The New York herald., 1850-05-22


his own uniform as mere livery, no more honora-
bic in his eyes. than that which bedizened rich
mans negre edlssero in his own country
Such thought in the breast OF a man, so honest
| in conviction, so resoute in wi and so fearless
in execution, was no barren sentiment; and he
deliberately determined 10 devote the rest OF
| his life TO the Liberation OF his country, and
| the recovery of his own dignity measuring
the latter by far higher standard than the vulgar
| one of rank, military distinction, power, or court
| favor. Resgning his seat Senator, ne insisted
| with Esparero on being allowed 10 return to Hava-
| ma permission which he did not obtain without
extreme difficulty, nor until after long resistance on
the part OF the Regent, II being contrary 10 the Jea-
lous policy Of Spain, IN the government OF her rich
| colony, the Queen of the Antilles, 10 allow an
| American born officer of rank, of Importance to 60
| there. An intimate friendship with Espartero, the
noble head Of the liberal or progressist party IN
| Spain alone made practicable the importantly with
| which Gen. Lopez insisted on his demand, which
| he even enforced by making il the alterna-
tive 10 resignation of his commission; and il cam
| not be denied that his own determined purpose in
going, and the consequences which have resulted
rom it, prove clearly enough the policy of that rule
| on the part of the Spanish government, TO which
| he thus succeeded in causing himself TO be made
| the fatal exceptions
General Valdez was at this time the Captain Cen
| eral of Cuba, TO which post he had been shortly
| before appointed, 10 great extent through the in
| fuence of Lopez, who had urged it strongly
means of afordng To himself an opportunity of re-
turning 10 Cuba, with Valdez The latter. as his
| most intimate and devoted friend, solicited pemis-
| sion that Lopez should accompany him, but with
out success and il was not till several months af
terwards that he finally effected hissbject, as be-
fore remarked, partly through ls threat OF resign
ing his commission, and partly from the Regents
| personal attachment.
twas, we believe, in 1899, that he returned to
| Cuba. During the period OF the Captan-General-
ship Of Valdez, honor, friendship and gratitude COM
bned TO require him TO postpone any steps towards
the accomplishment of that great purpose which
never slept within his breast The downfall of Es-
pariero and the restoration of Mara Christina TO
| 4. suppCIfeU NaIyaeZ
causing the recall of the yirtuous Valdez, (who
was succeeded by ODonnen, the predecessor of
the present, Roncali.) released hm from the per-
sonal obligations by which at first he had felt HIM
self leltered; and his friends in Havana
prised at the evident content and cheerluness with
which he received a change OF parties, necessarily
depriving him of the posts which he held in the
military government of the Island. Under
Valdez, he was Governor of Trinidad and Com
msnder- in Chief of the Central Department, as
well as PresideEt of the Military Commits
sion. He gladly laid down these posts on the
arrival Of the period of opportunity, and free
dom for which he had impatently waited and
creating pretext for returning to the central de-
palment, in retirement, Ceainng, Of course, his
position and rank General, though not on duty,)
by undertaking the working Of an abandoned cop
per mine, he devoted himself mainly to his object
of organizing preparations for his intended rising of
the people against their oppressors-an object
which, il is scarcely needed 10 say, required ex-
treme caution and tact, as well as boldness, though
| he well knew that the general sentiment of the
people was already strongly predisposed to move
ment for independence With this view he ex-
erted himself in many ways TO establish personal
popularity and personal relations, extensively as
possible, with the country people of all the sur
| rounding region, the gugjiros every one of whom
is more accustomed TO the saddle than to any other
seat, so that they may be called population of
| cavalry, whom very little training under the in
spiration of such leader would make a mounted
force inferior TO in the world. He employed
every mode in his power to make himself personally
familiar with them, 10 win their confidence and to
/ bv nd c,yo
in which, always lavish and careless of money, he
spent with an unreserved hand
Mingling thus Familiarity among the gnajuos in
] their own costume, and as one of themselves, he
thus prepared them TO be in readiness for the ap-
preaching day. Aided by the respect due to his
rank, the brlliancy of his military reputation as
| the well known bravest and bodes officer of Cuba
his generosity and character for humanity and GOOD
nature, he thus established an influence such that
he has always been confident that the whole region
would rise at his voice, whenever he should sam
mon the people 10 rally round the flag of liberty and
Independence.
Having determined early in 1913 that the proper
time had arrived. he was only induced by some
friends TO postpone his intended rising for short
time, in order to await the result of some commu-
nicaiions which had proceeded from highly dis
| tnguished American officer in Mexico, who knew
the state Of public feeling in the island This DELAY
| led, through an accidental cause TO the discovery
OF his plan by the government, and the sudden ar
rest Of his friends, and the necessity as explained
at the beginning Of this sketch, OF his own precipi.
| tate cmbarkation for this country, from whose
friendly shores he hoped soon 10 be able 10 return
HIS plan Tor Cuba has always been independence
and annexation TO the American Union. After his
| escape, he was condemned to death.t Against the
| persons who had been arrested. (some of them
perhaps, with reason and some withoui,) no eyi-
dence existed, and the greater part were ree ased-
| some being sent out of the country.
The rest Of Gen. Lopez's life has to be written
by future biogropher To the slight outline we
| have here given, we will only add few anecdotes
illustrative of that en,erpfising fearlessness 10
| which, united with quick and keen perception.
fertility OF resources, knowledge of men and Gift of
command are TO be ascrbed the rapid and brillian,
honors OF his military career, respecting which the
| most extraordinary circumstance is, that while il
was commenced pcfforce, and as the only chance
for bis life, his heart has never been in IT, and he
has never desired better than an opportunity of
Withdrawing altogether from the military profession
| itself
ON one occasion. in South America. landing with
| an expedition, somewhat Ia Couez in a wild and
| unexrlored region, occupied w n highly warlike
| Tribe Of wild Indians i'ioios bTarosl Who never
| had, nor ever have, been tanned. and with whom
they, had severe engagement on landing. the
| whole party came well nigh rerishng for wan, of
water Striking into the interior in que st of water
| after marching IN tropical climate for a whole day
without finding stream or sriing, they were at last
approached, al about sunset. ty an Indian warrior
| mounted on a magnificent horse, cream.colored
with black name and feet. Lopez was in advance.
with email column. when the commander sum-
| mcncd him TO consultation. The vessels from
which they had landed the afternoon before had
sailed, 80 that they had no return. A number had
| already died Of exhaustion and thirst They CON
triycd TO make the Indian understand their want.
| and he, IN return, conveyed 10 them that he
| could conduct them 10 water. which they could
| reach by day-break Eui here arose the per-
| rlexity-how far he was 10 be trusted. Ills pur.
| Jose might be 10 decoy them away from the
| relief which they might otherwise. perhaps find in
the direction they were pursuing. aud to lead them
oil asirny TO certain and horrible fate. In the
midst cf this anxious uncertainty. Lopcz solved the
difficulty in mode little likely TO occur TO another
| by proposing 10 mount himself behind the Indian.
On the powerful and fresh horse Of the latter and
to 90 at the utmost speed in quest of the wafer 10
| yenfy what was understood from the signs of the
Indian; telling the commander that il he returned
all would Of course be well, while if he did not re-
Turn. IL would prove that he was killed--tbat The
Indian playing false; and that. therefore, fhey
should in that case infer that, by pushing on in the
direction they were going. they would probably
lind relief The oiler was accepted, and his COM
psnicns remained on The SPOT to await the result.