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The Cuban Government
Cubitas the Capital--A Letter from the President--Proclamation and Letter from Gomez, the Hero of the War, and a Letter from Maceo. The patriots of Cuba locate their government at Cubitas, and claim its permanency there since about six months after the beginning of the war, which was declared Feb. 24, 1895. The recommendation of the place is that it is beyond the range of Spanish artillery, and where it cannot be reached by the forces of the government without extreme agility and effort along mountain paths and passes, through endless ambuscades; and then there would be nothing important found, the few papers being easily removed, and possibly destroyed without much loss, save in matters of form.
There have been several reports that Spanish expeditions were on the way to capture this capital, but perhaps there would be a demand for guides that could not be met. There has been a strong suspicion that the capital city was like the headquarters of General Pope's army, "in the saddle," and this was not necessarily said in derision or serious disrespect, for it is certain the real objective point of Spain in putting down the rebellion is not the capital, but the camp, as the head of the rebellion is not the president, but the general-in-chief.
This is but a parallel to General Grant's policy in Virginia, which was not the taking of Richmond, but the destruction of General Lee's army. Recently a letter has appeared in the journals, dated "Executive Headquarters, Republic of Cuba, Cubitas, March 17th. This paper, published in the New York Times, closes:
You ask me for my views regarding annexation. The fact that I am, and for nearly twenty years have been, an American citizen, and more proud of it than of anything else connected with earthly things, should in itself be sufficient to give a proper idea of my feelings upon that question. Cuba is properly American--so much so as is Long Island--and I believe there can be but one ultimate disposition of it--to be included in the great American sisterhood of states. I am not authorized to speak for Generals Gomez and Maceo, or, in fact, for any of the other leaders of the rebellion, but I do know that each and all are intensely American in hope and sentiment. In closing, let me again thank your paper, in the name of the people of Cuba, for its noble stand in the holy cause of liberty. And allow me to extend, through your influential journal, an invitation to the American government to send a representative to Cubitas.
SALVATOR CISNERAS-BETONCOURT, President.
It will be noticed that the Cuban president claims to be a citizen of the United States! Some of these gentlemen have latitudinarian views of the obligations of citizenship.
Maximo Gomez, the generalissimo of the army of liberation of Cuba, issued a proclamation last December, which is very characteristic of the man, and most interesting for its expression of individuality, rugged force in definition of policy, and the most particular and striking vindication of his character that has anywhere appeared. In the beginning of that year Jose Marti, the president of the Cuban revolutionary government, called at the door of Gomez's humble house in Monte Christo, San Domingo, and honored him by depositing in his hands the command and organization of the army of the liberation of Cuba. In opening his proclamation he says: "When, at seventy-two years of age, I decided to abandon my large family, in whose company I was living calmly and happily; when, in a word, I was embarking myself on the coast of San Domingo to come back to my idolized Cuba, I could not hide the emotions that took possession of me, nor could I make allusions to the magnitude of the colossal enterprise that I was about to undertake. Born, educated, and having spent the greater part of my existence on the field of battle, it was not possible for me to ignore the question as to what kind of men would form my army, and against what kind of an enemy I had to fight in order to fulfill what I had promised on my word of honor, that if I did not die, I would have Cuba as soon as possible among the free nations."