The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-11-10
NUMBER Is.
A REAL FRIEND OF CUBA.
Wise Words aud Wholesome Advice to the
Cubahs from Gov.-Gen.
Wood,

tutional convention met in Marti the
ater yesterday afternoon It two
o'clock. Long before that hour the
theater was crowded. Many thou
sands were unable to gain admittance,
and the streets in the neghborhood
were blocked with people.
Gen. Wood and his staff, accom-
panied by Gen. Fitzhugh Lee and his
staff received an ovation on entering,
the bands playing America"
Senior Cisneros and Gen. Rivera es-
corted Gen. Wood to the platform, and
he almost Immediately opened the
convention.
AS military governor of the Island
of Cuba and representing the presi-
dent of the United States" ne said,
Il call this convention to order. 1t
will be your duty first of all to frame
and adopt a constitution for Cuba,
and, when that has been done, to
formulate what, in your opinion,
ought to be the relations between
Cuba and the United States.
The constitution must be adequate
to secure stable, orderly and free gov
ernment. When you have formulated
/ y
ought to exist between Cuba and the
United States. the government of the
United States will, doubtless, take
such action on its part as shall lead to
a final and authoritative agreement
between the people OF the two coun-
tries to the promotion of their COM
mon interests.
'All friends of Cuba will follow
your deliberations with the deepest
interest, earnestly desiring that you
shall reach just conclusions and that
by the dignity, individual self-re-
straint and wise conservatism which
shall characterize your proceedings
the capacity of the Cuban people for
representative government may be
signally illustrated.
/ The fundamental distinction be-
: tween true representative govern
: ment and a dictatorship is that in the
e former every representative of the
people, in whatever office, confines
himself strictly within the limits of
his defined powers. Without such re-
= straint there can not be free consti
a tutional government.
i Under the order pursuant to which
i you have been elected and convened
!: you have no duty and no authority to
take part in the present government
of the island. Your powers arc strict
ly limited by the terms of that or
C der
II Before withdrawing Gen. Wood
: wished the delegatesa speedy and sue
r cessful conclusion of their work. He
- said that Chief Justice Perez would
administer the form of oath which
the delegates might select, and he con-
e cluded by appointing Senior Figuerero,
Al under secretary of state for the gov
v ernment, as temporary chairman.
d The convention organized with
Senor Llorente, justice of the supreme
court, as president, and Senior Nilluen-
80 do as secretary.
1t The following oath was then admin
10 istered:
e I'VE, delegates elected by the peo-
pie of Cuba to the national coustitu-
tional convention. swear faithfully to
"a fulfil the duties of our Office. We pub
N licly and solemnly renounce allegiance
IN to or compact made with any state or
G, nation, whether made directly or iQ-
y
of the free and independent people of
Of Cuba, and swear to respect the solu-
n tion this convention may adopt, as
e. well as the government established by
- the constitution
All of the 81 delegates were present
Senior Alleman, who said that the
is convention was "only a continuation
at of the fight for independence,
py moved that the regulations governing
the old Cuban assembly at Naya, ir
1896, be adopted. As nobody seemed
he familiar with them the convention ad
in journed until to-day at p. M whe1
is copies will be furnished to the dele
It gates.
The following resolutions were pre-
sented to the president of the conven
~ ton. just before adjournment anC
re will probably be adopted to-day
RI THE undersigned delegates propos,
that the constitutional assembly adop
the following resolutions:
I'm "First-That a committee of the as
by sembly proceed Immediately to call ol
zee Gen. Wood and to manifest the salts
faction with which the delegates hav
seen him carry out the difficult mis-
IN mission assigned him.
nr- "Second-That the committee re
ne quest Gen. Wood to cable 10 the pres
. dent of the United States as follows
" The delegates elected to the constitu
tional convention assembled at thei
inaugural meeting greet with pre-
found gratitude and affection tn
president of the United States q
America, and they are satisfied wit
u" the honesty demonstrated in the fu
," fllment of the declarations made i
iru favor of liberty and the independents
en of the Cuban people,
,ey Released on Writ of Habens Corpu
Chicago, Nov. 6.-Ralph SilbersteiI
IN. arrested on fugitive warrant frol
bed Missouri, was released from custod
len ON a writ of habeas corpus by Judg
iyi- Gibbons. Silberstein was accused {