Read Ebook: The History of Cuba vol. 3 by Johnson Willis Fletcher

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Ebook has 785 lines and 132637 words, and 16 pages

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Conditions at the Beginning of the Era of Revolution--Cuba's Commercial Backwardness--Resources Unappreciated--Statistics of Imports and Exports--The Sugar Trade--Burdensome Taxes and Tariffs--Restrictions on Personal Liberty--Obstacles to Travel--Titles of Nobility--The Intendent and His Powers--Authority and Functions of the Captain-General--District Governments--Municipal Organization--The Courts--Control of the Navy--Censorship of the Press--Adversion to Foreigners, Particularly to Americans.

Narciso Lopez and His Career--His Valor in the Venezuelan Wars--A Soldier of Spain--Some Daring Exploits--With the Spanish Army in Cuba--His Distinguished Career in Spain--A Leader Against the Carlists--General and Senator--Important Office in Cuba--Alienation from Spain--First Plans for Cuban Revolution.

Betrayal of Lopez's First Revolutionary Venture--His Flight to New York--Cuban Juntas in the United States--Lopez's Negotiations with Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee--Unofficial American Aid--Strained American Relations with Spain--Official Warnings Against Filibustering--An Elaborate Expedition Prepared by Lopez in the United States for the Freeing of Cuba--His Proclamation to His Followers--The Voyage to Cuba.

The Landing of Lopez at Cardenas--The Flag of Cuba Libre for the First Time Unfurled on Cuban Soil--Parleying and Fighting at Cardenas--Spanish Treachery--Failure of the Cuban People to Rally to the Support of Lopez--Retreat and Reembarcation of the Expedition--Mutiny of the Crew--Landing at Key West--Spanish Wrath Against the United States--Arrest of Lopez and His Comrades--Their Release.

Administration of Concha and His Recall--Second Expedition of Lopez Recruited in the United States--Men and Money Provided in the South--Betrayal of the Scheme--Proclamation of the Captain-General--Disturbances in Cuba--Third Expedition of Lopez Organized--Aguero's Attempt at Revolution at Puerto Principe--His Proclamation--Initial Victories Over the Spaniards--A Fatal Mistake--Suppression of the Revolution by Overwhelming Numbers--Execution of the Leaders--Suppression of Other Uprisings.

Another Expedition Organized by Lopez--Its Roster--Departure from New Orleans--Colonel Crittenden--Arrival at Key West--The Landing in Cuba--Lack of Cuban Support--Fatal Division of Forces--Desperate Fighting with Spaniards--Crittenden's Mistake--Capture of the Revolutionists by the Spaniards--Indignities and Tortures--Fifty-Two Put to Death--Heroism of Crittenden--Ill Fortune of Lopez--Betrayal and Capture of Lopez and His Comrades--His Death on the Scaffold.

Failure and Success of Lopez--Irrepressible Determination of Cuba to Be Free--Crisis in the Affairs of Spain--Animosity Between Creoles and Spaniards--Expressions of Cuban Sentiment and Determination--Profound Impression Produced in the United States--Opposing Views of Pro-Slavery and Anti-Slavery Men--Attitude of Great Britain and France--Anti-Spanish Outbreak in New Orleans--Webster's Diplomacy--England and France Warned Not to Meddle in Cuba--Spain's Appeal to England Against America--Tripartite Pact Refused.

American Overtures for the Purchase of Cuba--Some Early Diplomacy--Change of Policy Under President Polk--Spain's Refusal to Consider Sale--Pierre Soule's Extraordinary Negotiations--The Black Warrior Controversy--Soule's Humiliation--The Ostend Manifesto--Marcy's Shrewd Disposition of It--Buchanan's Futile Persistence.

Revolution in Peninsular Spain--General Prim's Proclamations--General Response Throughout the Kingdom--Serrano's Entry Into Madrid--Flight of the Queen--Republican Government Established--Downfall of Maximilian in Mexico--Change in American Attitude Toward Cuba Because of the Civil War and Abolition of Slavery--Organization of the Spanish "Volunteers" in Cuba--The Moret Anti-Slavery Law--Cuban Interest in the Spanish Revolution.

Cuban Independence Proclaimed at the Outbreak of the Ten Years' War--Provisional Government Organized--Carlos Manuel Cespedes--Proclamation of Emancipation--Representative Government Formed--Cespedes's Address--The First Cuban Constitution--The House of Representatives--Presidential Proclamation--Proclamation of General Quesada--Proclamation of Count Valmaseda--Request for Recognition--The "Juntas of the Laborers"--Cuban Government and Laws--Organization of the Cuban Army.

Beginning of Hostilities--Comparative Strengths of the Cuban and Spanish Armies--The Spanish Navy--Pacific Measures First Tried by Captain-General Dulce--Their Rejection by the Cubans--The First Engagements--Cuban Victories--Destruction of Bayamo--Revolts in Many Places--Murder of Cespedes's Messenger by Volunteers--Guerilla Warfare--Havana in a State of Siege--Progress of the Insurrection Throughout the Island--Dulce's Change of Policy--Sympathy and Aid for the Revolution from the United States.

An Appeal to the United States for Recognition--President Grant Overruled by His Secretary of State--Americans Stirred by News of Spanish Cruelties--Cuban Disappointment at Non-Recognition--Progress of the War--Spanish Reenforcements--Liberation of Slaves--Spanish Successes--Controversies with the United States--Destruction of Property--Arrival of General Jordan with Supplies--Dulce Forced Out of Office by the Volunteers--Accession of Rodas and His Decrees--The "Butcher of Cadiz"--American Protests Against Interference with Commerce--Proposals of Mediation--More Aid from the United States.

Great Increase of Revolutionary Strength--Spain's Enormous Force--The Case of Napoleon Arango--His Extraordinary Manifesto--An Elaborate Appeal for Betrayal of the Revolution--Designing Decrees of Rodas--Emancipation Decree of the Spanish Government--Its Practical Effects--Atrocities Practised by the Spanish--Downfall of Rodas and Appointment of Valmaseda as Captain-General--Spanish Overtures to the United States--Murder of Zenea by the Volunteers--Address by Cespedes--Treachery in the Ranks.

Counter-Revolution in Spain--Amadeus Made King--Increased Malignity of the Volunteers--The Massacre of the Cuban Students--Death of General Quesada--Reorganization of the Cuban Army--Campaign of Maximo Gomez--Progress of the War with Varying Fortunes--Calixto Garcia at Jiguani--Gradual Reduction of Cuban Strength--Valmaseda's Savage Threats.

Renewed Cuban Successes--The Island in a State of Siege--Concha Again Captain-General--Record of the Cost of the War--The United States Threatens Intervention--Spanish Anger--A Protest to England Against America--American Peace Proposals--Strength of the Spanish Army--A War of Extermination--Martinez Campos Becomes Captain-General--His Conciliatory Decrees--Surrender of Cuban Leaders--The Treaty of Zanjon--End of the War--Campos's Explanation of His Course.

Results of the Ten Years' War--Political Parties in Cuba--The Liberals, Who Were Conservative--The Union Constitutionalists--A Third Party Platform--Cubans in the Cortes--Failure to Fulfill the Treaty of Zanjon--The Little War--Calixto Garcia's Campaign--Cuban Fugitives Protected by England--Revolt of 1885--Custom House Frauds at Havana--A Reign of Lawlessness--Tariff Troubles--The Roster of Rulers.

The Intellectual and Spiritual Development of Cuba--Some Famous Cuban Authors--Jos? Maria Heredia--Felix Varela y Morales--Jos? de la Luz y Caballero, "The Father of the Cuban Revolution"--Domingo del Monte and the "Friends of Peace"--Jos? Antonio Saco--Joaquin Lorenzo Luaces--Dona Luisa Perez--Dona Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda--Nicolas Azcarate--Juan Clemente Zenea--Rafael Merchan--The Distinguished Intellectual Status of Cuba Among the Nations.

FULL PAGE PLATES

FACING PAGE

The Old Presidential Palace 14

Falls of the Hanebanilla 110

Carlos Manuel de Cespedes 158

Ignacio Agramonte 258

Calixto Garcia 268

A Santiago Sunset 280

Jos? Silverio Jorrin 308

Jos? Maria Heredia 318

Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda 332

TEXT EMBELLISHMENTS

PAGE Narciso Lopez 23

Ramon Pinto 62

Manuel Quesada 167

Bernabe de Varona 178

Miguel de Aldama 204

Domingo Goicouria 234

Nicolas Azcarate 251

Juan Clemente Zenea 252

Salvador Cisneros Betancourt 276

Felipe Poey 315

Antonio Bachiller 317

Felix Varela 320

Jos? Agustin Caballero 321

Domingo del Monte 323

Jos? Jacinto Milanes 324

Jos? Manuel Mestre 326

Luisa Perez de Zambrana 328

Joaquin Lorenzo Luaces 330

Enrique Pi?eyro 334

THE HISTORY OF CUBA

The revolutionary era in Cuban history had its rise amid circumstances of both political and commercial dissatisfaction and protest, and it is by no means impossible nor even improbable that the latter form of discontent was the more potent of the two. The commercial and industrial development of the island, despite its almost incredibly opulent resources, had been very slow, because handicapped by selfish and sordid misgovernment. The typical attitude of the Peninsular government and its agents in Cuba had been to use and to exploit the island for the sole benefit of Spain, and not to permit other nations to enter in competition. Other countries, in fact, so great was the secrecy maintained with regard to Cuba, knew but little of the vast wealth contained in this small space of land. Consequently the island was developed in accordance with the wishes, needs, and potentialities of Spain and with one other point of view. Cuba was never exploited by Spain for all its worth, and indeed there seems to be doubt as to whether Spain ever grasped in full the future possibilities of the island. Certain it is that she never actually realized them. And the loss was in consequence as great to Spain as it was to Cuba. For had Spain allowed herself to lose sight of the richness of present extortions and aided Cuba to develop her resources for the future, the whole story would have been far different. But the people of the United States were beginning to recognize Cuba's possibilities. American merchants began to flock thither. American money and American resourcefulness opened new doors for Cuba's rich products. American trade and enterprise contributed a great deal which made for Cuban expansion and industrial development. In proof of this there is the fact that the island towns on the north side, which is nearest the United States, increased both in population and commercially, in striking contrast to the slow growth of the towns on the south side of the island. In 1850 these latter towns, with Santiago de Cuba as the chief city, did not maintain more than twenty-five per cent. of the trade of the island.

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