The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-25
NO. BAT.

money, before seven o'clock A NJ, or after ten
p M. The wisdom Of this regulation becomes
more apparent TO Northerner, when he finds
that the railway trains all start at SIR A. Nj y
so one or two Of the guests ut our hotel en-
gagged private vOlante, last night, to meet
them here at half past five A. NJ, that they
might witness the public destruction of two
human beings at six. They had their ride,
but missed the execution. The criminals were
duly led out the square of troops formed, the
dreadful thrill of expectation ran through the
crowd assembled at that early hour in consid-
cradle numbers and the fatal moment seemed
to have arrived, when the officer in command
ordered the proceedings to be stayed and read
aloud proclamation of the Captain General
reprieving the prisoners, and announcing to
them and to the world in general, that the
Queen in her mercy q would probably substi
tute long imprisonment at Ceuta in Moroc-
co, for the grayer penalty to which they had
been condemned.
This royal act of grace does not seem much
to affect the creoles who have reason TO be-
lieve that eight prisoners were executed BE-
cretly within the Moro, a few weeks since, and
who know, certainly that numbers of Cubans
are now secluded from their friends in the
royal dungeons and liable to suffer, at any
moment, the fate from which the subjects of
this mornings revolting ceremony have escaped
Disguised with these new revelations of the tyr
amy which Expresses this beautiful island
had almost given utterance to p@an in praise
of American freedom, when the ugly truth
rose up before me, to paralyze my tongue.
thought of the Senator who promised to re.
ward his colleagues zeal for Liberty with a
gallows higher than Humans, and my deuun-
Citations Of Spain and her garrote for the lovers
of freedom died away on my lips. Ii is only
when the hideous presence of complete po
litical tyranny makes us feel how divinely
beautiful is Liberty, that we become adequate
y conscious of the enormity of that domestic
slavery, which forbds our boast in our cOun-
try
Perhaps it was with to produce dramatic
| effect which induced the authorities to follow
the mornings exhibition Of the Queens mercy
| by military show of her power. Whatever
was the motive, We have had to-day the grand
est review of the troops at Havana, which has
taken place for some time The field is a fine
one, and there was goOdly showing of troops,
| 50 far a. numbers are cOncerned-some 500
men appearing under arms But the personnel
Of the army is not very good and their disci-
plne, though severely enforced, far from per-
feet. Notwithstanding their white uniforms,
which display their figures to the best advan-
tage, the men seem understood nor do they
exhibit that vigorous alacrity in their move
ments which compensates for the want of
weight in the soldiers of Franco Mr. Wallis
in his interesting work on Spain, speaks of the
gallant bearing OF the Spanish troops but
could discover very little gallantry in the bear
ing of these troops, though they are composed
of some of the " crack " regiments of the Span
ish line. The officers are many of them good
looking men, but the privates have generally o
sheepish, clumsy air, which is sufficiently ac-
counted for by the disgracoful way in which
they are treated. The officers when drilling
them, use the most incorporate language, and
do not hesitate to deal out kicks and blows
with the greatest lib~ality. Men thus vilely
treated can be at best but good fighting ma
chimes; and their efficiency must depend en-.
tirey upon the skill with which they are drilled
and set in motion The pay Of the troops is
very mcager, and they complain of their ra.
tons One virtue most essential to the health
Of the men anywhere, and particularly in q
hot climate, the virtue of cleanliness, is sadly
uucultvated among them. Their white coats
and trowsers look very neat, but they are only
whitening for the sepulchre No man who
has been unlucky enough to attend the morn.
ever look on those hypocritical garments with
out disgust The mass, by the way, IL one o
tho curiOsities Of Havana | have ATTENDED
military masses in other countries, which were
! imposing, not more from the appearance of @
large body of men accoutred in that signf
cant military dress which always has and must
have powerful effect on the imagination
when worn by real soldiers honest shilling. a.
day murderers-than from the singular and STIR.
king beauty Of religious music when perform
ed by brass instruments Aud have no par
tcular objection to the presence Of soldiers in
n church, nor to military prayers, remember
ing that in every church of every Christian
land majority Of the most respectable at,
tendants upon Divine worship are engaged in
| pursuits not one whit more unworldIy than
warfare and that most orthodox prayers are
weekly offered up to Heaven in behalf of OBJ
| jects in no wise more celestial than military
success Moreover it seems to be q very OK
traOrdinary frame of mind which permits a
man to praise the militia, the army, and the
navy as precious institutions, essential to the
welfare of society, and yet moves him to dis
! like the association Of guns and drums and
uniforms, with the worship of the Being whose
supreme protection for that society he publicly
inyokes. Yet | confess that | was startled,
when, during the performance of mass at the
high altar, the military band stationed in a
side aisle began to play airs from Lucretia
Borgia Everybody else seemed to take it as
u matter of course, and a devout looking old
Spaniard near me went on with his mumblings
aud gesticulations, as if he heard nothing but
the priest at the altar. Shortly there came in
two American ladies from our hotel, in full
Northern dress, with bright blue parasols, who
marched directly in among the kneeling wor
shippers, began to Survey the House" a. il
they were TT the Astor Place Opera. This did
discompose not a few, and my devout old neigh
Dor soon turned TO me- and in an undertone OF
| suppressed rage, said to me, "Those are no
Cubans." mo, evidently" answered. "1hey
are beretics; they are not OF the Catholic
faith /" he rejoined aud the expression Of his
face was that Of concentrated contempt and
bigoted scorn, "They should be chased out of
the church, The old gentleman's looks add
ed" Aud burned alive at an auto dd fe"
And though could not 20 30 far with him,
sas compelled to feel that there was reason
able cause for his disgust at my countrywo-
men. The worship OF every people ought to
be sacred TO strangers, and a church should be
church to tho traveller, whether he be list
cning 10 dull sermon or to lively opera
tune.
The CENo, NEAR HAVANA.
Shall confess that | went yesterday to q
bull-fghtl am afraid that ought to do 80,
and that ought also to record my impressions
rs an act OF justice to the Spanish people on
whom vast deal OF virtuoxp indignation has
been wasted for their support Of these barbar-
ous shows. The bull-hght is certainly not a
spectacle calculated To elcvate the minds of