLUTION.
Address Of the General Agent OF the Gu
ban Revolution to the People Of the
United States.

Address OF the Generai Agent OF the Cu
ban Revolution to the People Of tn
! United States.
TO the People Of the United States:
Seeing that frequent misrepre senta
tions of the revolutionary movement
! going on in Cuba are made through tn,
press, | beg leave to answer them b,
laying before the public brief state
ment of facts connected with that move
ment.
| Revolutions never go backward
! They may be checked for shorter OF
longer time, but finally burst fortl
with irresistible impulse and roll on Il
successful issue. So with regard tG
Cuba, which has failed in several at
tempts to overthrow the tyrant over
her, but it is likely to succeed now il
/ the struggle for freedom and seIf-gov.
eminent. To review her efforts. fol-
national existence and sketch the griev.
ances which justify the revolution go.
| ing on within her borders is the pur.
pose of this address, w hich is respect.
| fully submitted by the undersigned as
General Agent of the Cuban Revolu-
| tien.
Ever since the close of the war of in.
dependence III South America, the
Captain General of Cuba has been
clothed by special law with all the full
powers given to commanders of be-
sieged places. This severe measure
| arose from the revolutionary attempt
which was then defeated through the
interference of the United States Gov
eminent, lest universal freedom in
slaVeholding Cuba should affect slavery
in the Southern States of this country,
as Mr. Clay remarked at the time, in
explanation of his opposition to the
military expedition which Venezuela,
then at war with Spain, was fitting out
to help Cuba to achieve her independ-
ence; so that Cuba has since that
time been grooming under a relentless
tyranny, but still endeavoring, now
and then, to strike it off. Her endeay-
ors have brought about not only the
prosecutions or execution of many IL
lustious Cubans, but also that of high
minded Spaniarls, such as General Lo-
renZo, who, while Governor of Santa
go de Cuba in 1886, proclaimed there
the liberal Constitution promulgated in
Spain, and was prosecuted by Captain
General Tacon, who sent from Havana
heavy body of troops against him and
his constitutional followers. Several
years later many Cubans who remon-
strated against the slave trade were per-
secuted for having done so, and nearly
all of them driven into exile. Shortly
thereafter military commissions were
set at work all over the Western De-
partment of Cuba to suppress an alleged
conspiracy among the colored people,
The guilty parties were found chiefly
among the rich free colored men,
whose property was, of course, confiS-
Gated, and their lives taken by whole
sale Oh the scaffold, while not a few of
them died under the lash, which was
freely and mercilessly used to compel
them to confession. The SUPPRESSION of
the alleged conspiracy was followed a
few years later BY real conspiracy of
white people, under the lead of General
Lopez, who, being detected before his
plans were matured for an uprising in
the central part of the island, fed and
came to the United States, whence he
sailed in 1850, at the head of some 600
men, and landed at Cardenas. He failed
in his attempt to free Cnba, and re-
turned TO the United States. During
the subsequent year partial uprisings
took place, and Lopez sailed for Cuba
once more, with about $50 men, to as
sist his friends to achieve Cuban indie.
pendence ; but he again failed, and him
self and many of his followers were
executed. However, the Cubans, perse-
verlng in their determination to be free,
renewed their plans to that end, and q
welf-organiZed movement was started
under General Qultman, but fell
through in 1855, with the loss of valu-
able lives, and the banisLment of great
man. distinguished Cubans, to say
nothing of heavy outlay of money.
Yet, nevertheless, The Cubans, not des-
pairing, few years afterwards began
to work again for their freedom, and
when the late Spanish revolution broke
out they were finally maturing their
plans to free Cuba from the military
sway of Spain. That revolution i'm
proved their opportunity, and on the
10th of October last they rose up in
arms, as appears from the following
extract of their declaration of indie
pendence, dated at Manzanillo on that
day, viz:
'In arming ourselves against the tyr
annical Government of Spain, we must,
according to precedent i'll all civilized
countries, proclaim before the world
the cause that impels us to take this
step, which though likely to entail con-
siderable disturbances upon the present,
will insure the hapr mess of the future.
1t is well known that Spain governs the
Island of Cuba with an iron and blood
stained hand. The former holds the
latter deprived of political, civil and
religious liberty. Hence the unfortu-
nate Cubans, being illegally prosecuted
and thrown into exile, or executed by
military commissions in times of peace.
Hence their being kept from public
meetings, and forbidden to speak or
write OH affairs of State. Hence their
| remonstrances against the evils that
aft1ict them, being looked upon as the
proceedings of rebels, from the fact
| that fhnNy q hnnnA IN Eaap 81 n
obey. Hence the never-ending plague
of hungry officials from Spain to devour
the product of their industry and labor.
Hence their exclusion from public sta
ton and want of opportunity to skill
| themselves in the art of Government.
Hence the restrictions to which public
instruction with them is subjected. in
order to keep them 90 ignorant as not
to be able TO know and enforce their
| rights IN any shape Or form whatever.
Hence the navy and standing army,
which are kept upon their country al
an enormous expenditure from their
own wealth, to make them bend their
knees and submit their necks to the
iron yoke that disgraces them. Hence
| the grinding taxation under which
they labor, and which would make
them all perish in misery but for the
marvellous fertility of their soil. On
the other hand Cuba cannot prosper as
she ought to, because white immigra.
ton, that which suits her best, is artful.
~ kept from her shores by the Spanish
Government And as Spain has many
times promised US, Cubans, to respect
our rights, without having hitherto
fulfilled her promises; as she contin.
ues 10 tax US heavily, and by so doing
is likely to destroy our wealth; as we
are in danger of losing our property
our lives, and our honor under further
Spanish domination: as we have reach
ed depth of degradation unutterably
revolving to manhood; as great nations
haze snrnnn frnIn revolt AGAINST q sim