No. 406.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.
Madrid, May 26, 1873. (Received June 12.)
Sir: Soon after the receipt of your instruction No. 323 I had the honor to read it to the minister of state. His excellency expressed surprise and indignation on learning the manner in which the Cuban authorities had disobeyed the orders of the supreme government. Remarking that this was by no means the first instance of such disobedience, I informed Mr. Castelar of the action of the admiralty in 1870, in the case of the “Lloyd Aspinwall.” I said that the military and naval authorities in Cuba had so long been permitted to disobey orders, disregard decrees, and suspend the laws of Spain, that they were becoming, practically, independent of the Madrid government, and that, unless speedily made to understand and perform their duty by means of one or more severe examples of punishment for misconduct, it would be useless to come here for the redress of any grievances citizens of the United States might suffer in Cuba.
The minister assured me that further and peremptory orders would be sent at once to Cuba, with reference to the several matters embraced in your note; that special instructions in the case of Santa Rosa and Kryké would be given by the navy department to the admiral commanding, and that if these orders should not be obeyed, the officer offending would be dismissed. Mr. Castelar proceeded to state that these irregularities were incident to the old colonial system bequeathed to the republic by the monarchy; that slavery was the basis of the situation in Cuba, and the exigencies of that institution were complicated by a state of war; that the administration had become demoralized by gross abuses which had escaped correction through the frequent changes of government in Spain; that the condition of affairs in the peninsula had tasked the utmost efforts of the republican executive during the brief period it had held office; that, nevertheless, measures were under consideration which could not fail to put an end to many of the evils of the old system; that these reforms, so far as they could be enforced by decrees, would be put in operation as soon as an executive government should be definitively constituted by the Cortes Constituyentes; and that others, such as an emancipation act, a general amnesty, and a prudent measure of self-government for Cuba, would be submitted to the Cortes for its approbation.
Promising to acquaint you with the observations of his excellency, I begged to be informed, as soon as possible, of the action of the Cuban authorities in response to the fresh orders about to be sent, remarking that I felt reluctant to send forward any other than a satisfactory communication on so important a subject.
Mr. Castelar said he was sure there would be no delay; that he would bring the business before the council of ministers that very afternoon; that the orders would be sent by cable, and he would inform me at once of the result.
On the 14th instant Mr. Castelar informed me in a private note, a translation of which is appended, that, on the day before, the secretary of the navy had telegraphed the necessary orders for the liberation of Santa Rosa and Kryké, and that, with respect to the embargoes, the colonial [Page 988] minister felt sure there would be no delay after the receipt of his orders, which had been sent by post.
Under these circumstances, having sent you a brief report by telegraph of my action and of Mr. Castelar’s reply, I deferred for a few days this regular communication.
I had before reminded the minister that I was still without information of the action of the Cuban authorities in these cases, to which his attention had been called in April. His excellency replied that he had received telegrams from the captain-general about the case of O’Kelly, and he believed that one of them related likewise to the case of Santa Rosa, which he would send me for perusal. Not hearing from the minister, I addressed an unofficial note to him repeating my request for the promised information. I inclose a translation of the reply received from Mr. Castelar on the 8th, and of General Pieltain’s telegram of the 3d instant.
Having waited until Friday last, the 23d instant, and hearing nothing meanwhile from Mr. Castelar on this subject, I requested an interview, which was appointed for to-day.
His excellency anticipated the subject uppermost in my mind, and at once expressed his regret and surprise not to have received from his colleagues of the colonial and marine departments further advices with reference to the topics of our recent conferences.
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He assured me of the solicitude and zeal he had shown in urging the prompt fulfillment of all that had been promised in these cases. He was indeed at a loss for a satisfactory explanation of the delay that had occurred. He would that very day ask the action of the council of ministers on the questions I had presented. I might rest satisfied he would leave nothing undone on his part, and he was sure he could say the same for his colleagues, that would put an end to a state of things not less unsatisfactory to this government than it must be to the President. His excellency seemed so fully convinced of the importance of prompt action that I made no further attempt to amplify the considerations pointing in that direction. It was, however, agreed between us that I should have a conversation with President Figueras on the subject.
The President gave me an interview this afternoon. I stated to him the circumstances, and remarked that I was unable to give you any sufficient explanation of the delay. His excellency replied with characteristic directness, “In Havana they do not obey the government in Madrid.” He added, “We will consider the question to-day in council and take measures immediately to cause those men to be released. About the embargoes there can be no further difficulty. We shall stop all of them by a general measure which is ready to be published.” I thanked the President for these satisfactory assurances, and after some further conversation, in course of which Mr. Figueras intimated his purpose to retire from office on the assembling of the Cortes Constituyentes next month, I took my leave of his excellency.
Unwilling to postpone any longer my report of the action taken in compliance with your instruction, I regret that it must be so inadequate, and can only hope that before this dispatch comes to your hands I may be able to anticipate its contents by a telegram conveying more satisfactory intelligence.
I am, &c.,