The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-11

4
untrammeled by the military. In notable
letter of Gen. Calxto Garcia, translation
of which reached President Mckinley, he
told how in Santiago de Cuba he gave his
vote the same as the soldier and peasant,
and how inspiring 1t was to see the people
exercise the right of suffrage in districts
controlled entirely by the republic.
at was IL brilliant Congress which sat
the months of October and November. DIR.
Mendez Gapote, ex-proteSsor OF law IN the
! secretaries of state submitted their reorts.
which were examined and passed upon by
| committees appointed for the purpose.
| new constitution was adopted on the 18th of
| October, 1897, which will be in force two
years, unless independence is obtained be
forehand. when assembly shall be called
| TO provide temporarily for the government
and administration of the republic, until a
definite constituent assembly shall meet.
INDEPENDENCE RATIFIED.
'gThe preamble says: we, the representa-
tives of the Cuban people, freely meeting
in constituent assembly. convoked by, vir
tue of the mandate contained in the Con-
sitution of the 18th of September 1926, rati-
| fly our firm and unshakeable resolve of cb
tanning the absolute and immediate inde-
pondence CT the island, in order to estab-
| lish in it democratic republic and inspir-
| ing ourselves in the present necessities of
the revolution; we decree the following
| Constitutions
THE Constitution determines what is
called the republic, who are citizens, their
| individual and political rights the officers
of the government, their powers and pro-
| vides for the assembling OF the representa-
| tives. The principal articles are:
. Article &. CubanS and foreigners will be
protected in their religious opinions ard i'll
| the practice of their respective cults. as
| long as these are not opposed 70 public
morals,
| rtory of the republic.
| = Art. TO- The electoral right shall be reg
| ulat1ed by the government on the basis of
. Art IL The administration of justice
| in reference to civil matters belongs to
! the civil authorities and it's procedure shall
be regulated by law.
:. Art %. Besides the powers conferred
upon it by other articles Of this constItu-
ton, the government council has the fci-
lowing:
:. l. TO make all laws and regulations re-
garding the revolution and The military,
civil and political life of the Cuban people.
So TO resolve the petitions addressed to
| it. ordering those which are not properly
| transmitted to take their due course.
g. To depose, for just cause and under
rotary. This resolution shall be reported
! to the first assembly, and can only be
| passed by the affirmative votes of four
councillors.
| - TO appoint secretary and subsecretary
| for the transacting of business in any de-
| partment, when both positions shall have
| been vacant for two months.
. 5. To appoint and remove public func-
tionaries OF all classes in the manner pro- %
! submitted to the courts OF justice in the
proper cases.
| the general lines of the campaign, and to
intervene when, in their judgment, there be
| founded motive for it, in the military OPP
erations, always by means of the generals
80. TO raise troops, to declare reprisals
! and TO grant letters of marque
'.'S. To grant military ranks from sub
| lieutenants to major general, in the form
established by the law of military organi-
70. To issue paper money, to coin
money, fixing its kind and value;
| . 10 To contract loans, determining
when they shall become due, the interests,
| discounts, commissions and guarantees, and
| lie veal, being strictly responsible for the
use it shall make of these faculties and OF
those provided in the previous article.
| g IL. To levy taxes to decree the invest
| ment of the public funds and TO ask and APP
prove the accounts of the same. .,,o 49,,
IL To determine the foreign policy and
! to appoint ard remove agents, representa-
! tives of all classes
! ''13. To grant passports.
| g IA. To issue the safe conduct necessary
for the discharge of the functions of the
| government.
| TREATY FOR FREEDOM ONLY.
! "15. To make treaties with other pow
| ers, choosing the commissioners who are to
! celebrate them, but without being able to
| delegate in them it's final approval. The
| one of peace with Spain must be ratified by
| the assembly, and cannot be initiated but
| on the basis of the absolute and immediate
| independence of all of the Island of Cuba.
| Art 81. The secretary of war will be
| the superior chief in rank of the army of
| liberty.
| In the additional articles as to military
| organization the following are found:
mo 8. That the government can name
| and may freely separate the general-in-chief
and lieutenant general
4 Mot fhnr 10 n
every army corps appointed by the govern
| ment on the information or at the proposals
| of the general-in-chief as to the first men
| toned, and by the chief of department,
through the general-in-chief, for the sec
| ond.' ....... l.a :.
| published in Document 129 of the F1fty-1fth
! Congress, second session, the new govern
| ment was elected as follows:
| observation-disclosures Maso.
| 'Vice President-Domingo MendeZ Capote.
| Secretary of War-Jose B. Aleman.
Secretary of Foreign Relations-Andres
secretary of the Treasury-Ernesto
secretary Of the Interior-Dr Manuel R.
''Subsecretary of War-Rafael de Carde-
| mas.
''Subsecretary of the Treasury-Col. Sat
"Subsecretary of Foreign Relationship
| Olas Aiberdi.
| "Subsecretary of the 1nterior-Pedro
| Aguilera Kindelan.
"The said government Council appointed
/ Mai. Gen. Maxine Gomez general-in-chief
and Maj. Gen. Calixto Garcia as lieutenant
| general.
but the best proof of the existence of
the Cuban capital and government is the
1 following official telegram, published by the
| Spanish minister, Dupuy de LONE, dated
| the 22d of jan, 1898, and signed by Senior
Congosto, the secretary of the Spanish gov
eminent in Cuba 1t is as follows:
HAVANA, Jan. 21.-General Castella--
! nos has taken possession of the village of
Esperanza, in the Sierra de Cubitas, where
| the insurgents government had it's head
| quarters. During the stubborn resistance
| made by the insurgents the government Off
Gals escaped. The next day. continuing his
] operation, the same general defeated a body
| of $500 insurgents, who were coming to the
| aid of the government, scattering them in
| all directions and killing ffty-nine.
| ''rCONGOSTO.'
| 1.-THE Cubans are willing to rest their case
| on this testimony of the Spanish govern
| ment GONAALO DE eCEsoADA;,. >,
! Charge dAffares of the Cuban Republic"
General PandO Surrounded.
| KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 10.-An agent
| rrix, cd ha,.a to