Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-04-28

4
/ We clip the following from the
Methodist Advocate, published AT
| Atlanta, Georgia. sss { ~
| The announcement OF free Er;nci-
plies South, is, rather an experiment.
but with the Advocate it seems to
| work well. Gsa a zess
Such is the manifest dsstsLy'' OF
the Queen of the eAntilles. A biSo<iy
war is not wasting this mosLEsagpifi-
cent island of the Western Hezlis-
phere, q war in the interest Of hui
mani. freedom, right, on the cone
hand and of despotisul, slavery,
wrong, on the other. On which side
of this issue the sympathy of the
great mass Of Americans is, to be
found is evident. It is not strange
that the Spanish minister at Wash
ingtOn finds occasion to complain Of
the practical manifestations of that
sympathy in behalf of the revolu-
tionists on the part of some of our
people. He has this reflection, how
ever, the rememb brance that Spain
| was the first government to speak in
behalf of the Southern rebellion, on
ly two months after the attack on
sumter, with this distinction the
rebellion here was against free gov
/ eminent, and in behalf of oppres-
| sion, in behalf Of freedom.
What the final result will be, we
| have no doubt, namely, the freedom
of Cuba from the Spanish yoke, the
lcomplete abolition of slavery on the
island, the formation Of an indie
pendent State, and annexation to the
/ American Union. This will lead to
the education and evangeliZation OF
its people, to perpetual peace and
unbounded prosperity. The revOlu-
tionists have maintained consider
able army-now numbering seventy
thousand mentor five months gain
ed possession OF two thirds OF the
territory. and q large majority of the
population of the island. The friend
illness of OUT people, and the temper
of Congress-, as already indicated
will encourage, and SO greatly aid
the Cubans in the vigorous and sue
cessful prosecution of the war.
| Cuba has territory of nearly
eight hundred miles in length, and u
hundred and thirty miles in width,
containing forty two thousand, two
hundred and twelve square miles,
three-fOtlrths as much territory as
the State of Georgia, with u pOpula-
ton of one million and a half The
face of the country is greatly divers
flied with valley and mountain, and
in many places the soil is remarka-
bly, productive. With good govern
ment, Cuba would long before this
haze been one of the richest portions
| of the globe, but it has been oppress-
| ed, taxed, robbed, plundered, in q
manner merciless and villainods.
1t has also been the Gibralter of sla-
very in its most beastly and devilish
forms, but the time of its redemption
is at hand. The religion of Cuba is
intensely Roman, but the power o1
| Rome will go with that of Spain
All slaves have been proclaimed free
by the provisional government, and
they are also granted all the rights
possessed by whites. Ultimately
lCuba will become 4 member of the
| Federal Union. 1t would he remark
able, indeed, though not now prob
able, if the State of Cuba should he
represented in Congress iefore some
of the unreconstructeG members o.
the republic. Tire following address
OF the provisional government to Lh,
| President of the United States, ask
ing for belIigerent rights and recog-
milton OF independence, will be read
| with interest
Sir: The people of Cuba, by THEN
Grand Supreme Civil Junta, and
thre ugh their General-in-C Chief, Sen
or Cespedes, ..esire to submit TO your
Excelleney the following, among
other reasons, why your EXeellency
as President of the United States,
should accord to them belligeren,
rights and recognition of their in
dependence.
Because from the hearts of nine
teen-twentieths of the inhabitants
of the Island of Cuba go up prayers
for the success of the armies of the
| Republic ;sand from the sole and on
ly want of arms and ammunition
these patient people are ke..t under
the tyrranical yoke of Spain. The
unanimity of the masses OF the peo-
pie for the republic is ominous.
Because the republic have armies
numbering over 1900 men actually
in the field and doing duty. These
men are organized and governed OH
the principles of civilized warfare
The prisoners whom they take--and
so far they have taken three times as
MANY as their enemies have from
| them-are treated in every respect as
] the prisoners of war are used and
| treated by the most civilized nations
| of the earth. In the hope of recog-
milton by the United States, they
| have never yet in a single instance
fretaliated 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 surren-
| dered to them and have recently is
sued an official order requiring their
military forces hereafter instantly to
kill and murder every prisoner of
the Republic who surrenders. This
is done, the order cheerfully tells us,
"to save trouble and vexation Ia the
| Spanish civil authOri ties" This is
an outrage the civilized nations of
| the earth ought not to allow.
| Because the United States is the
nearest civilized nation to Cuba
whose political institutions strikes a
responsive chord in the hearts of all
! Cubans. The commercial and finan-
cial interests of the two peoples be-
ing largely identical and reciprocal
in their natures, Cuba earnestly APP
peals for the unquestionable right of
! recognition.
Because the arms and authority OF
the Republic of Cuba now extend
over tWo-thirds of the entire geo.
graphical area of the island, embrae-
ing a very great majority of the pop
ulatiQn in evsay part OF the island.
Because she has . navy in gourss
of construction which will excel in