Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-11-27
Free. Cuba.


patriots of Cuba that no finds express
ion in public meetings Of American
citizens, indignant protests against
he weak policy of the Administration,
and even in enlistments for lawless
filibustering purposes, is fully warrant
ed by the circumstances Of the case.
The contest has from the first been
that OF liberty against despotism, of
manhood against slavery; and it has
been sustained by self-sacrifice, de-
votion and a valor that place the Gu
ban patriots high in the roll of the
worlds heroes. With this the tone of
American spirit is in thorough har-
mony; while the rule of Spain in
Cuba, representing the illiberal, tyran-
nical principles of the Carlist faction,
controlled by the Casino even under
the Republic, and conforming the
authority of CASTELAR,, is abominable
in the eyes Of every free people. The
Captains General, in long succession,
lave been bound to the service of the
worst party in Spain. The infamous
Volunteer recruited from the slums of
the peninsular cities and oflicered by
scions of good family, have ruled the
seaports of Cuba with terror. The
home Government has based its credit
on revenues wrung from this colony
for which no equivalent has been &c
turned, and the Captain-General has
enriched himself by the head-money
perquisites of the slave trade. The
Government has been a system OF
plumber and dcspotism. Planters are
compelled to make their own roads,
and institute their own improvements,
while Spain, under its several dis
tinct forms of home rule, has interest
ed itself only in eXacting tribute.
When Cespedes, with Il hundred
followers, took to the mountains and
began the Instruction that has grown
to the dimensions of a revolution, it
was desperate protest OF patriots
against the despoilment of their honor
and their liberty. They had asked
for a measure Of autonomy and were
answered by fresh assignment OF
troops. They had requested the
ncipatlon of the slaves, and the
Captain-Gcneral continued to accumu-
late doubloons from new importations.
In raising the standard of revolt
against old Spain, they claimed the
sympaty of the world by declaring the
slaves forever free and asserting their
purpose Of securing equal liberty for
themselves. AS earnest of their sin
cerity, these patriots relinquished
wealth and comfort for the fortunes OF
penniless outlaws. Cespedes left es-
tates worth millions, and his followers
in large numbers represent much OF
the riches of Cuba. For five years
the contest has gone on. Spain has
sent no less than $4,000 troops to the
island; and the patriots, undismayed
by their failure of recognition as bel
ligerents, have contributed supplies
and munitions of war, recruits and
money to the army Of freedom. The
issue is now, as it has even been, be-
tween a combination Of tyrants and a
band Of patriots as brave and per-
sistent in the cause of liberty as the
world has even seen. The massacre
at Santiago is by no means exception
al in barbarity. From the time Of
Valmaseda's proclamation of slaughter
and burning in 1869 to the present
day, the history of Spanish warfare in
Cuba has been written in the blood OF
patriots and if this last atrocity COM
pels better acknowledgment of the
claims of free Cuba, the victims ofthe
Virginius will not have died in vain.--
Boston Post