The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-11-22
THE GuBAN 4uLswseN


THE CuBAN atUIsg'1GE
Is assuming monster proportions in
the public mind Of the United States
If the impression already given to pub
Tic Indignation continues for thirty
days, we need not be surprised to see
the American hag soon floating oyer
Moro Castle and the hattlemcnts of
Cuba.
The oft-rcpcated Insults to american
citizens and our flag, ON the part of
Spanish power in Cuba, have for long
years past been chronic, and need not
be repeated. ....
The last feather on the camel's back
consists in the recent capture of the
steamship Virginius by theSpanish war
steamer Tornado, and the almost in
Simultaneous murder of her officers,
crew and considerable number OF Gu
bans, Americans and other foreigners,
charged with being Ell route to rein
force the army of Cuban patriots, who
for five years have been struggling to
throw OF the yoke OF Spanish despo-
tism. One hundred and sixty-eight
souls were thus launched into eternity,
by the brutal edicts OF suhalterlr Span
ish officials at Santiago de Cuba. ia.
The Virginius was evidently Il vessel
sailing in the interest of Cuban i}lde-
pendenoe. This we admit But she
was cleared froman AmericonpoH and
was sailing under tha American nag,
She was captured within three miles Of
Jamaica, ia British colonial waters, in
violation of national law which fixes
thrre marine leagues, or nine miles, as
the limit within which nations at war
shalt not meet In hQstitc array tfon
the shores of /, neutral territory.
In this case the barbarotls execution
of all on board the yirginius, even in
ciuling the common sailors belonging
to the vessel, was palpabiy hastened
to prevent the possibility ofany action
or protest by the United States or
England, whose citizens were on board,
and herein is Il direct, unpardanable.
insult offered 70 this government The
act ItseiI IN its h9rbarity and rcmorse-
less ssvagery, is shocking to every i'm
pulse of the human Heart. Cul;a is,
moreover subject to the power caprice,
wilkins and n.obocracy of class of
men known as the Cuban volunteers,
organized into dangerous proportions
by Spain, in order to suppress tic
yearnings that people for liberty.
III the meantime Spain has estab-
lished a Republican form OF govern
ment, t,with the iliustrlous patriot Cas-
tellar at its head, but is engage,sin a
ciyii war Rt homo against the acnareed
Spanish Bourbons, who are trying to
re-estahllsh dcspotic government,
with Don Carlos as King. Spain,
therefore, however well intentioned
Castelor may be, is powerless to con-
troll Cuban affairs, and the armed rab-
bic, known as the volunteers, have
full sway, md are as bloody band of
cut-throats as have existed in modern
times. -,4...ait. ,.t 4
Such is the situation the future of
Cuba, alone and undeg Spain, dark and
hopeless. Such are the provocations
to American Intervention. The ltigh-
est interests of humanity demand that
that beautiful and fertile island, with
its million of inhabitants, should form
portion Of the United States, 1t lies
north of the gulf.at our very door, and
within sixty miles OF American soil.
1t is the key to the gull. For over
three hundred years it has been gov
erned, throttled and taxed to support
despotism in Spain, three thousand
miles away. Our produce, our ship
ping, our privileges as merchants and
travellers have ever been treated as
those of enemies rather than those of
friends. 1t is and ever has been a
standing eye-sore aud taunting men-
ace to everything American. And
now, Just as Spain herself, is strug-
Cling for free government, she is utter
ly powerless to contro,, alleviate or
improve the affairs of Cuba.
We, Therefore, hold that the time
has come, in the name of sclf-protec-