The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-28
FAMILIAR LETTERS FROM CUBA.
lNGENIo -, NEAR CARDESAs

" I"t INNW VI 0se AfutOttdt EEUs
Don - is more hostile to the idea of a
revolutionary movement in Cuba than any ere
ole gentleman | have seen but his hostility
"hath this extent no more"-he is engaged in
certain extensive operations which he wishes
to carry on TO a successful issue, and fears that
q change in the Government OF the island
might bring on disturbances which would in
terfere with his plans. He asks only, as he
says, for four years of loyaltyn Many Of his
friends do not ask for 50 much. AS this letter
will be kept out of the reach of curious officials
may venture to say this, and to cite some in
stances of the sort OF vexation to which the ma
tives are exposed-of the petty, harassing sys-
tenn of domiciiary visits, and espionage, by
which the Government strives to deserve the
title of paternally watchful-and of that high
handed tyranny which establishes its claim to
the praise of judicious frmness. | shall not
be particular in my references to my authority
for these stories; for, though shall save my
manuscript from the inquisition of post-of6ce
spies, Indeed, think it might defy their ut
most ingenuity, should it even pass under their
eyes J yet one cannot be too careful in commit
ting to the public press any indications by
which q jealous and INSCRIPTIONS Government
might be enabled to trace out and annoy the
disafected subjects who had dared TO CON-
memorate any acts not exclusively redoundng
to its praise Englshmen and Ammericans,
more accustomed to worry than to be worried
by their Governments can hardly bring them
selves to believe in the existence of such an in
cessant, inquisitive; and undignifed tyranny as
that which exists wherever strong govern
ment is maintaining order by rigorous means"
In this department lives a man, possessing a
small property which happened to lie on the
road taken by a party of troops conveying to
Havana some of the exhausted and miserable
wretches who surrendered themselves after the
defeat of Lopez's expedition. One of these cap
tives, completely worn out with famine and ia.
tigue, and the loss Of blood from numerous
wounds, fell by the way, and was left to die
within the grounds Of the person to whom | al
lude. Being discovered by some negroes the
dying man was visited by the planter, carried
to the hospital Of the estate, and cared for as
well as circumstances permitted. He died,
however, within few days. This act of sim
pie humanity was reported to the Government
by some of its spies, and the planter at once
became q marked and suspected man. Con-
slant acquisitions were made upon him for
carts in the very height of the grinding sea-
son, when such acquisitions are most annoying,
by the military authorities of the district, and
an incredible number of small vex atoms were
inflicted on him. Naturally enough, the object
of this unremittng and contemplate persecu-
ton conceived no great affection for those who
were its instigators and instruments, and, not
less naturally he sometimes gave expression to
his feelings in strong but injudicions language
sufficient quantity Of reasonable remarks
having been thus collected, the planter was
arrested the other day, and carried to Havana
where he is now lying in prison, waiting the
pleasure of his prosecutors. -.
Visiting the house of friend, some days
since, found there an old woman, wrinkled al
only old Spanish women are wrinkled, and
sad-eyed beyond the common sadness of those
lustrous creole eyes whose brightness only
Death can quench, who was discoursing in {
very moving way about the misfortunes of he
son, whom she had been allowed that day, FL
the first time, to visit in his prison cell. Thu
poor youth, it appeared, was confined in yer,
damp and dirty place, denied all conversation
With his kind, and compelled to eat, his deci
dcdly inferior meals without knife or fork o,
spoon. To improve in some slight measure hei
boys condition, tho poor woman, with tears in
her eyes, told US she had been at work all day
since she came home carving out of bit OF
hard wood two little spoons. "Moy biea
hechas,0 "very nicely made" she said they
we're; and who would dare or wish to doubt
it? My heart went with the poor creature in
her forlorn little story; and it was not till after
she had gone that even wished to know any
thing of her unfortunate offspring; for could
not doubt that this terrible person, whom the
authorities judged capable of demolishing a
stone wall four feet in thickness with Ger
man silver teaspoon, must be most notorious
housebreaker "a Cuban Jack Sheppard -
laughing like love at locksmiths, and rich in
resources as Monte Christo's Able. Judge of
my amazement and disgust, when my friend
informed me that the prisoner in question was
q lad of nineteen, remarkable only for his pow
erty Of spirit and weakness Of mnd--a fiat
fool, in short, who had been taken by Don
on his estate only as an incumbrance
attached to his father, the overseer. The of
fence for which this poor numbskull was no
severely suffering, was pure piece Of simple
tonism Going to the Tienda, he had thought
to give himself some Importance among the
open mouthed monteros there assembled, by
announcing that an American fleet Of sixteen
vessels had been seen off the west cape Of the
island, which was supposed to be bringing a
mighty army to avenge Las Pozas,' and lib
crate Cuba
A solitary Imprisonment of five months had
been already inflicted upon this silly fellow,
and it was quite uncertain how much longer
he would be shut up for, even in the regular
course Of law, the trial Of prisoners does not
follow very fast on their arrest; and tho mill.
tary authorities, who have jurisdiction in the
case of political offences seem to think it safest
to punish first and inquire afterwards II
might often be hard to make out even the
shadow of case against the accused, and II
certainly would be very weak 10 allow him To
slip away, unmarked, from the clutches Of her
Majesty's representatives.
10 one Of the southern partidos, not q year
ago, q gentleman-a lawyer, and one Of the
leaders in his PROFESSIONALS arrested in the
night, at his own house, and carried of to pris-
on. For four months he remained there, shut
up. and "incomuni6ado" denied--that is, all
communication with his friends--aIlowed to
see no one. He was left too, in entire igno-
rance Of the causes Of his arrest, and Of the
proceedings against him. At the end of four
months, an officer entered his cell, and babe
him 70 forth :" Bot am | not, then, TO be
tried ~ Go out, and 20 home!V "Am
not to hear anything Of the charges against
mein al have not como here to talk with
YOU but to send you away. Go home, and ask
no questonsp Home, therefore the lawyer
went, enfeebled and emaciated with his long
confinement, to And that his wife, who was i'll
at the time Of his arrest had died in the inter-
val, and that his affairs were in complete dis
order. No explanation ever has been given to
him-none ever will be given--of the causes Of
this highhanded proceeding.
From Q repetition Of the same tyrannical
conduct nothing can guarantee its victim, but
the most wearing watchfulness over his words
and deeds No man is safe from the interior
snce Of tho petty officers Of the Crown with his
buanesa and many of the planters submit to
me moss unreasonable exactions, rather than
bring themsslves under the ban Of some Mser-
able Captain do Partido in their neighborhood
While n the vuelta Abajo cav Brazil