688 



SPAIN. 



eral had to ask for considerable reinforcements 

 from the mother-country. And, although they 

 were in possession of every seaport on the 

 island, they did not succeed in preventing the 

 landing of fire-arms and ammunition for the 

 insurgents. The hostile feeling which drove 

 so great a number of the native inhabitants of 

 the island to armed resistance against Spain 

 still continues unabated. Although some of 

 the insurgent leaders surrendered with their 

 commands, new recruits filled their ranks, con- 

 sisting either of the young natives of the 

 island, or of fillibusters from abroad. On the 

 29th of March, 1870, the number of regular 

 Spanish troops on the island of Cuba amount- 

 ed to 23,000 men, according to the budget of 

 war, exclusive of an expeditionary corps of 

 33,000 men (also regular troops), and 4,000 

 militia, making a total of 60,000 men. These 

 figures were, however, considerably reduced by 

 sickness, losses in battle, desertions, and other 

 causes. The strength of the insurgent forces 

 it has been impossible to determine, but the 

 fact that Spain has, for more than two years, 

 vainly endeavored to suppress the rebellion, 

 seems to indicate that it must have been con- 

 siderable. General Quesada, late commander- 

 in-chief of the insurgents, while on a visit to 

 the United States, in March, 1870, declared that 

 they had not then ten thousand arms in Cuba. 



The winter campaign of the Spanish army 

 came to an end on the 28th of January, after 

 a severe battle at Najasa, when the Spaniards 

 were forced to retreat. The most sanguinary 

 engagement of the entire campaign took place 

 near Guaimaro, where the insurgents, under 

 command of General Jordan, obtained a de- 

 cided victory, killing 36 officers and 400 men 

 of the army of General Puello. 



On the 24th of February, Captain-General 

 do Kodas issued a decree emancipating over 

 2,000 colored prisoners of war. The decree 

 read as follows : 



SUPERIOE POLITICAf, GOVERNMENT OF THE PROVINCE 

 OF CUBA. 



Decree. By virtue of the faculties with which I 

 am invested, and in keeping with the royal decree of 

 the 27th of October, 1865, I think fit to extend my 

 decree (resolucion) of the 21st of September ult., de- 

 claring exemption from dependency on the Govern- 

 ment the expeditions entitled Puerto Escondido, Ca- 

 banas 10, Caoanas 85, Cabanas San Diego de Nunez, 

 and Trinidad. 



In consequence thereof the employers (los patronos) 

 who have in their service emancipated (emancipados) 

 of the referred-to expeditions, will present them in 

 the secretary's office of this superior government 

 within the period of one month, in order that, after 

 the usual formalities, they may receive their letters 

 of exemption. 



At the same time the governors and lieutenant- 

 governors will publish this direction in the periodi- 

 cals of their respective, jurisdictions, so that it may 

 come to the notice of the holders of these emanci- 

 pados, and they cannot allege ignorance of it. 



CABALLEEO DE EODAS. 



HAVANA, February 24, 1870. 



Another campaign was opened by the Span- 

 iards at the beginning of April against the 



rebels in the central department. Count Val- 

 maseda commanded in person and advanced to 

 Cauto, in the vicinity of which several battles 

 were fought, with alternate success. During 

 this campaign, the son of President Cespedes 

 was captured, and was executed on the 29th 

 of May, near Puerto Principe. 



On the 20th of May, Captain-General do 

 Eodas published an order, that all slaves be- 

 longing to insurgents in the field, or in foreign- 

 countries, who had taken up arms, and all who 

 had served as guides to the Spanish troops or 

 performed any other service for the national 

 cause, were henceforth free. 



At the approach of the sickly season, active 

 operations against the insurgents had to bo 

 abandoned, and no fighting of any consequence 

 occurred during the entire summer. 



The Spanish Cortes having passed an eman- 

 cipation law for the colonies on June 23d, 

 which was promulgated by the Regent Serrano 

 on July 4th, it was made operative in Cuba on 

 the 28th of September. The following is the 

 text of the law, its promulgation by the Eegcnt, 

 and the proclamation of the Captain-General : 



8UPEEIOB POLITICAL GOVERNMENT OF THE PROVINCE 

 OF CUBA. 



His Excellency the Regent of the kingdom commu- 

 nicates to me. under date of July 4th ult., the follow- 

 ing law, Avhich has been promulgated and sanctioned 

 by the Congressional Cortes: 



DON FRANCISCO SERRANO Y DOMINGUEZ, Kegent of the 

 kingdom, by the will of the sovereign Cortes ; to all to 

 whom these presents shall come, greeting : Know ye that 

 the Congressional Cortes of the Spanish cation does here- 

 by decree and sanction the following: 



ARTICLE 1. * * * All children of slave mothers, born 

 after the publication of this law, are declared free. 



ART. 2. All slaves born between the 18th of September, 

 1868, and the time of the publication of this law, are ac- 

 quired by the state by the payment to their owners of the 

 Bum of twenty-five dollars. 



ART. 8. All slaves who have served under the Spanish 

 flag, or who have in any way aided the troops during the 

 present insurrection in Cuba, are declared free. All 

 those are equally recognized as free as shall have been so 

 declared by the superior government of Cuba, by virtue 

 of its jurisdiction. The state shall pay their value to 

 their masters, if the latter hare remained faithful to the 

 Spanish cause ; if belonging to the insurgents, they shall 

 receive no indemnity. 



ART. 4. Slaves who, at the time of the publication of 

 this law, shall have attained the ago of sixty years, are 

 declared free, without anv indemnification to their own- 

 ers. The same benefit shall be enjoyed by those who shall 

 hereafter reach this aso. 



ART. 5. All slaves belonging to the state, either as 

 emancipated, or who for any other cause are at present 

 under the control of the state, shall at once enter upon 

 the full exercise of their civil rights. 



ART. 6. Those persons freed by this law who are men- 

 tioned in articles one and two, shall remain under the 

 control of the owners of the mother, after the payment 

 of the indemnity prescribed in article eleventh. 



ART. 7. The control referred to in the foregoing article 

 imposes upon the person exercising it the obligation to 

 maintain his wards, to clothe them, care for them in 

 sickness, giving them primary instruction, and the edu- 

 cation necessary to carry on an art or trade. The person 

 exercising the aforesaid control acquires all the rights of a 

 guardian, and may, moreover, enjoy the benefit of the 

 labor of the freedman, without making any compensation, 

 until said freedman has reached the age of eighteen 

 years. 



ART. 8. When the freedman has reached the age of 

 eighteen years, he shall receive half the wages of a free- 

 man. Of these wages one-half shall be paid to him at 

 once, and the other half shall be reserved in order to 

 form a capital for him, iu the manner to be determined by 

 subsequent regulations. 



ART. 9. On attaining the age of twenty-two yearn, the 



