The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-11

NEW YORK, Nov, lO,-General Dan
Eel E. sIckles, was United States min
,s,er to Spain from 1869 to 1874, and has
some verv interesting things to say in
answer to Senior Emilio Castelar's sa-
trIc references to him, General sickles
said:
He seems TO assume that the Span
fish cabinets with whom had official
relations never for a moment tolerated
the suggestion OF interference on our
part with the condition OF affairs in
Cuba. The record ahows-and this re-
cord Is as accessible to Senior CASTELAR,
in Madrid as to any one here-that not
a week passed during my Ave years
residence in Madrid in which did not
have occasion to discuss with the Span
ish minister OF state questions growing
out of the previous Cuban insurec-
ton. These questions embraced the
abolition OF slavery, notifications in
the administration OF the island. revo-
cation OF the decree OF Ferdinand VII,
giving the captain general power to
govern the island under martial law;
the cruel conduct OF the war, the shoot
ing of prisoners, the slaughter OF nom
combatants, the killing OF the sick and
wounded In hospitals, the arbitrary con-
Ascatlon of property, ETC. In other words
no Spanish cabinet-and there were
many-n office during that time OBJ
iected TO communicating with me most
fairly upon the internal condition OF
Cuba and the best means to terminate
the war and promote tranquility In the
island. No Spanish minister ever re-
fused 10 hear mo on these subjects. or
10 receive written communications from
me relating to them. The files of the
state department contain hundreds OF
these letters pro and con-enough to fill
volumes.
"senor Casteiar's government OF the
republic and the cabinets holding Office
under him and his republican prede-
cessors, Salmarow, Ply Margall and
FfSueras, are no exception to what I
am saying. I discussed the situation in
Cuba with each OF these presidents. In
GLIDING Senior Castelar,. freely and full
", both orally and in writing, as the
record shows, and yet Senior CASTELAR,
ignores all this aud would have 1t be-
Aey0d here and In Spain that no Span
;sh minister has ever tolerated the
Blightest interference on the part OF a
minister OF the United States In Ma
dFld with the administration OF Cuban
affairs.
sTATEMENT TNcoMPREHENsTBLE
''His statement is incomprehensible to
me. cannot reconcile It with any re-
spect for his high character. intelli-
gence and ample sources OF informa-
don.
Senior CASTELAR, was in power tenn
porary monarch as he says himself,
during the former Cuban instruction
What did he do toward the paclffcation
OF the island during that period? Did
he grant autonomy? No. Did he reform
the administration? No. Did he make
Cuba one OF the states in his federal
repubiic7 No. Did he abolish slavery,
as he had done In Porto Rico? No. Did
ne punish the inhuman butcher, Cen
eral Burriel, who shot. without war
rant OF law. the captain and many OF
the crew and passengers OF the Virgin
Jus? No. He promised to do so, but
Burriel was promoted. Senior CASTELAR,
Is indeed living exempllhcation OF the
truth that, so far as Cuba is concerned,
all parties and all statesmen and all
forms of government In Spain are
alike There has been no substantial
change or Improvement in the condition
OF Cuba during the present century.
The Cuba OF Ferdinand VII. was the
Cuba OF CASTELAR, and the republic. The
Vices of Spanish rule in Cuba are In
durable and permanent. No Spanish
statesman has succeeded II he desired,
in ameliorating or improving conditions
in Cuba, Spanish government in Cuba
only provokes Instruction. Castelar,
and sagasta have seen thirteen years
OF civil war In the island Neither they
nor any Of their contemporaries have
found n remedy for those evils, II they
have sought a remedy.
They are to-day as incapable OF
reaching a solution. either by force or
bf concessions. as they have heretofore
been. Can anybody wonder. then. that
the Cubans. wearled lncredulous des-
perate. after so many years Of persecu-
ton, tyranny, spoliation and mlsrule, re-
fuse now TO listen to any further sub
mission to Spanish authority? No An
glo Saxon community would hive en-
dured a 1.-THE Of what Cubnns have sut-
fered
OUR GRIEVANCE SLIGHT
THE enumeration Of grievances In
our Declaration OF Independence Is a
statement OF trivial complaints COM
pared with the long catalogue Of
wrongs Cuba endured for the last fifty
years
My relations with Senior Castelar,"
continued General SlclSles. more gently,
and with all the men in authority dur
Ing my residence In Madrid, were on
The most frlendly, frank and agreeable
iioounN saw no evidence OF un-
Kindness toward me from anybody In
spain My sentiments toward Senior
castelar, are those OF admiration and
esteem trust have said nothing to-
day inconsistent with the highest per-
tonai regard for him"
Having deposited these Goals NJ fire
with deprecRtory mir. General SIcklcs
was ready TO talk OF Mr.. HanniB Tay-
l1r He had no criticism to OFFER on
that gcntloman's procedure
DO YOU consider II violation OF
diplomatic proprlety." | nsktd, "for a
returned minister TO make public
hlntemont regarding his official ncts2"
y do not" he answered "Mr Taylor
dld not have word TO say about Gu
ban nnnlrs untl he reached home and
untll after h. had visited Washington.
] have no doubt that the publication OF
MS Views was sanctioned by che state
department lie has not disclosed any
Instructions given 10 him by our row
eminent while he WIS IN office He IA "a
prlvntortizon. The question lsofnbs0rb-
ing interest In this country. aud hIa
I.nI rlLmllnn IN nmr LnuruInnnn- IL IL.