File No. 837.00/1173
No. 422
American Legation,
Habana,
February 28, 1917.
Several days ago the British Minister called considerably agitated and
said he had received by a special messenger from Jatibonico this letter,
sent to him by a British subject at that point for delivery to me. Mr.
Leech was apprehensive that the Cuban Government would suppose that he
was having some communication with the rebels, and was in doubt as to
what to do with the note. I suggested that he enclose it in a note of
explanation to the Foreign Office for such disposition as they chose.
This he did, and the letter was delivered to me by the Subsecretary of
State that evening.
[Inclosure—Translation]
The President of the Directory
and General Commanding the Constitutional Army of
Cuba to Minister Gonzales
Honorable Sir: The circular telegram of
the Department of Communications at Habana, dated the 14th instant,
containing the text of your latest note relative to the political
problems of Cuba, has come to my knowledge through a local Sancti
Spiritus newspaper of the 16th. I also have knowledge through the
same medium of the text of the first note upon the same subject sent
by you and the answer thereto made by the constituted Government of
Cuba.
In my quality of President of the Liberal Directory and Supreme Head
of the present armed movement, I hasten to communicate to you the
true and only end which is sought.
It is in no wise intended to overthrow the constituted government and
set up a revolutionary government: there is nothing further removed
from our thoughts. We demand only of the Government which functions
in Cuba that it respect constitutional rights and, consequently,
permit the holding of the partial elections3 in such a
manner that they shall inspire confidence and be guaranteed against
any attempt at official fraud or abuse of power. To accomplish this
the party through its directory has exhausted every effort,
proposing an infinite number of solutions of a harmonious character.
None of them was even taken into consideration, but on the contrary,
as a matter of public knowledge, preparations for fraud and the use
of force were in the last few days augmented to an inconceivable
limit.
I, in my official character, am in accord with the contents of your
Government’s first note, which bears out the noble friendship which
you and the great American nation have for us, but I cannot accept
as true the answer given by the Government of Cuba. On the contrary,
it is false and the most superficial investigation would prove this
beyond any question.
[Page 371]
I wish to conclude with the assurance to you that any formula which
shall guarantee free exercise of suffrage in the partial elections,
without force or threats or frauds officially organized, will be
accepted by us and will put an end to this political condition, in
which we do not seek to overthrow governments and aspire only to
preserve the rights and the freedom obtained with the blood of our
heroes and consecrated in our Constitution, preferring otherwise to
forfeit our well-being, our lives and our race.
I enclose a copy of the proclamation issued by me to the people and
the army.1 As you
will observe, its contents embody the foregoing sentiments.
It affords me pleasure to proffer you the assurance of my most
distinguished consideration.
