By 1845 Thomas Jefferson had died leaving behind a sizable debt and Monticello, his home, which had to be rescued from total destruction. New York City had expanded to 115th Street with Central Park in the design board. The rich were north of Washington Square and the City in the hands of unscrupulous politicos. Corruption was everywhere, side by side with opulent stores and elegant clubs for ruthless tycoons. In the midst of all this, Cuban-born Miguel de Aldama seeks refuge in the city from the Spanish metropolis. He fraternizes with Vanderbilts, Astors and Belmonts. His fortune and his credit lead him to offer $100 million to buy the Island of Cuba. Unwilling to wait forever he becomes the underwriter of the Ten Year Cuban War of Independence, to which he pledges his assets. This is the story of the convergence of a failed attempt to independence, the generosity of men offering their lives and fortunes for an ideal and the stubbornness of a failed empire wishing to retain its possessions at any cost.
