Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-22

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that they were refused participation in those
liberal reforms. Sir, they were told at that
time by Lersundi that he would obey orders
which might come from the Madrid govern
ment--the government of Gen. Serrano-
When thew came to him and asked what has
course would be in regard to extending to
the Cubans the benefits of the revolution IN
Spain, he said he would obey orders from the
home government, the government OF the
revolution, the government which has since
proved that it was ready to extend the bene-
fits of that revolution to every peaceable
colony of Spain. 1t thus appears that there
was no foundation in fact for the assertion
that the people of Cuba revolted from Spain
because they were refused participation in
the benefits of the revolution then bringing
IN the sway of more liberal and generous
ideas of government in that distant kingdom
/ mention this not because it changes in
any essential degree the character of this in
surrection-not to prove that this revolution
may not be in favor Of equal rights, may not
be rising for freedom, may not be justified
as a revolution but / call attention to it TO
show that the revolutionary government at
Madrid had No opportunity to extend the
benefits they sought at home to the people OF
Cuba because that people rose in revolt al
most at the same time, if not at the same
Spain.
Mr.. BANKS. The gentleman will certain
ly allow NE to say that his statement does
not affect the statement which made. The
people Of Cuba did not enter into this revO-
luton until the Captain General of Cuba,
acting for Spain, had refused them the right
to enjoy any amelioration of their political
condition, saying that " blood letting" would
be very proper thing for men in the condi-
ton in which they were.
Mr.. WILLARD. must beg the gentleman
not to interrupt me again.
Mr.. BANKS will not
Mr.. WILLARD. regret to be compelled
to show this seeming discourtesy, but my
time is limited, and unless can be free from
Interruptions l shall be unable to embrace In
my remarks many things that very much
desire to say.
The very expression which the gentleman
says Lersundi used.is in the document TO
which | have referred; but those words were
used at the conference of October "a, 1865
nearly one month after the revolution was
inaugurated in Cuba. The gentleman can
not show from this document nor from any
other authority that these insurgents, prior
to setting on foot their revolt, made any
proposition or pressed any solicitation to be
allowed to participate. in those reforms.
rebellion in Cuba was contemporaneous with
the revolution that drove Isabella from her
throne The insurgents in Cuba did not
begin by petitions and remonstrances they
did not lay before the liberal government at
Madrid their grievances, and ask for redress !;
they did not wait to see whether the liberals
in the peninsula would be represented by
liberals in the Antilles. Before they could
even have heard of the movement at Madrid,
the instruction commenced at Yarra. and
spread through several of the contiguous dis
tricts. As rebellion against the old despo-
tism of Spain, it had sufficient prOyocation !;
as a rebellion against the new constitutional
government at Madrid, it had at the outset
no justification whatever.
And here, sir, let me not be misunder-
stood. l do not say that this rebellion de-
serves none of our sympathy. | do not say
1t is not an Instruction in favor of liberty
and of reform ] do not say the Cubans
have not been oppressed and ground down
under the heel of Spain for years, genera
tions and centuries | have no apology to
offer for the tyranny, the despotism, and the
inhumanity which have characterized the
conduct of Spain from the earliest times IN
history. | defend Spain, defend her char
acter, | defend her conduct nowhere in our
times or in history. She deserves, and she
ilized peoples, of all people who love free
government, of all people who condemn
treachery and cruelty in church and state.
of all people who prefer liberty regulated by
law to the blessings of a despotism tempered
only by assassination abroad, and by reyolu-
ton at home.
sideration Which would ask for Sny gov
ernment, and which il the right of any gov
eminent, that her case shall be made no
worse than the facts warrant, and that the
case of Cuba shall be made no better than
the truth will justify. And with the facts
and positions established by these official
papers clearly understood by the House, ]
have no fear of the conclusion which Its
sober judgment will reach.
The instruction in Cuba commenced in
October. 1868. 1t was started, as was said
by the gentleman from Massachusetts, (MR
BANKs) yesterday, under the auspices of
the Cuban Junta in Cuba and possibly OF
some benevolent associations in that island,
and encouraged beyond question if not ma
terially aided by organizations in this coun-
try. There was not even pretended gov
| eminent in Cuba until May, 1869. For
years, undoubtedly. the Cubans had been
ready whenever opportunity offered to rise in
rebellion. Cubans had from time TO time
come to this country and taken out natural
personal and real property in that island, as
the result has shown, with the evident pur-
pose of being ready to engage in rebellion
against Spain, and, when they thus got into
trouble, TO turn around to this government
and demand its protection naturalized
citizens. For twenty one months the insur-
rection has been in existence. A pretended
government has been set up, but 1t has no
local habitation although it has a name. a
number of skirmishes have been fought, g
| few men have been killed with bullets, and
many have died ofdisease. The native leaders oil
the insurgents have proved themselves to be
without the power to make an army out Of
rowing bands of guerillas, and all the con-
sistency and strength the insurrection has
had, almost from the start, il has obtained
from the United States, and from the Juntas
| in this country. Eight months since the
insurgents had gained some apparent advan-
tages, but they did not then hold a seaport
or any town of the least consequence. Since
then they have been scattered among the
mountains and in the forests. Their pre-.
tended battles are nothing but raids. They
never meet the Spanish troops in battle
Their condition to-day, by the confession o
those who have been their leaders, is one o
utter Generalization, and with no hope o
success except by aid from the United States
rhe gentleman from New York (MR. WooDl
caused to be read to-day an affidavit signed
and sworn to by one Jordan setting himsel
up as commander-in-chief of the Cuban
army, a man who is now in this country fol
the avowed purpose of obtaining in some
way aid for the Cuban revolution and this
affidavit, conveniently vague in its terms, en-
deavors to convey the impression that Their
is in Cuba government. and an army, which
ought to be recognized by US as belligerents
| Now, sir, this affidavit does not happen t.
be quite all we have from this Cuban general
MIR. Jordan, choosing undoubtedly to leav'
Cuba while he could, escaping from tina
island, as Gen. Quesada, his predecessor a
Cuban General, had done before him, arrived
| in New York some time last spring. He re