ould see a woman, or a weak though
honorable man, attacked by a savage foe, without interfering, and doing
the best he could to give life and freedom to the oppressed?

Think it all over, Americans, and think it over carefully and
judiciously.

At your own doors, is a poor, miserable, starving wretch, starving from
no fault of his, and with a bulldog, not your own, but belonging to a
neighbor (a neighbor, grant you with whom you have always hitherto been
at peace) about to fasten its fangs in the throat of this unhappy man.

Would you hold your hands, saying that it was no affair of yours, or,
with your superior strength, would you fly to the rescue?

Once more, Americans, you have heard the whole evidence. The case is in
your hands.

What is your verdict?

CHAPTER XII.

THE BUTCHER'S CAMPAIGN.

Now let us go back to the making of history, to the time when the
butcher Weyler came to Cuba to assume the governor-generalship.

By this time the Cuban question had been brought authoritatively before
the United States Senate, the people were beginning to be strongly
roused with indignation at the state of affairs in Cuba, and there was
considerable excitement when the news of Weyler's appointment became
known.

Strange to say, the insurgents rejoiced rather than grieved at this
appointment, the cause of which is not far to seek. They knew thoroughly
well Weyler's character, and what his policy was more than likely to be.
They thought that it would drive all the Cubans, who were wavering, into
their ranks and would at last force the United States, whose people,
when all is said and done, were their natural allies and defenders, to
intervene.

After the battle of Coliseo, Gomez and Maceo made their way through
Madruga, Nueva-Paz and Guines. Then they destroyed, at a large number of
points, the very important railway which connected Havana with Batabano,
and also cut the telegraph wires. When they had accomplished this, the
two leaders separated, Gomez to advance in the direction of Havana, and
Maceo to invade Pinar del Rio, which is in the extreme west of the
island.

Gomez succeeded in burning several more or less important suburbs of
Havana.

Almost the first military movement that Weyler made was an attempt to
cut off Maceo and prevent his communication with the other detachments
of the Cuban army. It seemed to be his chief purpose to compass the
death of the mulatto leader, a purpose which at last