The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-12-23
The Cause of Cuba

New YORK. Dec 177.-Col Etben
AiIeo. president of the Cuban League
of the United States. which was organ.
lied the other evening by number Of
prominent New Yorkers ct the Fifth
Avenue hotel, issued an address to the
public to day in which he sets forth the
principles and purposes of the organiza-
tioo. The address, after reviewing
the struggle iu Cuba from its Inception
to the present time, says:
Weare charged before the world With
impotency in not protecting orr own
citizens against Spanish violence On
Cuban soil. aDa in hushiug our iudigua-
ton at numbered cruelties 10 Cuba
while millions of American capital
there invested are gradually disappear
Jog. which would be saved by the i'm
mediate Intervention Of this govern
mens.
Fellow citizens. it is due to our
selves as we'll as to Cuba that this
record should be reversed This has
not been Our record hitherto. aud, We
are persuaded will not remain 80 uow
when an appeal is made to the human
ity as we'll as to the material interests
of our people.
We do not propose. por is it neces-
sary, to violate our laws But if the
laws stand in the way, tben change the
Jaws. We, the people, are the source
of power. and may dictate what the
laws shall be, and, therefore, canDot
shield ourselves behind statutory
phraseology from the odium of GOT fui.
filing our natural obligations toward a
people struggling to be free Let US
80 speak that the executive Of this Da-
tiou and our representatives 10 congress
shall recognize Cuban independence,
and all will be we'll. We are not re.
| auired to raise battaliops of men nor to
furnish ships OF war. but we are called
! upon to declare that the heart of this
patton. is With the oppressed Cubans.
and then With her independence ac-
knowledged her rnarmed heroes may
obtain from us the required equipments
of war, as Spain has dooe heretofore.
aud thus We blaze the way for a fnal
| victory. as surely to follow as in the
end right triumpbs over wrong
while We willingly give our, sym
pathy 10 words, we should remember
that there are times when an empty
hand carries 20 favor. Such a time is
the preseot, when the Cubaue stand in
need of every necessary Of life aud
means of conducting exhaustive battle.
They must. of course, be drained Of re-
sources, which our people should cup
| ply. Arms and ammunition, and more
than these. food for hungry troops and
people, With medicines for their sick
and wounded, may be shipped to io-
surgens ports with full permission cf
statutes, since with no formal blockade g
against Us, we may as freely traffic
there as with TIE. ports of consineutal
Spain. 70 farOish these things. which
may legally be done, money becomes
literally the sinews Of war. The
league asks for subscriptions through
out the United States in aid of patriots.
which may be sent to Hon. Darwin R
James, the treasurer, at 203 Broadway,
New York city
''The Cuban league of the United
States is organized to give practical
consolidation to the sentiment Of Amer
icao citizens aud the noral support o;
the same 10 securing to Cube, by all
means, the ioalienable right of self
government. L; is proposed to- so
arouse public sympathy by mass meet
irgs and through the press, that recog-
uition as au independent State shall
be secured to the patriots.
"rbe league will hold grand mass
meeting iu Cooper Union in the city of
New York on Monday. December 81.
1t is desired that branch organizations
be formed throughout the country and
that meetings be held 10 other promi-
pens cities of the patton. Friends,
who may read this address, will assist
if they ;aoize at oace and report
progress 70 the secretary, Francis
Wayland Glen, No. 1872 Nassau street,
New York city. We earnestly request
the cooperation of all men and women
in this cause. 10 gsateful recollection
Of those who crossed the ocean 10 help
our fathers century ago, let US do
COW what IS necessary to encourage
those who are repeating the story of
Washington and his coupatrio:s.
From tie north and from the south,
the east and the west, let one united
voice proclaim independence for The
patriots. aod young Cuba, powerful be-