The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-09 00:00:00

THE BPANIAH ACCOUNT OF THE CUBAN

The Spanish minister, in consequence of the er-
roneous accounts of the late events in Cuba, which
could only have gained publicity " from the want of
a correct and authentic information, and from the
exaggerated accounts of the American newspapers,"
has caused the publication, in a morning contempo-
rary, of the following " exact report of what has
happened in Cuba during the last invasion." The
' facts " are taken from official documents," for whose
veracity the Spanish minister " himself becomes
responsible":
The attempt at Round Island, and the expedition of Car-
denas, had clearly awl frankly established the respective
positions of the Spanish and American governments. While
the former announced in the most public and solemn man-
ner its determination to apply with the utmost rigour the
law of the rights of nations to the invaders of Cuba, the
latter, through the proclamation of General Taylor' de-
clared them outlaws, &ado:eluded from all protection. Both
governments did repeatedly warn them that death as pirates
should be the consequence of their crime; but this advice,
perfectly unnecessary in any other country, was not, unfor-
tunately listened to in America.
The expedition of Cardenas took place, Spanish blood
was spilt in that most unjustifiable aggression, and at
last the criminals fled. The Spanish governor, who had'
in his power the prisoners taken at Contoy, carried his
generosity to the eatent of imprudence ; some of them were
• acquitted, the others forgiven, not a single victim fell ; in
, i fact, it was impossible to carry further the effects of

clemency.
Soon, however, were felt the results of such a generous
conduct. The sedition of :Puerto Principe, the ruing in I
arms of Aguero and his few adherents, stimulated by the
expectation of a new expedition from the United States,
and the final landing of Lopez and his partisans on the
northern coast, soon convinced the Captain-General of Cubs
of the fatal effects of former lenity, and of the necessity of
the prescriptions of the law being applied with the utmost
severity.
Being therefore decided to act with energy, be received
at 3 o'clock in the morning of the 12th a despatch from the
captain of her Majesty's frigate Esperanza, addressed to the
Governor of Marie!, advising the approach of a steamer.
Tho captain-general, calculating the direction of the sus-
pected vessel, did not hesitate one instant, and at 7 o'clock
that same morniug the war steamer Pizarro, under the com-
mand of General Brutillos ,sailed Crum Ilavannah, with
seven companies of troops (about 700 men) having in tow a
schooner with the horses belonging to the staff officers, and
a few soldiers of the Regiment el Rey, all of them cora-
-1 mended by General Enna.
The Pizarro anchored the same day in Bahia Londe, four
leagues distant from i'layitas, where the pirates bad landed
in the morning. Lopez had divided his forces. About 400
men were possessed of • village called Las Poses, and 100
more were placed in El Menlo,i a small hill with a few
houses that look upon the coast, with the probable intent of
assisting the landing of new expeditions, or to secure a re-
treat in case of defeat.
General Enna, impatient for fighting, and no doubt de-
ceived by the many and contradictory reports consequent
upon the hour and haste, divided also his small forces.
Two companies attacked the hill El Morello ; two more re-
stained out of the seat of action; and himself, with only
three companies, attacked the main body of the invades*,
consisting of at cast 350 men, protected by the houses of
the village, by some defensive works rapidly made, and by
the difficulties of the ground. General Enna had therefore
to fight &gaited an enemy not only superior in force, but
who had besides the advantage of being defended by strong
Parapets.
The Spanish troops attacked with the bayonet, receiving
the fire of the enemy, and they met with the most desperate
residence. The loss on both sides was very considerable,
and both parties fought, man against man, in the streets of
the villages. The Queen's forces had 120 men wounded,
and a considerable, but yet unknown, number of dead,
among whom was the second major of the Leon regiment.
General Enna, who had his horse killed under him, funnd
himself obliged, in consequence of the position occupied by
the enemy, to wait for the artillery and to retreat with his
small force. The pirates left the village to attack him,
but the general charged them with his few men and com-
helled them to re-enter their sheltered positions. lie then
halted at • short distance with his little force, which he
had yet to divide by the necessity of transporting and escort-
inig the wounded to Bahia Lends.
There he remained, without being at all molested, till
the 15th, iu the morning, when he was reinforced by four
companies of infantry end 140 horses, that the captain-
general of Cuba had sent, under the command of the colonel
chief of the general staff, and on that same day he was also
joined by another column, of live companies and two moun-
tain pieces, under the orders of Ihigadier-General Don
Martin Rosales. - _ . .

The invaders, who had remained inactive since the en-
counter on the 13th, contrived to leave the village of Las
Poses; and, by the latest news from the Ilavannah, dated
the 17th, et eight o'clock in the morning, it is known that
Lopes had only with him 200 men out ot the 500 he hail at
the time he landed. All the others had been killed in the
affray of Las Pons, or had been dispersed and shot by the
troops and by the country people, who had spontaneously
set on their pursuit.
In this number are included the 50 adventurers made
prisoners by the crew of the steamer Habanero. The fol-. 1
lowing are the circumstances and particulars of the execs-
tions :—They had been taken in four boats on the coast of
Cuba in Spanish waters. They formed part of tho expedi-
tion of Lopes, and they were all found armed, with a chief
lad five officers at they head. They arrived at Havannah
early in the morning of the 16th, and having been found
guilty by their own evidence and declarations, they were
shot at half-past eleven, near the Castle of Ataxia More
than 20,000 spectators were present at that melancholy
some, and raised their rims for the Queen and for
Spain. The troops had formed a square, the cavalry and
the civil guard being on the sides. The colonel was net
alone, the live officers together. and the other individuals
10 by 10. All of them were immediately withdrawn teem
the place of execution to make room for their unfortunate
fellow sufferers. Their mortal remains were, also, immedi-
ately placed in 10 hearses, furnished by the funeral under-
takers, who, deemed all in black, carried them to be decently
buried. The troops marched round after the execution
and then withdrew; not one single corpse remained in the
square; then, and only then, were the people allowed to
enter the place
e where such apainful act of justice had been
performed.
This is the exact and true narrative of what has occurred
to the prisoners. All the disgusting details which errone-
ously have been published in the English newspapers are
calumnious fabrications of the America prom It may be
matter of opinion whether the application of the low is eon
venient or not ; but certainly no act of acemeory cruelty
can be imputed in this case to the Spanish authorities in
Cuba. They have fulfilled a painful duty, but they have
fulfilled it with the dignity and decorum that becomes
honourable and gallant men.
In judging of their conduct in this affair, it is indispen-
sable not to torget for one instant the peculiar nature of the
aggression and the precedents of this question. The rights of
nations consider the invaders as pirates; the most summary
principles of justice, and the duty which all governments
have of protecting and defending the society intrusted to
their care, demanded a prompt and exemplary punishment
that might deter others from embarking in similar under-
takings. The American government, through the channels
of Gen. Taylor and Mr. Fillmore, had mast publicly declared
them outlaws ; the Spanish governor had on his side an-
nounced more than a year ago his firm determination to ap-
ply the law to the utmost extent, after having tried with-
out sumo a useless system of clemency, for which he was
accused, both in England and America, of weakness and
want of energy. Not only was the right of Spain placed
beyond all possible doubt, but its wateumment was con-
sidered and invoked as the preeervatimetsmiety, threatened
to its foundation by the wild and aseiviliasil policy of the
American adventurers. The Weems sod remarkable
articles published by the English prem andthelimmible rea-
=yed seine of the most distiagukiesoi enstommit of this
tonal lave taught Spay, lad oho ad shindy been
swam at 11, hew eonvensent and hew zenemary it we=
in pranks die mono. kw of the rights of nations
the modem headset al Arena end dibustiers.
Spain kw 1.11111.1 tie primary and the most simple of
her duties; W mhe tried "pia a sputum of Weft and in-
dulgeseeterhidi hewer amiss= bed already condemned
ao imene wed absurd, site might have been very pro-
wl ammed elabemlosing the cause of universal justice,
ressialeeragiening defenceless the cause of
la dela; dandy, of betraying by her
=gnaa aai wadmem fie arsond intim that Providence
bra Lill mem dlipsimamenle. Vadat similar circumstances
what memley hen wearastai to a WOW way ?
it is natural and tme ewilleleed that mankind will
*slaw at the bland nib serdhlei for polidadminees
dirks a civil stria. psalm amay more amilimt and
1111111111111111 executions Ara Man d Savannah have
WINS pima is the Zarope without me
tme raising Its wise lemon of cruelty the
in which they were perpetrated ?
But when the victims, whitener degree of pity they may
=cite, are unknown adventurer* and mammary foreignmes
" without a Ood, without a law, without a Ilse"—who, m
the Timer so sensibly mays, " are clearly se guilty
loif=
as any felon who ever swing in 6*h/enema OE
Man to attack the "anomie= of a govememend at perm
wish their own, and to divide smog themedves the plander
el the espeditioa"—ma them appear anwintwal the rodibia-
lion et the law, and ma it bee ameldneeil se a wastes Mal
cruelty ? Were they ignore= of the law ? Were Wm wit
aware long ago of what suit of pentangle awaited Swim?
Did they sot an with psalm& knowledge sad awl
rainy ? Or dem the consist ht theme bs ad
invedm hafted of 20 es SO 1 This wild he lm& a
memo why it became nem and emeenelere to
ant wide all someity; bemree die gnaw the samba dm
Crwas dm ; dm man warless sad deliberate
ime the anew Impaadont sod pernicious the impunity
et the phars baby id simeresity would have been in
sari a awl a proof of ward= and impotence which would
ban besught mom of Sea eilicsatzers to plunder and
den=the hied of Cuba
blebmital preeadnere ars ammalteil, when is to be
paw? mem hemline and &mat gmeramment than that of
The Inglide ewe& thareselenn.-da deny not fer-
al& am with army ozempise or sets m aumossun and harries
whams& t Meat hem lbelead rem* dons with the
=the Chinese sees ? Can the aneaber of the Memo
of
that were Artie Havanna be eampred with thee of
these so justly exterminated by the naval forces of Oren
Britain? And yet those Chinese pirates went not in search
eit=and within her own possessions; they did not go de.
y to spill the blood of her soldiers and her subjesiS
we In rob them of their property.