The record-union., 1898-10-22
Plotted to Proclaim an Independent
Government,
To be Known as tho Spanlsh-AmsrIcan
Republic Of Cuba.
Prevented From Being Carried Out
by the Destruction of Cervera's
Fleet, the Subsequent Fall OF
Santiago, and the Madrid Gov-
ernment's Suit for Peace.

patch to the Tribune" from Washing
ton says:
A story of a sensational nature comes
from apparently good sources concern
| Ing plot formed in Havana, by lead
ing Spaniards, including Captain Gen.
eral Blanco and General Pando, TO pro-
claim an Independent Spanish-Ameri-
can republic in Cuba, which would
eventually revert to Spain, thus secur-
ing and retaining the sovereignty OF
| that country.
The scheme was cleverly laid and alb
the preliminary steps were taken to-
ward carrying it into execution. Only
the destruction Of Cervera's fleet, fol-
| lowed shortly after by the surrender OF
General Toral at Santiago and the
peace protocol prevented decisive ac-
| ton being taken.
The plan was that General B!ancu
should proclaim a revolution in Ha-
vana against the sovereignty of Spain,
and declare a Spanish-American repub-
| lie, with himself at the head of the gov
ernment and all of the various leaders
| of the civil government. the COM
| manders of the volunteers and the
| Spanish army were to concur in the
| movement and ostensibly sever their
| allegiance to Spain and be turned over
| bodily to the hands of General Blanco,
under his new government
| The movement was to be entirely free
| and Independent of the insurgents, who
were not to be recognized in the affair
! to any extent, but only the strictly
| Spanish element was to be regarded.
| With the major portion of the Spanish
army in and about Havana all support
ing the new revolutionary government
under Blanco, 1t would be seen that
! Spain was in hopeless condition and
would be forced to surrender it's sover-
eighty and recognize the independence
of the new Spanish-American republic
| But the plotters went further than
| this. ENJOYS were sent by General
| Blanco to all the Spanish-American
| countries to secure their cooperation
and aid and their recognition of the
new republic when declared by General
Blanco. This would insure the govern
ment belligerent rights and means by
which supplies could be secured to car
| ry out the movement.
| General Pando was secretly Dispatch
ed to Mexico and. like other emissaries,
worked in secret with a twofold pur-
pose.
| If discovered they would show they
were endeavoring to secure supplies for
the Spanish soldiers and the suffering
people of Havana. The most important
and true meaning of their missions was
| to impress upon the various Govern
ments the sincerity of the intended
| movement in establishing another
| Spanish American republic, which they
would be in duty bound to recognize.
General Pando, who was incognito,
was recognized at Vera Cruz and sew
eral other Mexican cities, but, it is said.
succeeded in impressing many leaders
/ of the Mexican Government with the
| idea that Blanco would shortly pro-
| claim himself dictator of a new Span
| Iish-American republic. Upon his return
| to Imtabano, Pando was enthusiastic
over the project and believed it could
be successfully carried out.
| simultaneously General Aldecoa and
| General Pujol returned from similar
missions to some of the South and Gen.
trail American republics with good re-
ports looking toward the execution of
| their plot.
Then followed Spanish defeats on land
l
turning ENJOYS reported lukewarmness
on the part of the Government which
| they had visited.
General Blanco, with the cooperation
of his lieutenants, endeavored to revive
and continue the project, but the fact
| that Spain soon after sued for peace
put an end to the plan. Nevertheless,
Blanco protested against the overture
/ nd tn hau ha
| There is a question as to whether the
plot was devised in Madrid with the
consent of Senior Sagasta and the Gov
ernment, or whether it was purely an
act of treachery and traitorism on the
part of General Blanco and his sup
| porters The fact that Spain began
suit for peace after the fall of Santi-
ago, and that General Blanco's plan
was thereby prevented from being car
! ried into execution, leads those VINO
! have discovered the plot to the belief
| that Blanco and the leaders of the
| Spanish army who wanted to prolong
| the war for their individual beNeft had
acted independently. 1t was thought
Blanco's intention, if he succeeded in
| tablishing the new republic, was to
| turn 1t over to Spain either by purchase
| or otherwise at the end of a certain
time. A further part of the plot was
| to conquer that part of the island con-
| trolled by the insurgents.
General Blanco also labored under the
| hallucination that by revolting against
Spain and establishing a government he
and his followers would get the recog-
milton of the United States. which the
insurgents failed to secure.
| After the surrender at Santiago 1t
will be remembered that a report was
sent out that General Pando had been
given a leave of absence by General
Blanco and permitted to return to
Spain. 1t now develops that he was
recalled by the Madrid Government for
the part he took in the plans for the
mock rebellion, Blanco, when the facts
| became known to the home Govern
ment, having made it appear that
Pando. and not himself, was at the
head of the movement.