New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-19
UP WITH THE FLAG OF THE FEEE.

Wine the sweat of shame from Americn's
Rrow-Let Us strike for the Cause OF
Free Cuba-The Address of the Cuban
League.
To the People Of the United States:
The people of Cnba,are battling for inde-
pendence They have been so far persever-
inc splf sacrificing, heroic. The recital OF
their wrongs should awaken for them the
sympathy OF CHRIS endom. The blood ofthtr
martyrs. already shed i'll vindcation OF their
RIGHTS. has consecrated their land to free
dem, and given the story OF another spar
tan struggle to the historian offnture gen.
eratione. Cuba looks to the people OF the
United States for such aid and comfort as
NAV be found in the ope sack koowledgmen-
ofsympathy. She asks but little, very ht-
tie, 10 more than q hearty "God speed
you ;" from those whose fathers have trod
the same terrible path. Shall she look IN
vain for this good cheer? Shall we, by
refusing to the patriots Of Cuba the support
of public expression Of our good VIII, ON
The plea that as neutrals we can have no
interest in their cause, thus stigmatiZe as
wanton meddlers in tae saffars Of others
the names of Lafayette and Kosciuskoy
Because of the intimate commercial and
social intercourse between the people OF
Cuba ard of the United States, becsnse of
their near relationship geographically; and
more than this. because of the bond OF
brotherhood which should unite those who
| have achieved. and those who are striving
| for self government, Cuba has the right TO
| expect from us the hand of friendship: and
| to deny this right, or to be false as fI1end,
after having lured her people to their
! present condition by the force of an ex-
| ample, is to brand ourselves as the lscsrios
| of republics. How stands the record at the
! present time? And have our natural obli-
! cations to sustain, by all legal means, the
! oppressed against the oppressor, been ful-
| filled?
We. the people of the United States, are
arraigned before the world as wanting in
ordinary charity to Cuba. The Indifference
with which we hear of the misfortunes OF
| her patriots, of her helpless women and
more helpless children, changing their
homes from the palace to the cave, suffering.
starving and dying for their devotion to .
| principle, convict US on this indictment.
/ We are arraigned on the charge of helping
| the strong against the weak, of falsely en-
| bracing.when we should smte, and OF smit-
| ing where we should embrace. The pres
| ence of thirty Spanish gunboats in Cuban
waters, all made and armed in the port OF
| New York-our neutrality to Spain--and the
| seizure of the Little Hornet in the harbor OF
| WilningtOn--our neutrality to Cuba--forces
us to a confession of the truth of this indict-
ment.
We are charged with impotency in not
protecting our own citizens against Spanish
violence on Cuban soil, and in hushing our
Indignation at unnumbered cruelties in
Cuba.
as we'll as to Cuba, that this record should
be reversed This has not been our record,
heretofore, with other struggling nation
alites. and, we are persuaded, will noe
remain so now, when our citizens are
brought to a knowledge OF the facts as they
are.
violate our laws. But we owe to Cuba,
charity, good WILL and above all, impartial
neutrality, and if the laws stand in the way
of meeting this debt, then change the laws.
We, the people, are the source of power,
and may dictate the law, and can not.
therefore, shield ourselves behind statutory
phraseology from the odium of not fulfilling
our natural obligations toward people
struggling to be free. Let US so speak that
the executive of the nation, and
our representatives in Congress
shall extend beligerent rights to the
patriots. and all will be well. We are not
required to raise or to equip bsttalions OF
men, or to furnish ships OF war; we are only
called upon to say that the heart of the
nation is with the oppressed Cubans, and to
demand OF those who represent US that s
neutrality, which is really impartial, shall
be observed. With such neutrality Sc
cured, the 10000 unarmed Cuban heroes
may obtain for themselves the equipments
of war, when Spain obtained her gunboats,
after that "a fair fed and no favor, and
God defend the right"
, The "Cuban League of the United States
| is organized to give practical consolidation
to the sentiment of American citizens, and
the moral support of the same in securing
to Cuba, by all legal means, the inalienable
right of self government. It is proposed to
l W IN m
lngs and through the press, that the rights
= of belligerents shall be secured to the
! patriots.
The League will hold grand mass meet
ing in Cooper Institute, in the city of New
3 York. ON the fourth of April next. 1t is de-
! sired that branch org eanizations be formet
, throughout the country, and, rs far as pos
, s1ble, on the same night of the meeting iI
:. this city, that meetings be held in othel
I prominent cities of the Union. Friend
| throughout the nation, who may read thi
address, will assist materially if they vii
organize at once, and report progress, q
well as apply for information, Ito the presi
s the cooperation of all philanthropic nue.
S and women in this cause. This address
r issued to all classes and conditions of citi
I znns, whatever may be their political or re
hgious opinions. In grateful recollection
those who crossed the ocean to help OF
fathers nearly century ago, let US
e now what is necessary to encourage thos
:, who are repeating the story of Wasi
I ington and his compeers. From the Mort
IL and from the South, the East and West, Il
e one united voice proclaim belligerent righ
to the patriots, and young Cuba, at ont
- powerful because of such rights, wi
scourge the assailants from her soil, aI
n take ner place with us in the family Of r
/ pub!ics.
o Respectfully,
y ETHAN ALLEN,
y WILLIAM II. MORRIS,
r T.. E. STEWART,