The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-17

hded n the conduct Of tho great MAJORITY 0 we
cnuntry die MT for all that feel to continue vigt
liant and watebful Of the conspirators, who worked
actively, ard imagined that they could reckon on
strong syDpathies and elements. Nevertheless,
neither that care, DOR the consistency with un'ch
Lopez, prevented me boasting Of perssH onnf-
dence, so as TO inspire il ID all, and 70 svnid the
rouAing Of their passions. With this object, and
when the arrival Of an expedition was announced
which was not effected on account of The detention
Of the Cleopatra in New York, directed circular
10 the Lieutenant Governors, which published, and
in which iDculcated these ideas; and i sometimes,
the peninsulars scattered throughout the country,
at distance, solicited me to permit them to arm
themselves, ] resOlutey refused yielding to their
request, maintaining in them the confidence
which they ought to have in the govern
ment, and in the good spirit OF the country.
Had thought for one moment, that there really ex-
listed any serious elements Of revolution; had l. for
ore moment entertained the fear Of an Dsnrrecton,
| should at once have taken preventive measures,
and, as l stated on q different occasion, should
have transported to the Peninsula all such indi-
vidusls as considered dangerous, even though the
vessels OF the bay bad been insufficient to contain
them, ard the military commissions had acted
in conformity 10 the laws But the triumph Of the
cause which l defended, should have made to de-
pend, in the event of an insurrection supported by
the Americans, were upon the activity and skill OF
military operations, the courage Of our soldiers, and
the decisi0n of oil good Spaniards, than upon the
infection of severe penalties. Happily, and as hoped
and urged from the progress Of this
try both in and out of the Cities offered an example
of fidelity that occasion of which there are few
instances. That hatred Of foreign dominion, 80 pc
culiar TO our race, having been aroused their con-
duct was only comparable to that of their brethren
Of the Peninsula at the time of the French INVASION
Hence it was that at the sight Of SO grand specta
Gle should most earnestly have wished not to shed
one drop Of blood, and If, az had good reason
to expect, Lopez had been beaten in the
first four and twenty hours, and he and all his follow
els killed executed the field Of battle, neither
Puerto Principe nor Trinidad would have witnessed
these acts of political Justice, even though had ex-
eyes Of a few fanatics
Unfortunately the delay experienced before the
complete rout Of the insurgents compelled me to
eacriGce my feelings and even my convictions before
the demands OF political reason, and it became nev
table that the law should have its in the
Of AgIero and three of his accomplices at Puerto
Principe ard in that Of Captain Armenteros and two
others at Trinidad. But immediately after the de-
feat of Lopez, revoked the authorization which
had extended to the military commanders Of Puerto
Principe and Cuba TO cause military sentences to be
executed, and this did not in respect to any
one Of those in which the law declared that the pen
atty Of capital punishment should be inflicted.
From the outset saw all the Importance Of the
capture of Lopez and his adherents, and to effect
had in the CAPT al, only retaining the precise num-
Der OF men necessary to the daily military service Of
the city Still, Notwithstanding all this, che popula
ton Of Havana witnessed no measures calculated
u
racks. The single armed force Of the police sufced
to inepire all good Spaniards with confidence, aud
they all considered this under the direction Of the
active, energetic and worthy commander, Fructuoro
Garcia MunoZ, amply sufficient to preserve public
order and tranquility.
Feeling quite confident Of the success of the opera
tons against the insurgents, calculated that, in the
position in which they found themselves, 1t was i'm.
possible that a single should escape, and hoped
that this would also be the lot Of their leader What
The capacity of the latter and the unfavorable
character Of his past life, his capture was matter
Of immense interest. He was, IN truth, Spanish
General, bearing the banner OF Cuban annexation;
one, too, who had long lived in Cuba; who had
many friends and partisans there, and who, as is
usually the case with persons representing any poltl-
cal idea had succeeded in causing his fanlts to be
forgotten and his qualities exalted. Thus in Cuba,
as well as in the United States Lopez was spoken
Of as man of extraordinary valor and great devotion
to the OF liberty Posterior events only served
to confirm the importance of his death for the Cuban
annexation party, which has not found leader to
supply his place, for this name cannot be given to
Gonzalez or Tolon. For whence comes it, that the
society Of the Lone Star, composed of Americans,
should have observed the junta of Cuban emigrants
and the fact that if new expedition should be d.
rected against this island it would have to look for
North American Generals whose names alone would
be sufficient to kill any echo in the country and es-
pecialIy among the peasantry, who can have no
SYM aihy with men speaking language different
from their The annexation, as far as it could
be effected by Cnbans, some of them men who were
life under the protection Of political banner, suf
ered its death blow in the expiration of Lopez This
Havana well understood, and this it manifested in ts
exubelant mirth on the 30th and 3lst Of August
though even this excessive joy could not conceal the
sensbility and kindness of the inhabitants at the
time Of the execution of the sentence IL DESIRE"
said /, in short aOcuton, THAT the most profound
silence should solemnze the execution of the SEN
tence Of the laws" and twenty thousand persons wit
messed, without one single voice being raised, the
slightest disturbance of any kind manfestng itself
On the day next following. nothing indicated that
such serious events had met with their termination.
This conduct, as loyal as decided in the nhabit-
ants Of the island had completely changed the posi-
| ton of the government in the country. Until the
confidence which had in their immense majority
had been tested by actual experiment, the expedi-
tons, however contemplate per Sc, of conside.
rabe importance, in 30 far as they might give rise to
interior complications; but, once freed from all
anxiety on this head, they appeared 80 insignificant
that, in communication directed 10 the government
of her Majesty, on the 3lst August-that is, the
day previous to the execution Of lopez said, in
reference to the expedition of 900 men which Gen.
Huston was preparing at New Orleans, that, in case
this should turn out to be real felt confident that it
would be completely destroyed in very few days.
had taken possession Of all the papers and cor
respopdeDce Of Lopez. l had before this in my
hands many Of his communications, and on the other
hand the declarations Of prisoners clearly pointed
the persons 10 the island who were guilty of share
in the expedition. They were all it is true, of little
standing and Importance in the country; but l was,
nevertheless unwilling 10 make use OF these antece-
dents, and avoided, as far as I was able, to use
them for the purpose of filing up the prisons and
occupying the Military Commission.
! confined myself, then, to banishing those who
had been most active, and whom | considered dan
eerous. Some Of these there now are, however who
accuse me ofyiolence and injustice, and who, hay
ing escaped from Spoin, ore now the most active
agents Of agents ofthe United States.
But it was not merely interior complications that
were TO occupy my attention with regard to the eY
pc diiion OF Lopez II is well known fact, that by
reason Of the singular organization Of the govern
TeDt Of the United States, even when that govern
ment may he decidedly anxious to prevent armed
expeditions from the country against friendly ma
tons, il Is nevertheless accustomed to meet with diff
culties Of more or less serious character, which
can IN every case serye as pretext for intentional
forbearance. The Of the first expedition of Lo-
PEI, when member of the cabinet Of Washington
furnished not only money, but belonging 10 the
State in support Of the game is too recent TO be for
gotten, and although the distinguished and honor