File No. 123.G35/50.
The Minister of Cuba to the
Secretary of State.
The Minister of Cuba, under instructions from his Government, has the
honor to transmit herewith a copy of a cablegram dated
[Page 274]
the first instant, from the President of
the Republic of Cuba to the President of the United States.
The Minister of Cuba takes this occasion [etc]
Legation of Cuba,
Washington, September 2, 1912.
[Inclosure.]
The President of Cuba
to the President.
Habana,
September 1, 1912.
To the Honorable William H. Taft, President of the
United States of America, Washington:
Under the painful impression caused me by the declaration made
yesterday by Mr. Wilson, Acting Secretary of State, to the Minister
of Cuba at Washington, and confident of your constant good will
toward Cuba and the Cuban Government, I renew to you my indignation
and regret at the astounding outrage committed on the Chargé
d’Affaires of the United States by a madman whose act may have been
instigated by secret promoters of friction between Cuba and the
United States. He has been arrested and indicted, and I assure you
that the proceedings already begun will be conducted as rapidly as
possible and with all the severity permitted by our laws. The
insults offered to the Chargé d’Affaires by certain newspapers known
to be in opposition to my Government will be made the subject of
such prosecution as our laws permit, although they have produced no
effect whatever in my country, which pays no attention to such acts
nor to the intemperance of the press except to deplore them.
Animated as I am by the ardent wish to free from all doubt the
resolve with which I will always uphold the immunity and privileges
of the representatives of friendly nations, and with the
consideration and sincere affection that Cuba has always taken a
delight in manifesting to the great nation over which you preside, I
appeal to you to give your careful and entirely unbiased attention
to this unpleasant case so that it may be adjusted in the amicable
manner that we anticipate, in keeping with the cordiality and
genuine esteem manifested on every occasion by Cuba and its
Government for the American Nation. The latest notes and the
memorandum communicated to us yesterday have greatly alarmed those
who in the uneasiness of their patriotism fear that exaggerated
reports, and the difficulty caused by distance of going into the
inward nature of things, may lead the Government of the United
States into a lamentable error in the appreciation of the
occurrences of all kinds during the past few days, and may cause it
to assume an attitude which you would surely be the first to deplore
when you appreciate all the circumstances and know the sincerity of
my purpose to do justice and also to maintain toward foreign
representatives all the consideration to which they are entitled,
particularly the representative of the American Government, who in
his relations with us has always been courteous and even
affectionate [afectuoso]. All these things lead me to anticipate a
frank and cordial statement from you that will tranquilize those who
are alarmed, by convincing all that the United States will not in
this case depart from its constant desire to see Cuba maintain
domestic peace and the friendliest relations with all nations,
together with its well-founded gratitude toward the United
States.
