The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-19
TR ANSLATION.
To Admiral Sampson, Member OF the
American Commission, Havana.

American Commission, Havana.
Sir: The difficulties of living in this
district, the terrible picture OF mortal
itv. the desoIated condition of the sur
roundings, impose upon me the duty OF |
writing to you, who, in the conflict |
with Spain, have taken such an import |
ant part; to you, who are one OF the
most important representatives OF the
great American Republic.
If every man has great duties TO per
form when a portion Of his race is
threatened with cruel and painful
death, many more have those who oc-
cupy a high official position, their own
public having invested them with the
right TO have control of public life;
therefore it is incumbent on them TO
remedy the great misfOrtunes, to re-
lieve sufferings, finally not to leave
without succor their fellow creatures,
from among whom many are rapidly
disappearing. l beg you to relieve the
suffering condition of the division OF
| the Hberating army under my COM
mand: I do not ask you to relieve the
valiant soldier who knew how TO bear
for three and half years in campaign
q savage and inhuman life; our SOL
diers are acquainted with the life OF
privations. and know how to die with
out a murmur / speak to you in the
name Of women and children, OF the
aged and of invalids; speak TO you IN
the name of whole families whose de-
struction is certain if a generous hand
is not soon extended to help them out
of their present condition.
This district of Sancti Spiritus felt
1.-THE horrible weight of the invasion OF
VIEWER. which caused so much gener-
Gus Indignation in your country. we
witnessed then vandalic acts against
families that tore our very souls asun-
der. as it was easier for the noble
Spanish chiefs to secure victims among
them than to secure them among us IL
the omen field: thus it was that misery
has been augmented in the working
element of Cuba, their rags and miser
able huts burned. having had to fly To-
:. their lives and use all kinds Of precau
tons to save themselves from death
When the American intervention re
duced Spain to the impossibility of con
rinuine the destruction of lives an
property. these country people say
!. their salvation and blessed from thei
far-away hiding places the nation tina
gave OF performed the highest act
humanity to the extent of sacrifcin
the lives and properties Of its citizen!
They believed that peace was at han
TO save them, and that the era OF sui
- ferings and privations had ceased, tina
peace would reign and progress exten
itself or its wings over unfortunat
Cuba also.
% What deception The force Of Gil
cumstances. the impressions, the igno1
ance of so much misery, and more tina
all these the poverty prevailin
t. through all the social classes OF Cub
to have condemned these families to II
most painful torments.
Never had these unfortunates sufere
N so much. never had there been so man
- isorrowful episodes and never had II
= threatening wave terroriZed them
now, when peace with Spain IS aireae
signed. and when the Island OF Cur
is under the protection of the COUNT
n of Washington.
), had hoped to heal some Sores
steal some victims from death. Son
of my representatives had solicit
their mite from the Cuban patriots
order to save this part Of the popul
ton, the purest of all because it su
tanned itself by honest labor IN clio
nj intimacy with its homes and with P
triarchal habits, while now, sick, 1t
;E reduced to absolute inactivity, but
adverse fate deprived us OF cargo
provisions which was swallowed up
the sea on the 22d Of last month on {