The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-15
Gen. Campos Wants n Truce.

The intention of Gen. MARrINEz CAMPos,
Commandcrin-Ch Chief Of the Spanish army
in Cuba, TO proclaim truce for ono month,
in order To allow him an opportunity to hold
n conference with certain Generals of the
libcrating army. will naturally astonish
people who have for the past nine years been
accustomed TO place any faith in Spanish
official statements concerning the condition
OF the Cuban war for independence The
announcement gives the direct lie to every
military and official report that has cma-
mated from any authorized source either In
Madrid or Cuba.
A few days since, one OF our city contem-
porarics published what purportcd to be the
language of the Prime Minister Of Spain
concerning the impotence of the Cuban rev
olution. In this interview Senor CANovAs
DEL CASTILLO is reported to have said.
AS an insurrccton indeed 1t may be regarded as at
end The operations IN which our troops now
engaged is rather man hunting than fighting. The few
insurgents who at present keep the Held continually
moving about from one hiding place to another, not
daring to stay long where and too weak TO offer ecc
tive resistance anywhere They move about principally
at night aud live on the fruits and roots that grow wild
In the forests
This Is what all Spanish officials have
been repeating for nine years, year after
year, and there are more reasons to-day
than there ever were before for hoodwnk-
ing the world as to the real power and
vitality OF the Cuban revolution.
But against all this deception there is the
terrible argument Of facts. On the 10th of
October 1868. when the revolution broke out
III Cuba, Spain had about twelve thousand
regular troops in the island. Between that
date and the end Of September 1874, or in
less than six years, she landed there l37, 900
men. On the Goth of November, 1874, fur
Their rcdnforccments for Gems. JovEI LAR
and NALMAsEDA began 10 arrive in
Havana to enable them to give the coup
Il. grace TO the young republic. Between
that date and the end of January, 1875. no
less than 26,97j fresh troops were landed in
Cuba. when MARTINEZ CAMPos had crushed
out Carlism in the north OF Spain, he con-
scented to go to Cuba in 1876. provided the
Government furnished him with $1,000 men
and twenty five millions Of dollars. He
landed in Havana on the Sd Of No
Vcmbcr. 1916. and took command of
the army, which had by that time been
reinforced by 1900 troops and a legion Of
officers picked out by himself from the
flower of the Spanish army. Since that date
up to September Of last year he received
COCO new troops 10 I'LL up his decimated
regiments. Between volunteers, white and
colorcd militia, tiremen. regiments of slaves
raised by an assessment Of five per cent.
upon every plantation gang, and upon
house slaves In the cities, regiments OF
freedmen, cmancipatcd negroes and China
men. Spain has raised IN Cuba not less than
10000 men. In fact. since the commence
ment Of the war. Spain has raised the
enormous number of 3l6,775 fighting men
whercwlth to suppress a rebellion which
CANovAs DEL CASTILLO foolishly asserts
never was really dangerous"
However. IL takes two parties To agree To
truce and that il about the last agreement
into which the Cubans would enter at this
stage Of the war or at this season Of the
year The Cuhans refuse to listen to any
proposal not based upon their independence,
and no Spanlard can o1cr that. Everything
else has been offered aud declined. The
Cubans know that Spain will tight to main
tain her rule over Cuba rs long as she can
raise the sincws Of war in the island, and
the task which the patriots have set to
| themselves is that 81 destroying these re-
sources, as found in the sugar estates Of the
I island. \ truce of even II month at this
season would allow the harvesting Of
enough sugar to enable Spain 10 keep up
the war for at least another year.
! The proclamation Of u truce by MARTINEZ
| CAMPos would probably be as valid as u
! proclamation 10y him of the complete pacih-
| cation Of the island.