Our War with Spain for Cuba's FreedomWhite, Trumbull
History
Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom
White, Trumbull
Cuba -- History; Spain -- Foreign relations -- United States; Spanish-American War, 1898; United States -- Foreign relations -- Spain
"All this is true of General Weyler. He is one of those men who
create a first impression, the first sight of whom can never be
effaced from the mind, by whose presence the most careless
observer is impressed instantly, and yet, taken, altogether, he is
a man in whom the elements of greatness are concealed under a
cloak of impenetrable obscurity. Inferior physically, unsoldierly
in bearing, exhibiting no trace of refined sensibilities nor
pleasure in the gentle associations that others live for, or at
least seek as diversions, he is nevertheless the embodiment of
mental acuteness, crafty, unscrupulous, fearless and of
indomitable perseverance.
"I have talked with Campos, Marin and Weyler, the three Captain-Generals
to whom Spain has intrusted (thus far unsuccessfully) the reconquest of
Cuba. Reconquest seems an ill-chosen word, but one of General Weyler's
staff has so denominated this war, and Cuban revolutions can be settled
only by conquests, Campos was an exceptional man. Marin was commonplace.
Weyler is unique. Campos and Marin affected gold lace, dignity and
self-consciousness. Weyler ignores them all as useless, unnecessary
impediments, if anything, to the one object of his existence. Campos was
fat, good natured, wise, philosophical, slow in his mental processes,
clear in his judgment, emphatic in his opinions, outspoken, and, withal,
lovable, humane, conservative, constructive, progressive, with but one
project ever before him, the glorification of Spain as a mother-land and
a figure among peaceful, enlightened nations.
"Weyler is lean, diminutive, shriveled, ambitious for immortality,
irrespective of its odor, a master of diplomacy, the slave of Spain, for
the glory of sitting at the right of her throne, unlovable, unloving,
exalted, and doubtless justly, in self-esteem, because he is unmistaken
in his estimation of his value to his Queen. His passion is success, per
se, foul or fair consequences or the conventional ideas of humanity
notwithstanding.
"He is a little man. An apparition of blacks--black eyes, black
hair, black beard, dark, exceedingly dark, complexion, a plain
black attire, black shoes, black tie, a very dirty shirt and
soiled standing collar, with no jewelry and not a relief from the
aspect of darkness anywhere on his person.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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