The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-21

over half a dozen abortiye revolutions in
Cuba. The attempt Of Lopez is remem-
hered chiefly for the cold blooded eXecu-
ton of Crittenden and fifty fellOw-ken-
tuckians who formed part of LOpez's pay
ty. Crittendeu had sent flag OF truce
to the SDaniards, and had been assured
that they would receive honorable treat
ment as prisoners of war If they surren-
dered.
Accordingly they surrendered and the
next morning. August Is, 1851, in spite of
the SpaniardS' promises, they were
all led out and shot, ten at time. They
I knelt with backs 10 the exccuti5aers, dc-
cOrding TO orders. all but CritteEde0, who
drew himself up 20 his fun height facing
the soldiers. and said proudly, "A Ken
| tucldan never turns his back upon his Zoe
and he kneels only to his God.
Meanwhile our consul general at Hs-
vana, Owens. had neglected his duty. and
had not attempted to secure for the
Americans fair trial He was removed
by President Fillmore at once.
| The only indemnity which was paid III
this affair was paid by US to Spain IN
dignation meetings were held all over the
| South. and at New Orleans the house Of
| the Spanish consul was attacked and some
| damage done. for which the United States
/ quickly acknowledged its liability and
| promptly paid the price.
| Two years after the Lopez affair the
I
| Cuba. but the Spanish minister replied,
| Ito part with Cuba would be to part
/ with the national honor
/ 1t was only the year after this. in 1854.
! that Spain seized the Black Warrior.
/ schooner which she was sure was carry
| ing flibustering expedition to Cuba. The
! crew was imprisoned, and afterward 1t
| was found that SPANS suspicious were
| grOundleSs. Then it was SPANS turn to
pay an indemnity to the United States
! The civil war put an end to American
| attempts TO add to slave territory by the
! liberation of Cuba. Spain had complained
peTSistenuy of our neglect of the Obliga-
| tons of neutrality both in respect to Cuba
and to the Central and South American
| countries, which. years before. had Feen
| in revolt. 1t would be expected then.
| that Spain, being such a stickler for neu-
| trality, would try to show the United
| states what true neutrality was Yet
Spain aided in all ways possible 10 her
enemies, the South, which for years had
| been trying to detach Cuba and add il 20
their political power. Blockade runners
without number were fitted out from Ha-
vana, and the Spanish authorities gave
them every help they could, and hindered
the Union men-of-war to an equal extent
Spain did not love the South, but she
hated the whole United States and was
anxious to do everything that would con-
tribute to the downfall of the Yankee
nation.
Within three years from the time that
our rebellion closed another revolt began
in Cuba. and this one lasted ten years.
until 1873.
The outbreak of it gave Spain the
chance to ALLEVIATE and embargo the
property of American citizens in Cuba.
for which, in 1871, a Commission adjudged
her in our debt 70 the extent of 81, 293. 900
| 1t was in 1873 that the NirEinius affair
occurred. Spain seized the Virginius on
the high seas. She carried filibustering
expedition. but Spain had as much right
TO take her where she found her as she
would have had to enter the port of
New York and carry out the same oper-
alton. After the seizure the same ia
nliliar scenes were enacted as the United
states had been obliged 10 endure in
1851, when Lopez and his men were
taken. Half a hundred Americans Were
shot in cold blood. and quickly, before
there could be any interference The de-
tails OF the butChery are familiar TO all
/ Americans. The rest of the crew num-
bering nearly 100 would have been dis
posed of similarly had not the British
warship Niobe. Sir Lambton Lorraine in
command. appeared He gave Buriel. the
Spanish general. the choice of freeing
the remainder of or being bombarded. a
glance across the bay at the Niobe was
sufficient. and BurieI yielded
OF course the United States asked for
reparation, and got ii in the shape of the
surrender of this ship and the payment
OF $4,000 indemnity for the Americans
killed. But, with the true Spanish hab-
its of delay. the money was not forth
coming for nearly three years.
So near We're We to war with Spain in
the winter Of 1ST4-75 that we called
home our European and South Atlantic
squadrOns, and concentrated twenty
nine men-of-war and 5000 men at Key
West.