The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-22

/, s,x wears hard labor 10 The chain gangs Of the
renal colonies Of Afries- The Cuban cannot nave
company q home without PEI sTm and 'I IL mu be-
provided With license, at the same eoSs, ne u 20
abssnt himself from towner rom ms nome IN
the country. Neither can ne cnange ms domicu
witbout notifying the police. obtaining q permit,
and having for the same. He cannot lodge any
person whether foreigner native, stranger, friend,
or relative, in his house. without previous notice TO
the police. He cannot be ont after ten o'clock at
night, unless he carries lantern testfying that he
is abroad Mayors Of cities are not elected by the
people, but by the aldermen Of the common coun-
ellis, and under the dictaton OF the Spanish go
vernors These aldermen serve for life, and their
Offices are either inherited, or purchased from the
crown ut public auction for prices varying accord
ing to the perquisites thereof Thus, it happens
that even they who should be the immediate guar
dams of the people, often become spectators, who
far from extending them protection, extort the full
interest Of the capital invested in the purchase OF
their offices. A permanent military tribunal (c0-
mission mlitar) tries all criminal offences beyond
the limits Of the city, and all disloyaity TO the
Spanish government. 1t is summary in its proceed
ings, and its unheard Of tyranny has been well ex-
emplided in the case of John 5. Thrasher. No
affidavit is required in Cuba, but suspicion, or a
secret depunciation, to tear a man from the bosom
Of his family at any hour Of the day or night throw
him into dungeon, there to hnger for weeks or
months, il IL please the authorities, and then set
him free with the bare acknowledgement Of his in
nocepce, or send him to transatlantic exile, II,
though Innocent he still remains suspicious. Such
is our government. A hideous compound of base
rspaeity waDton insult, and dire oppression. And
to this government, worse than the tyTRnDc rule OF
Austria, are to be subjected because Cuba IS
forsoOth fertile spot, desirable position that
England covets, monarchs protect for Spain, and
her cannot disenthral by unassisted efOrs Aud
this is 10 be the Lomoardy and the Constantinopie
OF This continent, the arena for despotic princes or
ambitious cabinets 90 contend upon, unless the
sturdy arm OF America check .. once this evil ten
dency OF events.
None. / hope, vii, deny that our people have
done much of what possible for them 20 DO,
der the adve,se circumstances in which they are
placed, 70 attain the blessings ofhberty Men may
talk Of the revolutionary heroes OF America, and
ask why We have not commanded the success which
they obtained. They should first compare their
situation with ours. They, from the beginning,
were free. enlightened, and linked by the spirit Of
association. We have ever been ensayed, bred In
ignorance and kept apart by the Hachiayehan poll
Cy of disunion. They held vast continent, and
were surrounded by the wilderness We inhabit an
island, without toe possibility OF retreat for our
selves or of access for our friends, without mani
fold dangers and excessive cost They had mill
tia, were used to arms, and held them in their
hands We have no military force deserving Of the
name, are unacqUainted with the use OF firearms
and can neither carry nor possess them. They,
English troops among them. We, with but half a
million, have qusrtered in midst twenty. four
thousand bsycnets. THY met, discussed and re-
solved. printed and spoke and went about freely and
unshackled We cannot do one of these things Our
movements watched, our thoughts are scanned,
very servants are hired by the oppressor to de-
nounce I'D. They had on their side the feet and The
armies OF France, the chivalry of Europe, the
financial aid Of Spain, and the mosl counte-
nance OF all nations. We have had against us
not only Spain, but that very France and Eng
land, and the menace of the blacks, ti6 squadrons
OF the United States, and the deuunciation Of the
republican government as pirates and freebooters,
to draw from our feet our only plank of support,
with the world against as: tho moral aid Of this
free country We have had, ID is true, and this is
for the future our rainbow Of promise, the encou-
ragement, the aid, and the gallant devotion of very
many Of the generous citizens of this republic; but
Of what avail they could be against the leaning of
their own government towards European policy
events have clearly shown.
Since 1926 revolutionary clubs have existed in
Cuba, under the name OF S0les Ge Boticar, and
other designations. COnspiracies have succeeded
each other, and arrests Dprlsonments banlsnments,
and executions, have invariably followed in their
wake. The a,t of the Spanish Cortes, in 1895, de-
nying the right of the Cuban deputies to seats
therein gave the first impulse 20 the of reyolu-
ton Narciso Lopez the hero Of our infant history,
o Venezuelan by birth, CGoan og adoption ana
affection, then the Governor Of Madrid, major ge
neral in the Spanish army and senator in the Spa
nieh Cores for the province OF Seville resolved
II N that very day 10 throw his military
experience, bis lofty CALAMITY, republican prln-
c'pes. untiriDg energies and iron-yill, into the
scale Of Cuban freedom. He accordingly resigned
his gh position, and came 10 CUBA In The company
OF his friend, Don Geronimo Valies, appointed to
tbe Captain 6 eneralcy of that island Is loag as
this functionary was in power General Lopez ab-
stained, oot OF considerations of friendship, rom
revolutionary steps lie held. during his admins
traion, the post Of civil and military governor of
the central province of Cuba, and was also Presi-
dent Of the Supreme Military Tribunal (conlts1on
mtittQr). On the removal Of Valdes, Gen. Lopez,
no longer in Office, applied himself the work ne
had been preparing in his mind. The revolution Of
ISIS. which brought the emancipation of the blacks
in the FRENCH Antilles, opened the eyes Of the more
INDECENT and supine of the Cuban planters TO the
dangers which beset them on all sides from the
abolition policy ofEngland and France; they Joined
the more patriotic ones OF their own class and with
the mass Of Cubans, who dreamed of liberty for
libeIty's sake, formed the revolutionary party Of
which General Lopez naturally became the leader.
The services ola Of his qualities of his military
position, and popularity with the army, was, in the
face of military despotsm, an important acquisition
to the cause The American army had, at this june
ture conquered Mexico. From Scott and Taylor to
the merest private laurels had been won which the
Cubans would have fondly interviewer with the leaves
Of their palms. A host Of braves awaited under
the orders to disband and returnto their homes
The opportunity presented itself of obtaining the
aid Of 1000 Americans to the impending Cuban
volution, when no longer in the service Of their
country Among the generals under the orders of
Scott, W. j. Worth seemed to combine the qualities
Of head and heart-as he possessed the gaantry and
the chivalry Of the Bayard Of the American army
requisite for the acceptance Of this noble trust and
its successful execution. lie was consequently ap.
preached, at Jaaps, by Cuban delegates. The i'm
preston made upon me in conversations with those
most directly connected with this subject is that
he accepted their propositions contingent upon his
resignation of his rank in the army. But be this as
il may, the troops rot disbanded in Mexico,
had been anticipated and nothing could have been
done while they were in the pay Of the United
States. About this time, General Lopezs conspira-
cy was discovered and be, together with some
distinguished Cubans, bad to seek a refuge in
The United States, against the extreme penal.
ty Of the Spanish laws The illustration Of
al our plans, through the sleepless vigilance Of
the Spanish authorities, the paucity Of our
resources at home, the uubounded means of our
bead and front Of the movement, to the United
states, made il evident that the revolution colld
not he then successfully commenced in Cub, In
fact, IN q certain manner, already in the United
States, whore most Of the Intelligence the courage
and the determination, then were, which constituted
us very embodiment. II vag therefore necessary to
bring IT back to Cuba, like Minerva stee. clad and