The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-25
CASE OF JULIO sANGUILLY.
No Reason why We should Go to War
for His sake.

CHICAGO Feb. 24.-J. S. Evans, writer
for the Times-Herald, says that If Fitz-
hugh Lee, consul general TO Havana, has
resigned, 1t is because he is tired of having
to defend Cubans, who secure American
naturalization papers for mercenary and
other questionable motives. Take the case
of Julio Sanguilly, now confined in Morro
Castle" Mr.. Evans says. This man had
participated in three revolutions. In the
ten-year war he was one of the rebel lead
ers. Previous to that he had been brig
and. When amnesty was proclaimed some
years ago Sanguilly was driven from the
country as "a dangerous citizen. He came
to Tampa, remained few weeks, went be-
fore United States commissioner and
made affidavit that he had been a resident
of the United States for five years. and
then later on secured his naturalization
papers. He Immediately returned TO Cuba,
and when arrested as a menace to the
peace OF the government Immediately after
his return to Havana he insultingly jeered
at the Spanish authorities and declared
that he was no longer a subject of the
kingdom. OF course. he released.
When the present war broke out Sanguilly
was again arrested. The Spanish authori-
ties had incontrovertible evidence to the
effect that he was one Of the foremost con-
spiritorS in the revolution. He was con-
fined in prison and Consul General Will
liams was allied upon to defend hinl. There
was no one in the consul's office at Ha-
vana then, there is no one there now, who
is not absolutely confident that Sanguilly
Shed stl e9aSpy Geherai Williams Viii uo could not
go behind the mans papers Then. after
considerable correspondence, and corre-
Spondence. too, that has strained the rela-
tonship between this goverpr ent and that
or Spain more severely tIan any other
thing that has happened since the COM
mencement of the war, General Williams
dug up a protocol that has been in ex-
istence more than one hundred years, but
had been forgotten. and demanded that
Sanguilly be released from the military
and turned over to the civil authorities. L
nave seen the entire correspondence relat-
ing to this sentimental case. and know that
at no time was the Spanish government
disposed to do other than what was right
In the matter. Still, so infamed was the
public mind in this country over the. event.
that one-half of the people would have
teen willing for war beca Use of Sanguilly's
arrest and Incarceration.
Il merely cite the Sanguilly case to illus
trate. am not in possession of actual
figures but if 1 were called upon to guess
at the number of Cubans now in the field
at warfare with Spain who are fortified
should say that one-fifth of them were so
protected. And then. were I asked further
about the situation. would make the guess
that less than per cent OF the entire num-
Der was entitled to residentiary rights. 1t
Is this that has given the american repre-
sentatives so much trouble. If Cuban is
captured, wounded, killed or even insulted
the consuls office is instantly notified and
redress is insisted upon. No wonder General
Williams resigned, and it is stranger still
that General Lee has been able to contend
with such circumstances as long as he has.
Key West and all other Florida towns
have been granting naturaliZa ton papers
to dissatisfied Cubans for more than two
decades with reckless indiscrimination. The
Cubans have been preparing for this war
Tor more than twelve years. The insurrec-
tionists long ago discovered the advantages
TO be had by becoming American citizens
and so they have, as is characteristic of the
race in all things. surreptitiously acquired
the rights OF citizenship. Two-thirds of
them cannot speak the English tongue and
few indeed can tell you of the elementary
principles of republican form of govern
ment. They cannot appreciate the advan-
tages of American institutions because they
despise everything American except it's
power to protect. The island contains many
real Americans-those who have interests
there. and who remain in that country
many months during the year TO protect
them. / asked General Williams one day if
these ever gave him trouble and he as
sured me that not for years had he been
called upon TO interfere in behalf of a ma
tive citizen of the United States.'