The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-09-10

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crest, not only to the American people, but to all
the world Half century ago, the Chevalier de |
MarbOis fOretod that Cuba could never Tenainss |
colony, being worth more intrinsicallv than MANY
a European kingdom, The development of the
resources Of that island, in spite of bad admins
tration, of execrabe laws, has sUfced to call at
tention to the system existing in the Queen of the
Antilles"
From a work on Cuba-that of Turnbull, usual
IL considered the most authentic and the most re-
liable authority-we are induced TO make the fol-
lowing digest of the principles which appear to
actuate the government of the island. The vast
extent Of Cuba, the largest island in the western
hemisphere, has made it necessary TO divide it into
civil judicial military, and ecclesiastical jurisdic
tions. The civil jurisdiction is divided into two
provinces, with separate governors, altogether in
dependent of each other in theory. The eastern
extremity Of the island is under the charge of
governor Of Santiago de Cuba, while the western
is under the control of a captain general de San
CristObal de la Habana. In civil functions these
two officers altogether distinct and independent
though, in military affairs the first las an eC Oci0
commsnd. II has sometimes happened that the
gefe of the eastern end has had no rank the troops
being commanded By an officer purely military.
The captain general must, however, whatever may
he the army rank of the first officer of the forces
be second only to the orders of the Spanish crown
At Matanzas, Trinidad, Puerto Principe and Glen
uegos are also officers, with the title Of gobsTHadOr
or governor, the duty of whom, however, is merely
judicial. Subordinate TO these are the capitanes
gierra relies Of the old contests with the aborigna.
Inhabitants The captain general is the supreme
military authority of the whole island, and chief of
the real dudencd the seat of which is the city of
Havana. In every city Of the island there ara also
perpetual courts, known as ayUHtdmientOs perpetuos
and in tine rural districts jueceS pedaneos appointed
by the local governors. The latter rather com.
mssares of police than Judges, being charged with
a general surveillance Of the law and order of
their districts. .
The ayuntamiento of Havana once consisted of
four corregidors. This number was afterwards in
creased by two, and ultimately to eight, a commits
sioner for promoting the crusades and another
officer having been added. The commissioner
residing in Spain, in 1884 and 1885, ecipsed the
magnifcence of the representatives of frst-rate
powers, and his deputadO in Havana left all the
Cuban noblesse far behind him. Ultimately Ha
vana became city, and the oorregidoTs were
raised to twelve, one of whom was the altereZ real,
or royal standard-bearer; a second the chief al
Ruacil; the thirds an officer of the Santa Herman
dad, so celebrated by Gil Bias; fourth the public
administrators fifth holds an untranslatabe office
as Receptor de PeRas de CaHRard and a sixth is
the keeper of the archives, treasures etc. Several
Of the corregdors hold their office by hereditary
| right, among whom is the Padre de Memories, who's
| however, has no delibsrative voice.
| At present, therefore, the ayuntamiento Of the
| Havana consists of twelve CorregidOrS two Al
| oaldes ordndri0s, elected annually; two Alcaldes
de Ia Santa Hernandez, also elected annually; one
Manor provincial one Alteres Real; one Alguacil
| Mqgor; one SipdicO pT0eurddOr del c0Hlun, named
| by the corporation TO serve for year, beginning
| and ending at the same dates with the term of SER
| vice of the Alcaldes In former times these Off
cers were chosen by the inhabitants at large; but
latterly the system has degeneTated into sort Of
| self-eleciiOn by the permanent members of the
| ayunmmiento Besides these there are a Mayor
doHo de prOpriOS, an EScribano, and other subordt
| nate functiOnaries.
At the meetings of this body the captain general
presides in his absence of the three TeRlentes
EetTddos or subaiteTh Chiefs and in their absence
/ also one of she Alcaldes OgdnaTios On the adj
mission Of the members of the corporation, they
| bound to take the same oath which is administered
to the Spanish military orders Of Santiago Alcan
tara and Calatrava, which is, 10 defend the purity
of the Conception of the Holy Virgin.
The secular tribunals of Havana are that of tn
captain general, assisted by the Auditor de guerr;
in military affairs and in civil matters the ASeSOre
generates. The AlcdtfeS generates have also cog
nizance of civil and military disputes, and evel
the ayuntanieido has original Jurisdiction in case
where the res IN lite is less than $500 in value Ii
such cases this body proceeds on instruction from
its own subordinates, the Ienientes Letrados anC
ALcaldeS OrdinGriOS.
There is also a commercial tribunal, consisting
of a 2;rior, consuls a consulOr, and an eScribGRO
whose jurisdiction extends only to mercantile af
fairs but before any one can address himself Il
this tribunal, he must first go before the Jueg AUe
7idOr, whose duty it is, like that OF the Juge d
Pair in France, 10 endeavOr TO cOnclliate the par
ties and prevent litigation.
Such is the system of internal police, with hos
of officers half paid, and consequently venal, cor
rupting every avenue to justice. The above Is
fair statement of the absolute civil and military
codes of Washington Republic,