The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-08

Facts Regarding This Case Heretofore
Unpublished-He Attributes Its Success
ful Termination to the Firm Course Pur- |
sued by Cleveland and His Secretary of
State While Being Denounced for Doing |
Nothing In Behalf of the Prisoner.
Washington, October 6.-The celebrated |
case OF Julio Sanguilly is presented in
seEni-offical form in pamphlet issued
today by Sanguilly's counsel here Jose
l. Rodriguez. II tells the story in detail
and gives number of letters passing
between Secretary Olney. Senator Sher-
man. Consul General Lee and the United
States minister at Madrid Mr.. Hannis
Taylor not appearing in the state de-
partment publications and heretofore un-
published. AS whole. the document
upholds the course of President Cleve-
land and Secretary Olney and points out
that the agitation in Sanguillys behalf
in congress served only to prejudice his
case.
After stating that the attention of con-
gress and the public was not attracted
to Sangully until the very moment, in
which, through skillful diplomatic man.
agement, the release of Sanguilly from
imprisonment without further suffering
or humiliation had been secured the
writer says:
But the moment was one of extreme
perplexity which the friends of San
gully will not easily forget. Through an
exurberant effusicn of patriotic zeal and
most commendable humanitarian feelings
on the part of certain members of the
United States senate-through a noble,
| although misguided, sentiment OF gener-
GUS compassion, industriouSly worked up
in their minds and in the minds OF the
| kind hearted people Of this country, by
| wilful misrepresentation of the facts OF
| the case and by stories propagated by
| false friends and intruders about wrongs
! and sufferings and indignities perpe-
| trated upon the prisoner. which in fact
| were never perpetrated or attempted to
| be perpetrated; through the desire Of GER
! tain Cuban agitators, without authority
| to speak for the prisoner. of posing as
| his friends, urging extreme measures and
| precipitating, if possible, a conflict be-
| tween the United States and Spain.
aiming at no other end and seeking no
| other thing than the advance of the
cause in the adyocation OF which they
| into which many a distinguished public
| man of this country seemed to have been
led Of converting a case which involved
| the liberty and perhaps the life OF citi-
| zen of the United States of America into
an instrument of opposition to the ideas
and principles represented by President
| Cleveland and his secretary of state, Mr..
| Olney: through the vociferation of a GER
| tain part of the press and through
| many other causes and circumstances.
L COnOltlOn OF tnlngS WHICH HllSnt nave
| proved fatal was created at once. A
! measure of doubtful justice and of more
than questionable efficiency, calculated
Psrharss rs mere 9r;taS stst Spain srcs ana ,n e
| war with that nation than to save Sam
gully and grounded upon an imperfect
knowledge of the facts Of the case. was
attempted to be rushed through the
| United States senate exactly at the same
time in which the determination already
reached by. Spain to comply with the
| wishes of the United States of America
| and set Julio Sanguilly at liberty. was
being carried into execution.
Thanks to divine providence. through
the righteous attitude of the state de-
partment through the firm stand OF
some honorable senator's who were then
| called organs of the governor general of
or OF the of
| acknowledged to have used "a little by
word of bandinage; through the CO.
operation Of the Spanish minister. and
| perhaps through the earnest appeal of
| the prisoners counsel to the honorable
chairman of the senate committee on
foreign relations. the crisis was averted
and the most gracious act of her majesty
the queen regent of Spain. to whom San
! gully personally was not absolutely a
stranger, could be carried into effect in
Havana. without the slightest difficulty.
were made in the senate, and of the
applause which their most fiery passages
had ELECTED from the galleries had not
y, d
man, was joining his family and prepar-
ing to leave the island of Cuba. Warm
| hearts and cool heads had once more
overpowered the furies of blind excite
/ ment."
| DR.. Rodriguez says his study of the
| case, lied him to the conviction that
the Spanish authorities of Cuba would
never voluntarily release his client as
| long as the Cuban war should give the
slightest sign Of existence. And as at
the same time, he never thought that,
1 IN nF 1,sc <n1 Cvo fCI lata
| mination to keep Sanguilly within the
walls of Fortress la Cabana, more for
fear of what he might do II released than
sonable possibility of turning sanguilIy' s
case into a casus belli, or of making it
the subject Of belligerent demonstration
| or display of force
i For this reason, it was determined that
diplomatic action toward a pardon would
best serve Sanguilly's interests. San
} guilty approved this and in a letter to
had lost has revived in my soul through
your action: Do all that you can, my
, dear friend, to secure my freedom
through pardon or, IL not possible in
/ that way, try at least to obtain my re-
lease on bail. But pray you tc prevent
! | if possible my being sent to Madrid
The steps leading up to the pardon are
then given, with all the correspondence
between Havana, Madrid and Washing
ton.
The conclusion Of the pamphlet says
"The Sanguilly case reveals prominent
ly above all it's other features and the
| most striking similitude with all the
, phases of the political situation in Cuba
ever since 1926, that a feeling OF deeply
, rooted, almost invincible distrust is the
) prevailing element in the relations be-
5 tween Spain and Cuba. 1t bears testi-
, | mony, exactly the same the Cuban
problem. to the fact, whether willingly
| or unwillingly accepted and each time
| better established, that in all questions
2 | concerning the action of Spain in this
| continent. the United States of America
| are party to the contention, and tha,
in obedience to eternal laws. historical
and social, as inevitable in their efYec,
( | the laws of nature. the wishes OF the
I | government of the United States OF
! | America have always to prevail in the
end. And it shows. in fine, and in nl
.. lesser degree than the Cuban problem