The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-24

following year he undertook his first
expedition to Cuba, sailing from New
Orleans May 10, 1850, in the Pampero,
with six hundred and ten men. His
object was to assist what was known
as the Separatist revolt, and he ex-
pected that then powerful faction in
Cuba to rally to his support. Landing
at Cardenas, he took the city without
much trouble, but held it only two
days, when he was compelled to retire.
The Cubans did not sustain him as he
had anticipated. They remembered
that he was a Spaniard, who had
gained his high rank In the army of
the oppressor and naturally they mis-
trusted him. The following year he
came again with six hundred men,
There was no pretence Of disguise in
our Southern States of the object of
the expedition and the details of it
were recklessly given, so that the
Spaniards were amply warned and had
time to lay a trap for Lopez. They
knew that be meant to land in the
eastern part of the island; letters were
sent to him, purporting to come from
Cuban patriots, persuading him to
land in the western portion, and prom
Using to support him. He stopped at
Key West to take coal, landed as the
Spahiards had planned at Bahia Hon
da, and marched into the interior,
where the insurrection was to take
place, while his second in command,
w. S. Crittenden-a graduate of West
Point and Mexican war hero, though
only twenty three years old-remained
at the seaside as a base of operations.
Hearing nothing from Lopez and
knowing therefore that his movement
had been failure, Crittenden made a
desperate attempt to escape in open
boats, but was discovered and cap
tured. The United States consul was
appealed to for assistance, but de-
clined to interfere; and 1t is said, did
not even visit the unfortunate men,
because he feared for his own safety.
Proceedings were prompt. The tilibus-
tiers were taken to Havana. Lopez
was not permitted the death of a SOL
der, but was publicly garrotted. For
ty-nine of his men were shot and one
hundred and six others were loaded
with chains and sent to Spain, where
they were held in bitter servitude sew
en- months. Poor Crittenden, prom
Using young fellow under thirty, with
fifty of his men were shot in groups of
six, under the walls of old Fort Atares.
He refused to kneel with his back to
the firing party, according to the Span
ish fashion, but faced them erect, say
ing that he kneeled only to his God.
Report says that the bodies of the VIC
TINS were treated to frightful indigni-
ties. Since Lopez day Uncle Samue
has three times seriously considered
the acquisition of Cuba-twice by pur-
chase and once by conquest. Late In
the 'fifties'' bill was introduced in
both Houses of congress declaring it
highly expedient that the key to the
Antilles should be in possession of the
United States, and that negotiations
should forthwith be opened with Spain,
looking to the purchase of the island
for sum not exceeding one hundred
million dollars. 1t had been expected
that the solid South would particu-
Iarly favor the scheme, and why it did
not turn out so I do not know. When
the matter came up for discussion In
the senate Mr. Soule of Louisiana led
a strong opposition. He wanted the
island, but not by purchase. He was
an exceptionally brilliant speaker and
his slightly foreign accent, graceful
figures of speech and personal magnet
ism added to the charm of his oratory.
In conclusion he said "Let the Uni
ted States go and take the captive
Queen of the Antilles to his ample bo-
som. hope shall live to see the day
when the golden and bloody flag OF
Spain shall float no more over any ter
ritory, be 1t island or city, which OF
right should be dominated by the
American nation; when the flag OF
cruelty and tyranny shall be replaced
by that which to-day flies obove this
Capitol-the flag of the free" The bill
was lost in the senate and never came
out of the committee of foreign rela-
tons of the house; and so ended our
first formal attempt to buy Cuba.
Meanwhile other influences had been
quietly at work. Colonel E. V. Sum-
ner, who was then in Europe, was
commissioned to ascertain how a
movement tending to the purchase OF
the island would be regarded by
France and Spain. Hon. John Y Ma
son was then our minister to the Court
of st. Cloud, but it was considered UNI
wise to risk becoming persona non gra-
ia by pressing the American project
before the intensely pro-Spanisl
French premier, in case the tentative
inquiry should be unfavorably received
and result in unpleasant diplomatic
relations with the French foreign Of
flee. The answer showed that the pre-
caution was well taken. Duke de Nor.
ney, the emperor's half brother, who
was then the ruling spirit of the
French foreign office and greatly in
fluenced by the Empress Eugene, de-
clared himself strenuously opposed tc
any attempt being made to compe
Spain to yield any Of her possessions
either under threats or moral pres
sure; and that if the United States
persisted in her efforts to acquire
Cuba, contrary to the wishes of the
Spanish queen and cortes, the act
would be considered by France as un-
friendly.
Then for whole decade nothing
more was heard about the purchase OF
Cuba. In 1868, after our civil war had
been fought and slavery was dead a
s11opestion came from SDain herself