The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-21
THE HORRORS OF WAR:
mEoI4vAI BARBARl5M OF WEYLtE
AND THE SPANIARDS.

,ss sept his Report OF The Status
IN cubs. but the Department of State
wtbbo,ds 1t from tho Public.
Nrw YORK. Oct. Is. The following
nrivate letter has been received IN TINS
citv from a reliable correspondent IN
HAVANA, Oct. Z, 1S96.-Dear Sir: In
its issue Of September 2S the Phlldel
phia Press, under the heading,
"Ameeicans Bleedingi in Cuba, prints
an alleged interview with an Amerl :
can citizen said to have arrived recent
" from this country, and who, alter
graphically describing the horrors OF
the Cuban war, and how the lives ana
property of the American citizens are
endangered by this state OF things,
makes scathing remarks and severely
criticises the weak policy OF the Y aiteu
States Government for not taking a
hand in stopping all these outragees,
which are being daily committed at Its
very doors. In all this he is absolute
ly correct for nothing can surpass the
iniouities, the untold crimes and out
RACES which are constantly being per-
petrated by the bloodthirsty and Zero.
cious Spanish troops all around lne
country, as testified to by truthful cor
RESPONDENTS. who have been constant.
" reporting all these horrors. But
where Mr.. Mannix (for l believe 1t Is
that gentleman who has written the
article) has made sure misstatement
is in his comments regarding Consul
General Lee, when he says: when
Gen. Lee was sent to Cuba Spanish Of
fcials seemed to think that American
rights there must be respected, and
such respect must be enforced. 1t was
thought that he would make report
to this Government of the facts that
he could discover and that he would
be backed by this Government in his
demands for protection. Time went
on and no report seems to have been
made that gave any idea OF the real
situation of affairs. Gen. Lee was ex-
pec.ed to maintain the dignity of this
Government in Cuba, and he has re-
ported within a short time that the
relations between this country and
Spain, as far as affairs in Cuba went,
were of the most pleasant character.
He and Weyler are known to be on
terms of friendliness. When COM
plant is made Gen. Lee is said to go
to Gen. Weyler and ask concerning
the abuse that is complained Of.
Now all this is unfair and does
great Injustice to Consul General Lee.
In the first place Gen. Lee sent his re-
port to the Government concerning
the state of affairs in Cuba two months
after his arrival here. cannot give
you the text nor the nature of the re-
port, but. as you may prersume, il is
q diplomatic secret, but can say this
much, that it contained ample and suf.
ficient information on the conditions
of things in the island to guide the
Government in its future course In its
relations with the Spanish Govern
ment. In the second place he has
maintained the dignity of the Ameri.
can Government and people, for In
all his dealings with the Spanish
authorities he has always impressed
them with the force of his character,
placing..the American interests above
all considerations, and whenever he
has any communications to deliver to
the authorities are always
couched in the most severe and vlgor-
Gus terms-he always hands them per-
sonally in order to show them the in
terest he takes IN having the affair
promptly and satisfactorily arranged,
and to argue whatever difficulties
should arise.
In the third place, it is absolutely
false that when complaint is made
to him he first goes to Gen. Weyler to
get information about it. because this
would seem to simply that he subordi-
mates all his actions to the Spanish
side of the questions, and is Influenced
by the reports that Weyler may give
him of the facts, when it is just the
contrary. Take the Gown case as an
instance. Long before the facts were
known in the States he was already
making his investigations on certain
information furnished him, which
greatly assisted him in the work of
finding out the truth. When, in this
particular case, Consul Lee never for
moment consulted with the Spanish
authorities until he obtained the facts
from reliable outside sources, and then
presented the claim to Weyler just a
day before he received instructions
from Washington to investigate the
matter.
Lastly, regarding his being on terms
of friendliness with Gen. Weyler, it
is but Eatural that in diplomatic way
he should appear TO be so, but in the
natural sense of the word Gen. Lee
cannot be on terms of friendship with
Gen. Weyler, "Un General D'Abat.
toir," as Rochefort styles him.
In making the above statement ]
am solely guided by sense of justice
towards Consul Lee, whose firmness of
character, integrity and stanch Amer
icanism have won for him the es,
TEEN of his fellow citizens here who
know they have firm supporter of
their ri ghts and a trusted friend in
case of need.
lam in position to affirm the above
fact, and having been honored with
his confidence for some time can
testify that his conduct in the defence
Of the American interests has always
been firm, energetic and digniied,
and that he is 1.-The right man in the
right place." 1t is no fault of his il
he is not properly backed by his Gov
ernment and is left alone to fight his
own battles here. for am convinced