The Republican journal., 1899-11-02

screw. Forty nine of his men were shot
and the rest loaded with chains and sent
to that dreadful African prison. Cueta
where they were held in servitude several
months, during which most of them died
Poor Crittenden, promising young fell
low from an aristocratic southern family
was shot under the walls of old port At
ares, with all his men. He refused to
kneel with his back to the firing party, ac
cording to the Spanish custom, but fear
lessly faced the bullets, standing erect.
saying he knelt only to his God. Report
says that the bodies of the victims were
treated to frightful indignities.
Three times between Lopez's day and
the late war with Spain did Uncle Sam
uel seriously consider the acquisition of
Cuba, by purchase or conquest 1t is not
a new story, but it will do us no harm to
Turkish up our history. Late in the tifties
bill was introduced into both houses of
Congress declaring it expedient that the
key of the Antilles should be in possession
OF the United States, and that negotiations
should be opened with Spain looking to
the purchase OF Cuba, for a sum not ex-
ceeding one hundred million dollars. It
had been expected that the ''solid South
would particularly favor the scheme: but
when the matter came up for discussion
in the Senate. Mr. Soule of Louisiana
led strong opposition. He wanted the
island, but not by purchase. He was a
brilliant speaker and his slightly foreign
accent, impassioned speech and personal
magnetism added to the charm of his ora
tory. The bill was lost in the Senate and
never came out Of the Committee of For
eign relations, but Mr.. Soule's words
still live in the Congressional Record. and
his prophecy has been fulfilled Said he
in final burst Of eloquence: Let the
United States 90 and take the captive
Queen OF the Antilles to her ample bosom :,
| hope to live to see the day when the
golden and bloody flag of Spain shall float
no more over any territory, be it island or
city, which of right should be dominated
crulety and tyranny shall be replaced by
the banner which to-day floats above the
Capitol-the flag of the free
Meanwhile other influences We're quiet
~ at work. Col, E. Y. Sumner, who was
then in Europe, was commissioned to as
certain how movement tending to the
purchase OF the island would be regarded
by France and Spain, but it was necessary
to 60 about it very automatically lest re-
lations be strained with the French foreign
office. Hon. John Y. Mason, then our min
lister TO the court of st. Cloud, was left
out of the matter altogether and Col
Sumner sounded the Duke de NJ orney, the
Emperor half brother, who was the rul-
ing spirit OF the French foreign office
He declared himself stIenuously opposed
to any attempt TO coerce Spain into yield
ing her island, either under threats or
normal pressure, and intimated that if
the L. 5. persisted in her efforts to ac Qure
Cuba she would have France to deal with
as Wei as Spain.
Then for a decade nothing more was
heard about the purchase of Cuba In
is, after QUA civil war was over and slav-
cry dead, the suggestion came from Spain
herself. 1t was when Gen. Prim, Gen.
SeIrano and Marchal O'Donnell-the
three liberal leaders of Spain who had
been banished by Queen Isabella-return-
ed to their native land and were so success
tul in pushing their revolt that Isabella,
in turn, had to lee. Serrano became
regent; but there was no money in the
treasury, and money the new Liberal gov
eminent must have. 50 Gen. Prm sag
gested the sale OF Cuba, confident that
the United States would jump at the
opportunity. But at that time our own
national debt was very large and Gen.
nent statesmen thought it should not be
increased. Finally it was decided to in
corporate company, with a charter
something like that of the Indian Empire
purchase of Cuba for 500, 900, 600, one
fourth to be paid down in gold and the
rest of the debt to be funded in twenty
year bond, secured by a lien upon the
revenues of the island, at per cent. All
the pros and cons We're settled, and into
the wonderfully fascinating scheme went
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