The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-03
LETTER FROM GEN. GARCIA.
Hi ELooUENT STATEMENT OF TIE
SITUATION IN CUBA.

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NE shows the Desperate Condition OF Spain
RverythinE Tends to F1rl the Patriots with
Hope and viEor-Big Vote ut tho Elections
soHor @. de ouesuda, charge d'afrsiros of the
Cuban republic in Washington, has received the
following letter from Gen. Calixto Garcia:
"MEJIA, Holguln, May 20.
"Mr. Gonsdlo de Quesadd, Washington d. c.
M al FRIEND ANT CoMPATRIoT: I had
the pleasure Of receiving your esteemed letter Of
the 4th inst.
"If the Cuban people needed to maintain it's
unbroken resolution for independence, II our
spirits were to fall and our courage weaken and
wo were to doubt our triumph, nothing could
DO moro encouraging than your letter, In which
you speak Of your mission in Washington and
your well.founded hopes in the rectitudo of Con-
gress and the high aims Of the American people
and Its present Government.
1T can do and should do a great deal In our
favor, taking into consideration only the reality
OF things and the s~trictest justice. Tho fact 10
Tint we arc keeping up a Just war. moro
vigorous and more powerful every day,
because our enemies arc every day weakened
by tho losses In their army in battle and by sick.
moss; weakened by their enormous expenses and
debts, by their war In tho Philippines, by tho
Carlist uprisings. by the descrtion Of their sol-
oilers, and by q thousand other things, all Of
which tend to bleed and impoverish them. 1t
seems as IL everything had conspired to fall
upon Spain at this time as u Just punishment
for her great crimes.
I've, meantime. are receiving new life from
tho valuable resources which roach us from
abroad, from the numerous recruits which como
from towns held by the enemy. who increase
our ranks or join our peaceful and laboring
people, whose labor provides for our army with
out n dollar spent either for salaries or food.
by these advantages We are daily gaining
ground on tho enemy, pushing him more and
moro. to such an extent that he is to-day lit
orally confined in the towns controlled by him
and to the land on which he stands. He 10 In
trenched In tho last strongholds Of his uncer-
tain domination. Such is tho condition Of our
contest. We occupy three.fourths OF the island,
and under us Is almost all the Cuban popula-
ton. We have war material and food, armo-
ries, shoe factories, salt works, and all that 10
necessary to hold on indefinitely.
the er sbell sP % fS. fowo oa the the t oths sSo h1 SsnS Occupy |oy
many have disappeared. They do not dare to
go more than a half league from them. unless
In large columns. TO transport provisions from
near by, and they are constantly fired upon by
our troops. They. never remain in tho open
return to thoir refuge within the town walls.
"Undsr those circumstances 50 briefly
s %hie j to 't Tnns feIst they yN Still in Se SiIRsn,t shat T IheH
can triumph Spain has no more men. as was
proven pro sn,i In the he case sS o Of Gen en- PGSl a to whom
ro,hiaap send them Sen H they W W aEi'n not hf imp @ p f hsr
part Of them would become III and have to 60
to the hospitals, there to die or become invalids
have been brought overt Just now many news.
papers in Spain are demanding the return OF
and as the same number, approximately, has re-
turned to spain, you can judge whether she will
be able to replace them.
SPANS hopes are founded upon obtaining a
new compromise, which. like that of the Zanjon
explains hor offers Of ample reforms, even Of
home rule, as SEQ in the newspapers; but this
Is " futile I'll hope; for YOU Rn mMst know aTsrS and ! want IT
my name. for the little that may signify,
that we will compromise absolutely with moth:
ing which does not mean the independence of
Cuba. There Is not a single man here, to the
last humble soldier. to whom you can speak OF
protest. Our cause is born OF mature reflection,
Of a necessity felt for many years. and as our
war IL a necessity and a repatriation we are ready
How many cubans have already died and
i hST f Isn 81 S S,s sv AWAKEN Ssy In q 1ar so shn fall san on
ration and new .valor. But the innumerable as
sassinations which are daily committed by the
Spaniards against our prisoners and our peace
full people accused OF sympathizinR with our
cause, move us to the greatest Indignation.
papers Of three Of four executions Of our broth.
ers, and not a protest 10 raised In any Of the
repubics OF America not oven IN the United
States. at whose doors the crimes are perpe.
tratcd, to it's shame. The greatest restraint and
common sense H. needed not to make reprisals.
But we have made up our minds to suffer all,
and we answer their atrocities with the pardon
and good treatment Of our prisoners. Thousands
of them. after being liberated. have refused to
abandon our fields. where they are happier. and
we generally employ them In agriculture. :.
81 wish that you and our foreign friends could
have been here TO witness tho elections for rep
resentatives in these last two weeks OF May.
They were held in conformity with the law TO
| alapf tho nRyf lnnatitnnnf AGsamhlv nrnNi1nd
for by our Constitution. Here. in Holguin.
whore ! have boon for some days, moro than
5000 citizens have gone to the ballot boxes and
myself. satisfied with this spectacle Of
gave mine in tho midst Of my sol
diers. A wonderful people this. which, notwith'
ton, feels and practices liberty M II 1t had pos.
Besscd IL for ages. In Orient alone from fifteen
to twenty thousand electors voted. and thou
sands did not do so on account OF the necessities
OF the service, sickness, &c.
while this Is happening here and In tho rest
Of the island Gen, Wcylcr declares that Pinar
del Rio: HHvana, Matsnzas. and Las Vegas are se
make the same declaration rs to Camagucy and
Orient. Where will his effrontery lead him TO
At the very doors of Havana, Aranguren has
very long since Guines felt that II wns not
ION account Of my many occupations I cannot
make this letter longer, but p lea consider part ar.
Gcncral-in-Chief OF our operations up to last
M sThsr, oD,v remain, for me to toll YOU that ,
have just received advices Of the successful
landing of another great expedition OF arms and
ammunition In Lns Tunas. and that / have Just
given tho proper orders. Always consider me
your atfoctionate friend and compatriot.
"CALIxTo GARCIA"
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