The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-10
IN DEFENCE; OF HIS FATHER.
Editor { izales Submits Statement TO
the Public-Kecital of an Honorable
Career in the Service of Two
Countries

TO the Editor Of the Daily News
Several days ago received dispatch,
from Spartanburg advising me that Z.
P. Barrett disclaimed the authorship Of
an article in the Mountain City Echo,
of your city. I naturally sought copy
the paper referred to, and found the
article to be a vicious personal attack
upon me and members Of my family,
presumably written by B. F. Perry,
who had, as have since learned, pre-
pared something ofthe sort before leav-
ing Columbia.
would not notice this article in any
way if it had been confined to abuse of
my brothers and myself. We are ma
tives of South Carolina, descendants in
one line of the first settlers of the State,
and are too we'll known to be injured
by such attacks, even if Mr. Perry were
not by this time so we'll known that he
can injure nobody. My father, however,
is not so we'll known to the younger
generation. He is an old man, and
although now a resident of this city
he has been absent from the State for
many years since the war. He is de-
scribed in the article referred 10 as "a
Spanish adventurer." Lest this should
pass as argument with those hostile to
the political cause represent, although
without force or pertinence, I submit
few>facts in regard to him.
Heis. in the first piace, meta Spaniard.
He is native Of Matanzas, Cuba, the
son of a professor and newspaper owner
and editor-a gentleman, and the de-
seen dalt Of gentle people. Noname on
the island stands highIr. He was edu-
Gated in this country, and was a law
graduate of the University of Havana.
Associated with band Of patriots, who
had determined to attempt the liberia
ton of Cuba from Spanish'rule, he was
chosen to represent that cause in the
United States, and came here on mis-
sion to enlist the services Of General
Worth and engage and arm forces from
the veterans of the Mexican war, then
lust closed. He was a member of the
junta of five who, in New York, in
1919, organized the contest for Cuban
independence, adopted a flag, issued
bonds and formed the executive au-
thority of the revolutionists. For this
he was condemned to death by the
Spanish government, but in 1919, as
adjutant. general Of Gen. Narciso
Lopez-who, on account Of his know
ledge of the country and the language,
committed the work to hinl-he or
ganized the first "Lopez expedition"
which landed at Cardenas. He was
second in comr;and of that expedition,
and its director, for the reason stated
until it landed. In thecapture of Car
denas he was the first Cuban to shed
his blood for the freedom u his native
land. Had success resulted, Cuba would
have been a Southern State of this
Union, and the mer who liberated her
from despotism would have had the
honors of Garibaldi. He later organ
lied another expedition in this State
and Georgia in conjunction with Lopez
and Crittenden. Having been deceived
by reports of successful revolution in
Cuba, they sailed from New Orleans
hastily, without effecting junction
with him, and met their death.
He was chosen by his own country
men their envoy and their leader,
which is sufficient evidence of bis pos
ton in his native land.
In 1919 he became an American citi-
zen. Before the fall of Sumter in 1861,
he had volunteered in the service Of
South Carolina and the South, and
served throughout the war, surrender
ing with Johnston's army at Greeus-
boro', y. &. He was successively in
specter general on Beauregard's staff,
Inspector general Of South Carolina,
chief of artillery for the department of
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
under Beauregard, Jones, Pemberton
and Hardee, and acting chief of artille-
ry in Johnston's army.
As to his standing in the South, he
was urged before the war for the Chilean
or other South American or Central
American mission. by senators and
representatives frorl nine southern
States, including Speaker Orr, Senators
Hammond and Evans, and Represen-
tatives Boyce, Mcqueen and keitt, of
South Carolina; Senators Tromby and
Iverson and Representatives Crawford
aud Lumpkin, of Georgia; Senator
Nicholson, of Tennessee; John Forsyth,
of the Mobile Register; Senators Jefer-
son Davis, Brown and Henderson and
General Quitman, of Mississippi; Sen
ators Clay, of Alabama, SIidell, OF
Louisiana, Rusk, of Texas, Sebastian,
of Arkansas, Mallory, of Florida, and
many Others, among them General
| +ha ,,,oI-nr and oitiyopc nj