The History of Cuba, vol. 3Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 3
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
"The Cubans have decided to conquer with the sword, as they can obtain
in no other manner the exercise of their most important rights. Weighty
motives prevent their government from being more explicit in so delicate
a matter, but it is certain that only taking into consideration the
results of the war, no other relations are now possible between Cuba and
Spain, than those of a friendly spirit based on the condition of perfect
independence.
"In addition to what we have already stated, a political party armed
from commencement of the struggle, under the denomination of Spanish
Volunteers, and known by their intolerance and retrograding tendencies,
have converted a question of ideas into a question of petty personal
interest; wresting the authority from those delegates of that
government, and imposing their caprices like laws; giving an indecorous
character to official manifestations relating to the revolution; and in
entire forgetfulness of the rights of man, have perpetrated incredible
crimes, which cast a blot on the history of Spain in America.
"To relate all in detail would be very painful to us, and to the
government whom we are addressing.
"It is sufficient to say that the troops charged with preserving the
Spanish dominion occupy themselves, in preference, in persecuting the
families who reside in the territories of the Republic, by depriving
them of all they possess, burning their habitations, and have even gone
several times so far as to make use of their arms against women,
children and old people. At the very moment whilst we are writing this
remonstrance, an awful example has occurred.
"On the 6th of January of the present year, a Spanish column, commanded
by Colonel Acosta y Alvear, while marching from Camaguey to Ciego de
Avila, assassinated in its march these citizens of Juana, Mora de Mola
and Mercedes Mora de Mola; the children, Adrina Mola, aged twelve,
Agnela Mola, aged eight, and Mercedes Mola, aged two years. The horror
which is produced by crimes of such enormity, above all in the minds of
those who are far from the theatre of the events, is such as to make
them appear hardly credible, if we did not take into consideration the
demoralization of an army accustomed to pillage and violence, which
generally has no limits.
"Such excesses doubtless are not with the consent of the Supreme
Government of a nation, in which the spirit of modern times has made
very eloquent manifestations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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