New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-06-03
THE TRIBUNE.
LETTERS FROM HAVANA. No. VII.
Correspondence Of The Tribune.

vR GREELEY Since the Spanish first took pos
...on Of Cuba driving their Indian posscssorS into
~ ga ,hev have exhibited bet one trait in the al
oo;.i.,ra,ion OF government that Of unrclcniing
,,onr,s.ion. The Government OF Cuba is an abso.
Int Military dcspoiisin aud what little there may
10 If civil rule is subordinate TO the bayonet and
sword The principal officer OF the Island Is the
,:oyeror or Captain General with a string OF titles
,early foot in length and his power and word arc
IA, a. much 80 IA the Russian Autocrat's The
next officer is the Civil Presdcn, or Cashier OF tie
Island. in whose hands all the revenues Of Cuba
are placed, AMI who pays every thing even to the
Governors salary he bears the title OF Count VII.
eDeuya. and is clever looans little old man. while
The Captain General is large fierce iookng iei.
ow. All the other officers are at the mercy and
disposal Of these two so that they may be- said To
Constitute the Government There l. a species OF
court in which man. if hc cannot win just cause
can loose fortune. and in this without jury is kept
4 the Justice Of the Island excepting that LODGED
with the Governor Simple suits involving bat "a
w dollars have been proractcd in these places for
,sars until one OF the parties could go no farther
urs that would be settled IN hall an hour by Cor.
setticut Justice of the Peace. II is in most case
lxlcss TO appeal from the decision Of these nia
nous tribunals for the Captain General, the only
agher power, finds il polite no, to interfere with
he Judgment Of his satellites A peep into one %
aeso courts would amusc you. There sits the
overlooking Acadia behind his desk. and at either
ode are the parties, both talking at once and gene
sly the witnesses, counsel, and judge mix IN be
Are the game il over aud such pOw-wow You
ever saw At last The Judge sits down and dc.
ades. and you may be sure one OF the parties has
M, cold M his hand-0r is a Spaniard-or has ln
some way or other drawn the vcnd dispenser OF
Judgment 10 his side. There Is great difference
te,yeen having laws and enforcing them. The
Spanish have "a great many sauary laws, but these
are the last ones put IN force while those thai most
nearly affect the pockets of the rulers are applied
10 an extreme. For instance, on the arrival OF
new Governor, which constitutiOnally takes place
once in five years but generally much o.icncr, every
shop.keeper every professional man. or dealer with
the public of as Kind requiring Il liccnce. must
have il renewed and as this all goes To the Cover
nor YOU may be sure he puts this statute vigorously
in force | say that Governors are sent generally
much oilcncr than once IN five years, Tor am most
uediby informed that the salary, extras and brlbc.
received by these fellows. amount 10 at least one
million OF dollars yearly, and al the end of two
years they are rich enough 10 retire.
To comprehend how society works IN Havana
under the present administration one must know oil
vhi this society j. composed There are three
distinct classes, and between them all Is drawn Il
Inc Of hate as deep aud fixed a. life or death
These classes are Spanards, Indians or Cubans or
Negroes. The Spanish hate both Natives and Ne
groes-thc Natives hate the Negroes and Spanish
and the Negroes cnslavcd BY both of the other par
ties, Of course hate them most icrycntly The
spanish are the rulers they constitute the troops
military and civil officers. and occupy every posi-
ton OF trust or profit. The Natives, who cali them
selves Indians, the planters and traders the PEG
pie geuerally-they pay oil the taxes feed the troops
chartered among them, and bear III one sense. all
Tie burthen OF Government while the Negroes
are poor slaves of course. cared Tor only so
hr Is they fill the ingOis OF their masters
No Cuban is allowed to rise To cmincncc in civil
OF military capacity. lncss il be ia Old Spain
y he wishes he can leave his home and 20 there io
beach ms bones This diSirIst Oh the part of SPAN
o. lhe iAiliuness OF her Cuban subjects, has KIN
led Inc most intense hatred against the soldicry.
and the soldiers IN turn seek opportunity Ia repay %
upon the heads of the Natives. 1t i not strange
uAi people should feel Indignant al seeing Tn
Uell lorclgn army debating over their hcarhs and
"aIs eating up their substance. and forcing them
wieAain al Just such level as tyranny dictates
uetp and strong the thirst tOr revolution has grown
1.-The Natives only wait tor dclivcrcr. They say
uty would rather the slaves were free and joined
"'nihem against Spain, their common enemy than
~Nlain as they now are. This spirit Is COntinu
AN growing hcrcer as the dcspoiic rulers seem 10
pare no OCCASION for insulting and trampllns upon
y" people. Young men of the Island protesting
iT ieasi love Of liberty, or mauiicsiIug genius
IaseFous TO The corrupt administration are ban
NF1 from their homes TO different parts of the
-"" soldiers take the precedence of citizens
ue'y where, turn them from the walks in the
N'est and thus all natural independence is crushed,
-A.i lhe oppressed almost despair
Is m view OF these features in society there
-a' justice Is dealt out 1t lcoomcs therefore of the
Smallest Importance To the spanish officer IN hat
,'G post whether tins OF that party l. spanish OF
N1Ne' aud upon ibis knowledge depends in
se'' measure the character OF his decisions There
NJ union nor harmony All Is dis,rus, and hatred
sau u needs but right blow 10 create a rcyolu
20 N Vuba- Yet a revolution would DC bloody
y Spanish have between thirty aud forty thou
Naa troops on the Island. plenty of stores and mu
-0A' complete ioriihca,ionS, and are adding every
y" 10 ihcm own strength and the chains OF their
wants and slaves. There are nearly 10000 50!
itfs AT Havana and You can scarcely turn viibout
-eeu's oayonet Every thing in the ervice o..
"einmeh'' NE police nighi watch even the
MINISTRIES, are armed with or ucrlniiied IA
esr some weapon while 1t is made a penalty and
sApu>onmeni Tor citizen or stranger IN car7-,. "a
,aue over one inch ia diameter Fro,n All / c.,,i.,
earn, nothing would suit the mass b,,,er ,han .
saioG with the states, and they Seem IN OK viii
afe and faith. toward such sn issuc-one Nil
seleh they viii scarcely be- sratiheJ l fear N,W
a. hat found t>cOnilici with my notion. of rich,
z! Vtli az Havana was exceedingly pleasant
=" here and In the surrounding country a rchuc..
0'b and flower. a splendOr Of date. cedar ana
ftn. blucncss OF sky and Il cicagucsS OF aimo>
ven entirely new 20 the; and ! drank IN from
- a'asn and statue, from picture and arm and era,
= Cathedral. images OF beauty tina; " ia haunt uie
s-Aofy for years. Bu, after all clear aud silver
aed as The heavens were and fragrant a. cScrl
~ came wiki ls welcome. tuned away GLAD
-'n The land Of palms to sec. my own Ana
=, smiling upon me. gave freshness io The breeze
,ef stout bark breasted the occan.waye a, viii
.1Sloasncss that il was bound for home ~
saw land. green free land skies cold and
a. VIZ oui halowcd 10y associations of childhood
r~ youth and with light heart / once more irot
1--we soil Truly yours, c. d. :.
Conclusion Of tie s,ncs
"a. :, Al Al LASEsuLLE.-A destructive fire iooA
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