re from their own wealth, to make them bend their
knees and submit their necks to the iron yoke that disgraces them; hence
the grinding taxation under which they labor, and which would make them
all perish in misery but for the marvelous fertility of their soil."

In July, 1873, Pieltain, then captain-general, sent an envoy to
President Cespedes to offer peace on condition that Cuba should remain
a state of the Spanish republic, but this offer was declined.

In December of the same year, Cespedes was deposed by the Cuban
Congress, and Salvador Cisneros elected in his place. The latter was a
scion of the old Spanish nobility who renounced his titles and had his
estates confiscated when he joined the revolution. He was and is
distinguished for his patriotism, intelligence and nobility of
character. It was his daughter, Evangelina Cisneros, who was rescued
from the horrors of a Spanish dungeon by Americans, and brought to the
United States.

After his retirement, Cespedes was found by the Spaniards, and put to
death, according to their usual policy: "Slay and spare not."

The war dragged on, being more a guerrilla warfare than anything else.
The losses were heavy on both sides. There is no data from which to
obtain the losses of the Cubans, but the records in the War Office at
Madrid show the total deaths in the Spanish land forces for the ten
years to have been over eighty thousand. Spain had sent to Cuba one
hundred and forty-five thousand men, and her best generals, but while
they kept the insurgents in check they were unable to subdue them. The
condition of the island was deplorable, her trade had greatly decreased
and her crops were ruined.

For years there had been a constant waste of men and money, with no
perceptible gain on either side.

By 1878, both parties were heartily weary of the struggle and ready to
compromise.

General Martinez de Campos was then in command of the Spanish forces,
and he opened negotiations with the Cuban leader, Maximo Gomez, the same
who was destined later to attain even more prominence. Gomez listened to
what was proposed, and after certain deliberations, terms of peace were
concluded in February, 1878, by the treaty of El Zanjon.

This treaty guaranteed Cuba representation in the Spanish Cortes,
granted a free pardon to all who had taken part directly or indirectly,
in the revolution, and permitted all those who wished to do so to leave
the island.

At first glance these ter