The evening times., 1897-11-27

declares for independence or death In the
following stirring address made public to-
day: l2f
The representatives Of the Cuban people
to all those who interest themselves FOR
the liberty and future of Gala:
"a mandateofth Constitution ofthe 18th
of September, 1885, has united us into a
constituent assembly. We have deliberated
with amplitude in complete and unfaltering
tranquility on AL the objects of the meeting,
and W edo not wish to depart without direct
ing our voice in moments so solemn to all
those who in some way interest themselves
in the affairs of our country.
when the enemy seems to abandon its
system of Answering war by war whioh
means tne use of all mediums which in
EQUITY suggests to terminate the war by
political MEANS which signifies as much
as to substitute cruelty for perfidy, we
must in fearless, unspeakable manner ratfry
once more our firm and decided determine
tion to sus tain the struggle which the Gu
bans dre maiut aiming Sc desperately against
| Spain.
..Whoever has followed with attention
| the course of our events for fifty years
previously will positively know the end
| by which In such an inflxible manner our
| conduct inspired. He who knows the true
| situation of Cuban aft airs cannot be mis-
led.
NO special laws, nor reforms, nor au-
| tonomy, nothing that supposes under what
ever name, form or manner the subsistence
OF the Spanish domination In Cuba, can
terminate the actual struggle. lndepend-
ence or death has been and will be our
l
| I'VE have not taken arms requesting
| political measures, which will never resolve
| the question which, with the ruin Of our
| properties, the abandonment OF our homes
and the exposure of our lives. weareyentilat-
ing.
| Nor does Spain itself ignore the incom-
| patibiity which has existed and exists be-
| tween Spaniards and Cubans.
1T sustains US III the struggle, and it
will not disappear until the flag that has
| covered SO many injustices, has presided
| over so many butcheries and has covered
and protected so many iniquities shall be
hauled down from Cuba. Between Cuba and
Spain there extends a bottoness ocean If
tears: there hoiis an immense sea OF blood,
| and there Is All impossible mountain Of
| hatred.
immediate independence Of all the island
| of Cuba. We desire to constitute a free
ordained, prosperous and happy people on
the ruins Of an exhausted colony. ---
| This We have stated in all tones AID
| repeated everywhere. 1t was said in the
| manifest OF Monte Cristo, which is the
| program of this revolution; it was SAM
| toned in the constitution signed al Jin,-
| aguaylI and ratified by the law which We
| have today promised to keep in defense
of which we have sworn our dignity AMI
our life. Tie attitude assumed by the
| Spaniards has not misguided nor will mis-
| guide us. Those that even yesterday con-
| deinned contemptuously the autonomous
| solution, which signified to them the inle-
| penderce Of Cuba offer 1t today as an ex-
| treine recourse with which to attract us 10
It's ominOus tyranny.
| '.Afterward We would become again
strangers in our own land; strangers in our
| own homes; eternally expelled. Concession
| of autonomy! A haitto sustain 4 sit ua tion
| which is crumbiing. With autonomy or
| without autonomy, they ordering, we IL
| ways obeying; they the owners. We the
| slaves Of 400 years. They do not even try
to hide their true purposes.
| They have dIi said, Let us grant the
| autonomy as way to obtain peace: once
obtained, the normal state OF things Will
| RETURN That is to say, the same situa
ton which made us defy the power OF tn.
| metropOlists will return. The logical
| process OF its wishes can already he seen.
| Now the rabid Conservatives and the so
| called Reformists have become autono
| mists. Now their purpose can clearly be
| seen. 1t is to establish an autonomy on
the Spanish principle, by the Spaniards and
for the Spania rds.
I'VE do not care. The matter has been
| decided in our favor by facts against
which nc abilities of trickeries can pre-
vail.
The situation in which the war has
placed Cuba and Spain does not periait
any other solution butihdependence. Spain
cannot sustain any longer venture which
is debilitatins and draining her life blood
uselessly.
The offer made today is an explicit
declaia tion of its impotency. The Span
iards seLd us laws when they cannot send
any more soldiers. They try to negotiate
peace when they cannot continuethe war.
Cuba, ruined, burdened by an .enor noJs
debt, with the prospect Of a costly military
occupation, handed to the most 1ishonora bile
administrations; oppressed by tariff that
prevents the expansion of its natural ricnes;
living with Inisgivings in tranquility and
misery: that is what is pretended.
Only a complete separation will permit
Cuba to unloa d itself OF its debt. to Crga,i-
ize a simple administra ton, dictate the
economical laws required by its necessities,
andguaranteet etheindispensablep peace neces-
sary to develop its moral and material ILL.,
terest. Without it Cuba will always oe a
hotbed OF discomfort, field of inc essant
trouble and theater of intermina BILE con-
| vulsions.
THE people that sustained the legendary
war Of the ten years, which brooded again
alone and against all manner of obstac cles.
which practiced its right in the midst uf
innumerable difficulties created with
the intent to exasperate, and that sustain
the present struggle, have a right to ask
that they shall be considered and respect ed
within. a normal state which a reyolu.
tion supposes we are giving lessons of order
and stability to our proud progenitors
While they are rapidly passing from onf
situation to another. changing politics and
proceedings and frequently Changing the
ieaderships In their army, we have only
had but one law, the constitution Of Jim.
aguayu, one political policy. We will
carry on the war until Independents. |,
obtained; one course, generosity and mar
don; one sole government, that desfgnates
by our COR stituents: one superior chief I,