The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-05-06
THE CUBAN CONGRESS
Formally Opened by Captain Gen.
eral Blanoo.
CAPTAIN GENERALS ADDRESS.

"spain Has Given the Island All She
Is Authorized to DO for the Purpose
of Restoring Pence''-Our Govern
ment Vigorously Scored.
Havana, May 6.-Wlth great cere-
mony the first congress of Cuba, elect
ed under the autonomous form of gov
ernment, was formally opened on We'd
nesday by Captain General Blanco. At
the hall the members of the autono-
nous government were awaiting the
captain general. and on his arrival
there a salute of 10 guns was fired from
the fortress.
General Blanco addressed the con-
gress as follows: 81 take great pleas
ure in seeing the representatives of
this island united here for the first
time In spite of the fact that the
United States has tried to impede the
re-establishment of peace, Spain has
fulfilled her promises of introducing re-
forms in Cuba and was approaching
reconciliation and the ending of war.
But the United States, though speak
ing of peace and autonomy, tried to
prevent us from bringing this about.
IF the declarations of the United
States had been sincere it's guns ought
to be saluting today the first Cuban
parliament, instead of threatening the
ives of its members, and proving her
s3lf false to their policy, ambitions and
plans
Spain has given the island all she
is authorized to do. for the purpose of
restoring peace and without any con-
ditions. The autonomist form of gov
ernment established is as ample as that
of the British colonies, and Spain has
declared that it will be made more
ample still, if such a course is judged
to be necessary by the members of this
congress.
rigid custome and other rules were
abolished in order to help the recon-
centrados, the victims of the fight sus-
tanned by the United States. We ad-
mitted free of duties the 'helu' sent
from America-sent for the purpose of
increasing the existing discords. In
short, nothing has been left undone
which might satisfy the aspirations of
the people, If compatible with the ma
tional honor.
"On the petition of his holiness the
pope and the European powers, hostili.
ties were suspended in order to treat
to peace. Ignoring all this, the presi-
dent of the United States declared that
the autonomist form of government
had turned out to be a failure, when
parliament had not even assembled,
and the patriots of the United States
were excited by the declaration that
Spaniards caused the Maine catas-
trophe, forgetting the generous hospi.
tality her sailors received here And
now the United States is taking up
arms to impose it's domination.
Before such an outrage Spaniards
and Cubans must unite to defend the
fatherland, and the reconciliation will
be all the more sacred in view of the
actual circumstances in the case. Tho
defenders of Spain and of the auton-
omy of Cuba all have Spanish blood in
their veins or were born on this soil
"All the new laws must be put in
force on July 1. Preference should bs
given to the measures providing for
public security and the maintenance OF
the national honor in Spain, the only
country which can protect the devel-
opment of this colony and bring about
the formation of a great country united
to the old Castilian nation, and at the
same time be the mediator in the new
world between both countries"