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]

[Inclosure.]

The President of Cuba to the President .

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.

José Miguel Gómez.