The Shasta courier., 1869-04-24
rHE CUBAN PATRIOT.
A sketch of the Life of Gen. Carlos Manual
Cespedes.


q" A correspondent of the New York Sun
gives the following sketch of Cespedes, the
leader of the Cuban insurgents:
Carlos Manuel Cespedes was born about
forty-fve years ago, in the town Of Bayamc,
Cuba. The first twelve years of his life were
spent with his parents, who resided on a
plantation in the vicinity. With them he
only leared the first rudiments of reading.
writing and arithmetic, while at the same
time he INDUCED in those hardy employments
and health giving games which are conse-
quent to life in country naturally noun
taineous and full forests. His family hav.
ing moved when be was twelve years of age
to the town of Bayamo, Carlos Manuel was
sent there to school for the first time. A few
days after the commencement of his studies
there, he gave proofs of an extraordinary
mental activity and intellectual talents, leav.
ing behind him the most advanced Of the
scholars in the school. and being recognized
by them as the head of the Institution
When eighteen years of age he went to
Havana, with the object of prosecuting his
studies there for the law profession. His
great intellectually was further developed
there. at the same time that numerous per-
sonal affairs gave him an opportunity to show
his active, courageous, and tenacious dis
position, giving an indication then that ne
would be as :" great in war as in peace
Graduating as attorney-at-law in Europe,
where he went afterwards, and receiving the
greatest university DONORS, he returned to
Cuba and fixed his residence at Manzanillo.
His powers of eloquence, energy, and his
knowledge soon made him the most popular
man in the vicinity, and eutitled him to rank
as the first lawyer in that part of the country.
But of all traits in his character, generosity
marks an important one, and will give a
lustre to all his future actions. The fortune
which he Inherited from his father, the wealth
which he amassed by his industrious exer-
tions, and his future prospects OF increasing
it. would have secured him a life full OF COM
fort and ease; but his patriotic heart could
not support longer the sight of his country
in chains, and the victim to the Outrages OF
the tyrannical Spanish Government. In
spired by heroic resolution, he gives freedom
to all his slaves, abandons his sugar estates
to the merciess fury of his Spanish foes, who
burn them all in revenge, and sacrificing all
on the altar of liberty and independence,
with the noblest motives he inaugurates the
revolution in Cuba at the head of one hun
dred patriots-a movement which now counts
in its ranks the whole native population OF
the island. 10 the present he has shown IN
all his acts the fullest energy, an untirlng
constancy. and the greatest moderation in the
exercise of the discretionary power conferred
on him by the unanimous accord OF all
Cubans. When we see men of this stamp.
supported by all the natives of Cuba. and
that they, without arms and tion of
anv consideration, and by their unaided
Efforts, not only have been able to withstand
L., - tbo f,a hnth how ro-
peatedlv defeated them, and at last obtained
possession of almost all the land. then it be
comes impossible for us to doubt of the final
triumph of liberty, and the prevailing Of
American instit utions in the . gem of the
Antilles y