The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-16
Q u B A.
The Insurgents Ask Recognition
from the United States
as Beiligerents.
The Relations Between the
Mother Country and the
Colony-Ou,rages on
the Island.


rebel camps bearing the enclosed message from
the chief of the rebels to President Grant. After
some delay and difficulty procured the en-
closed copy, which rapid copying may have
made slightly incorrect, The Colonel gives the
most encouraging accounts ofithe prospects and
future OF the rebels, but his report will probably
reach you before this by telegraph
To HIS ExcELLENCy THE PRESIDENT OF THE
United STATEs-Sir:-The people of Cuba, by
their Grand Supreme Civil Junta, and through
their General-in. Chief Senor Cespedes, desire
to submit 10 yeur Excellency the following
among other reasons why your Excelency, as
President of the United States, shoald accord
to them belligerent rights aud recognition OF
their Independence
Because from the hearts of nineteen-twen-
tieths of the inhabitants of the island of Ouoa
go up prayers tor the success OF the armies OF
the republic, and from the sole and only want
of arms and ammunition these patient people
are kept under the tyrannicat yoke OF Spain.
The unanimity of the masses of the people for
the republic is ominous.
over 10000 men actually In the field and doing
duty. These men are organized aud governed
on the principles of civilized warfare. The
prisoners whom they take-and 90 far they
have taken three times as many as their ene'
mics have from them-are treated in every
expect as the prisoners of war are used and
treated by the most civilized nations OF the
earth. In the hope of recognition by the
United States, they have never yet In single
instance retaliated death for DEATH even in
cases Of the most provoking nature:
@Because the Spanish authorities have almost
Invariably brutally murdered the soldiers of the
armies of the republic who have surrendered to
them, and have recently issued an official order
requiring their military forces hereafter in
stan,ly to kill and murder every prisoner of the
republic who surrenders. This Is done, the
order cheeItuly tells US, ito save trouble and
vexation to the Spanish civil authorities" This
is an outrage the civilized nations of the earth
ought not to allow.
Because the United States is the nearest civils
ized nation to Cuba, whose political institutions
strike responsive chord in the hearts of all
Cubans. The commercial and financial interests
of the two peoples being largely identical and
reciprocal In their natures, Cuba earnestly ap-
peals for the unquestionabe right OF recogni-
tion.
lie of Cuba now extend over two.thirds OF the
entire geographical area of the island, en-
braclng very great majority OF the population
in every part OF the Island.
q Because she has navy in course of construc-
ton which will excel in point OF numbers and
efficiency that heretofore maintained by the
Spanish authorities in these waters.
Because these facts plainly show the world
that this is not a moyement OF rev as
contents, but grand and sublime uprising Of
a people thirsting for liberty, and Determined
with this last effort to secure TO themselves and
their posterity those unquestoned rights -
liberty of conscience and freedom OF the In
Finally, because she is following but in the
footsteps of Spain herself in endeavoring to
Danish tyrannical rulers apd In their stead
place rulers OF her own choice, the people OF
Ouba having teniod more absolute and
potent right than Spain had, because Cubas
rulers are sent without her voice or consent by
swarms of officials to ill the various othees
created only for their individual comfort,
drawing their sustenance and support from the
hard earnings of the natives OF the soil.
Allow us to add, with the greatest difhdence
and sensitiveness, that the difference between
the Rebellion in the y nited States and the pre-
sent revolution in Cuba is simply that in the
foTmer tmall minority rebelled against la VS.
which they had voice In making and the
privilege Of repealing,. while IN the case OF
Cubs we are resisting foreign power IN crush
ing us to the earth, as they have done for Gen.
turies, with no appeal but that OF arms open to
us, and appointing without our knowledge,
voice, advice, or consent, tyranical citizens OF
Ftbeir own country to rule us and eat out our
"Pauia y libertadw
Approved BY the Supreme Junta and ordered
SENIOR GENERAL CEsPEDEs.
Commander-in- Chief Republican forces OF Cuba.
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, March !, 1869.
Another Version of the Relief OF Puerto
Prkncfpe-Spanish Losses
HAVANA, March 1O.-After the publication in
the Gdceld of last night, giving the official ac-
count OF the Tornado" of Brigadier Lesca from
Guanaia to Puerto Principe, many other YER
siope thereof have been vartousiy reported, all
Z more or lekb unlaVOIdUe W tbC opantatuSb nio'e
so than appears both from the official organ
and the Dtdrio de Ia Marina. One account
states that 1.-The insurgents were not commanded
by General Quesada, he being laid up Dy scarlet
fever but by Manuel de Arteaga Borrero and
the Castillos. The former owns all the land
on Key Romano. The Spanish troops attacked
with yalor, and. under deadly hre, passed TO
the other side of the sierra, by way oi
Hmoiosa. They lost about two hundred men
and sIxteen officers h0rs de conlbdt. The lnsur'
gents formed palisades, and while the Spanish
troops. with their sappers, cleared the way, the
former were mpletely riddled. But the
triumph on the part of The Government troops
was entirely due 10 their artillery; the gren tdes
did great mischief to the enemy. Tue troops
were thus enabled. though helter-skeler, TO
reach the other side, which is plain quite un'
obslructed, and IT was there where the artillery
hao toll play. The Column OF 500 men sent
from Puerto Principe 10 Santa Cruz tor pro
Visions returned after the 26th but lost dfty
men on the way In one or more skirmishes.n
Another report, from Spanish sources, states
the loss OF the Government troops TO have been
one hundred and eighty men, including the off
rs, aDds TO complete, revolutionary source
o ates that few Of the troops got into The to Vu
o Puerto Principe, but we've only in the sub
nrbs of that capital.
The prisoners lodged in the fortress compla,r
very distressinely OF the Accommodations OF
rather the want of prooer treatment. M4ny O
of them have been ordered to the militarV hos
pital owing to the eruptions that have hrolev
out on their persons. Don Miguel de HmbII 4
one OF them. IL was this gentleman the volnn
feers objected 10 leaving the fortress a few law
ago, Tue number Of prisoners Ia the fortresse
ie not far from 700. We are told that thAy vii
ali be sent to Fernando Pc, andit is now state
that 90 NO shipnasters fnd the terms Oflsre