The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-10


and the exporters have, II will readily be seen,
joint interest in defraudiDg the government No, il
II not considered fraud here nasmuch asthe go
verDment has openly made its bargain relinquishing
the chances of getting less than 1t has received
from him, knowing well that it's heavy imposition
OF duties make 1t the interest of all parties to che
government when II attempts TO collect those i'm
positions itself. Putting also but slight confidence
IN the honesty OF those officers it employs it seeks
to avoid the risk OF cheatery at their hands, through
their receipt of brbes that would cause to diminish
too,) returned. Well, the contractors and export
ers nave, we VIII say, joint interest in making
money out OF this bargain government has made
with It's eyes open:. The contractor wishes the
amount returned officially exported, to be less
than It actually is, in order that government and
others may not know his profits by the contract
The exporter wishes to be relieved from a portion
OF ms burden Of duties to pay For an expectation
1000 he compromises with the contractor by pay
ing half rates. The customs official is perhaps ST.
lenced BY doceur, which is clear profit to him.
So is It with importalOns portion is entered say
one-half The oficeris verbally informed Of The pre-
sence OF the remaining portion OF the merchandise
This, OF course, is open to arrangement. That ar
raDgement has become settled rsatter Ofthe duty
on that portion, one-thrd is withheld by the con-
signee, one third Is paid over by him to the Gus
toms officer and 0nethiid is retained hy the Gus
tom house broker, through whose hands all this
business OF entering goods is done, as it is, to
great extent, In New York.
II is no uncommon thing to see these custom
house inspectors and custom house brokers, living
IN style involving an expenditure of 5000 or
than one Thousand, and the brokers' regular COM
missions certainly not much more.
In the case OF This contract for the export duty
on sugar, and in respect to expectations and I'M
portahons generally, It may appear that, by the
system practised, portion of the duty is saved,
and thus, indirectly, the burthen of the tariff i'm.
positions lightened. But see the moral ten
dency Of this neutralIzation-these tariff bur-
thens. If Spain permits any advantage, it is
not openly given in acknowledgment Of, and
obedience TO, correct principles, bat matters
are 90 arranged that il must be obtained by
fraud, if at all /; and thus, for fraud, bribery,
and corruption, she opens the door with her
own hand, and invites her subjects to enter
Indeed it appears to be the quality attaching to
almost every law, act, and regulation, by of
which Spain governs this island, TO encourage the
immoral, and to operate entirely through the viler
passions and tendencies of human nature Nothing
appears to be based upon supposition of the ex-
Spaniards, creoles, or foreigners. Nothing is ar
ranged SO as TO have the slightest influence toward
creating or animhting those qualities; but every thing
seems calculated for the effect Of crushing extin-
gushing, and forever destroying them.
This is strong language, but truly must say
that, without the slightest desire or intention Of
saying aught offensive toward the Spanish govern
ment, SO much has forced itself upon my obser-
walton, not the tithe of which have | pretended to
detail in these letters-so many abuses. merely to
catalogue which would exceed my limits and dis
gust your readers that could not say less without
doing violence to my respect for truth-to nv love
for the principles of free trade.
Nevertheless, II does not follow that revolution
Is the only panacea yet left for these ills. The
elements for radical change by annexation do
not exist-facts stated, and to b. stated combine
with this TO show that there may be an interval
during which Cuba can remain attached to Spain,
even II she does not remain permanently attached.
And 1t de tached, il may be done by peaceable pur-
chase-becausc Spain is bankrupt
said that something Spain does fear-a frar
OF The visits OF the American steamers covering an
invading party-a dread lest their spacious holds
may hide bodies OF armed troops. Ridiculous az
II may appear 10 Americans such fear is seriously
entertained by the government here-so seriously
that the question is now under debate how to ac-
camplish the object of securing themselves against
this bugbear, wthou. violation of trea,ies--so
anxiousy, that IL is proposed TO lim. the stay of
the steamers in the port OF Havana to three hours
One must needs smile, and one recoeets that
when hnQer as put upon the teakettle's spout the
steam Will burn tha, finger, aud further than IN a.
the lid Of the kettle will rise.
An American gentleman, who has extended his
visit TO the island TO three ms, informs me
that he yesterday sought TO procure from the ai.
thon'ies letter OF domciliaiion. lie was required
TO declare hmssf Catholic, Apostolic, and X oman.
Not beng able TO swear consciennously that his
religion was Roman Catholic, the letter was re-
fused, aud he was obliged thaving been here three
moEths) at once TO apply for his passport of de-
iar'ure, Failing TO leave the island within three
months from the date OF bis ARRIVAL would subject
the foreigner to fine Of from iifIy to thousand
dollars, at the discretion of The Captain General
lie forftits. when he takes out letter of domi-
citation, all privileges of the foreign citizenship
all right OF seeking redress nom his own country.
General Conohi is, | understand, indastriously
cole cing information, for the purpose OF ntelli-
gently etieotng various reforms in the government
OF the island Under such circumstances, his office
will certainly be no einecure. My steps often lead
me past the massive walls Of building that, II ON
Its impceiDg appearance at once attracts the atten-
ton. lts crates. cells. Its h1IffV ~ declare
encis nt uses IL was Franciscan convent But
change has come over this mass of stone and
iron. The widely opened doors, the rolling in and
out OF casks bales and boxes, the sound of active
voices proclaim its new use as a warehouse for the
storage Of merchandise. The powers that he may
recognise in this type of the light activity and
wealth that free commerce AMI its concomitants
may here substitute for the darkness, the inactivity
the bondage and their corruptions that, under a
combined military and church despotsn, have
fettefed tn minds and bodies Of Cubens. Powerful
commerce will make lis way IN Cuba as else
where. General Concha must not forget COM
meicc and Us interests, " he would reform
cessfully. Every day furnishes some new instance
OF his hberaliy and determination TO conform
more to the spirit OF the age than has been the
habit of preceding Captains. General. II he has
wisdom enough 10 zee and act upon The necessity
of this conformity 10 lie full extent. he will merit
the esteem Of Christendom. The proposition ema-
mating from HIM that Spain viii permi: the election
OF the Havana corporation 10 b. made here, is an
instance illustrative OF his views. Tne suggestion
(from his lips) that the ruins OF The old theatre on
the Alemeda be removed 10 make room for hotel
for strangers visiting Havana, has quite strangely
liberal sount. as coming from a Captain General
OF Cuba. The prompt manner In which he re.
Gently ordered the punishment OF sesify who
had insolently raised the butt Of hs gun toward an
American gentleman, is quite refres hngly pleasant.
But the manner in which the DtarIo of this city, IL
permitted daily TO vomii forh lis filthy abuse Of
whatever is American, whilst strict censorship
casts out whatever Of more favorable character
might srrear in the Faro, the liberal paper here is
stale and disagreetble. The evil effect Of this IL.
that foreigners are led 10 doubt IN, sincerity of
General Concha's professions and Americans, In
spite Of themselves, viii find their favorable i'm.
presslons growing out oi his liberal acts. neu-
tIalzed by the unfayorabe effect OF this permitted
abuse of the DtdTto. And thus Americans are
aggravated into state of feeling that halls every
token Of invasion and revolution with delight
when perhaps another course would permit them
to occupy neutral and more conservative ground.