The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-16

have been unfortunate enough TO have been captured
in SLAYER on the voyage from Africa to this islaod
Br,tisa , vessel 9, var, Inc captured negroes
Court Of Justice think II il called-tJ be enas-
cpadcs, that H. they to be bound out as appren
tees to respectable parties for term not exceeding
seven years, in order that during that period they
may become possessed Of the Spanish language. un-
der tand the duties of Christianity and learn how to
work so that they may be able to provide for them
selves at the expiration Of their seven years appren
| tceship But, my God, what mockery Of the law
isthe real condition OF an sniancipado' Bought
| originally from the government for the Of seven
ouEces OF gold, $ll9D the only thought Of his new
master is how he can get the most work out OF the
unfortunate apprentice at the least possible expense.
slave is well cared for because he is the property
of his MASTER and bis death would involve loss OF
some 5000 or 500; therefore if the slave falls sick
the best physician is called in, and everything Is
done for HIM that would be done for white member
| of the family; whereas the unhappy e,nancipado
legally belonging to nobody, II unfortunately he
| should be attacked with disease, his condition IL
truly forlorn. No physician is called in for him.
| no. The expense would be too great for negro we
| do not own. Consequently he is efs to himself, to
get well die, and treated with all the indifference
| At the end of seven years It would be supposed
| that the hard apprenticeship Of the en'aac.pado
| was over, and that now he would begin to enjoy
something Of life his master; but it is not
At the expiration of the first years. the govern
| ment tor he time being discover, doubtless with
much regret, that the religious education of the en-
dncirado had been sadly neglected by his first mas
ter, and anxious for the salvation OF the poor fe.
lows soul and in want of money he is reapprenticed
for seven years more, at the same prices and 80 he
will be again at the end of the fourteen years servi
tude Ii the strength of his constitution enables him
to hold out so long against the dreadful hardships
| and privatiOns he is compelled to undergo. Talking
| with friend, some time ago, about the wretched
condition OF the tmanc.pado, in general, he said he
| had woman servant then in the house with hun
| who had been capture by an English cruiser nearly
thirty years ago, broughtnto Havana, declared
| with the lest Of her unfortunate companions, an
| emdncirddo, but notwithstanding which she
then held as slave by certain Senior Musquz,
from whom my friend nired her as sc rvant ut my
request. The poor woman was called in; she said
she was called Escolastica Perez that she was cap
tured many years ago OH board Spanish brig by
little English schooner, which, as well We could
make out, must have been called the Shipjack. She
has two children. boy and glrl Of about twelve
and fourteen years Of age, and my friend declared
she was quite treasure to him, she was 30 kind and
afectonate to his children but also that she Ion ged
for her freedom. She acknO wedged that she was
kindly treated by those whom she now served but
that her previous life had been very miserable, and
she did not know how soon my friend nigh no lon
ger require her services This acquaintance with
EscOlastica occurred sometime ago. / will now tell
you the result Of it. Feeling deeply interested in
the history OF this poor woman who recounted her
little story with an air OF such calm and passive re-
sgnation pointed out to her that she ought to go
and state her to the English consul, who would,
her liberation as british captured emancipqdo.
She promised she would do SO. Business having,
after this, called me to the United States, ESQ.,
lastca aid her troubles were for a tine forgotten,
and upon my return to Cuba the friend with whom
she had been placed at service had left the island.
But accidentally passing near the house Of the Eng
Esh consul, some three weeks ago. saw an immense
crowd near tue door, and poor woman in the hands
Of ruffiaDly Spanish porter, who was beating her
most numerically with heavy bludgeon, whilst the
unhappy creature was scl leaning in the most heart
rendiDg accents for the consul to protect her The
strugg ling victim Escolasti a Unuckily she
had followed my ADVICE but not before they had torn
her two free children because they the children
of an cmancpado) away from her, to send them into
the interior, and then 1t was 1t appears, she pre-
sented herself to the consul, the only person from
whom she could hope to obtain redress and this
being found out by her master, Senior Musquez, the
latter procured q government permit to send this
fnanc,pOdO into the country, where she now Is the
gentle and unhappy Escoastica, working ia chains
as field labOIer on the estate OF Musquiz. The
scene at the door Of the consulate was caused by
Escolastica having slipped from the hands of the
man who had her in charge to ship her of to the
estate. Finding hersek in the neighborhood of the
consuls house, che had made last effort to inter-
est the consul in her unhappy and fororn condition.
If the consul has done his duty. he will have re
ported this poor woman's hard case to the British
government.
This is but one instance of the thousands which
have occurred on this island of their treatment Of
fmanc,podos. The condition Of the emas,ctpados is
thousand times worse than that OF the slaves. 1t
Is slavery without comfort Of any kind-hopeess
In The month Of January last coo Boeal negroes
were landed at Cabsnas, port distant about forty
miles to the westward of Havana. 1t Ia quite noto-
rious here that the vessel came consigned 70 Don
Joaquin Gomez, to whose estate-the San Igna-
Of this cargo figured his ExceIency Don
Antonio PaIejo, the agent here for her
Majesty Queen Christina, who is FORM
ing an estate-to be the largest in Cuba
calculated to produce thirty thousand boxes Of
sugar per annum. The circumstances attending this
Decentralization were very notorious, inasmuch IS
that it took place in licensed port, much frequent
ed, and only forty miles from Havana. All the par
ties concerned received their due amount Of Fees and
no further questions were asked. There have been
several cargoes Of negroes landed in the same neigh
borhood, and in other ports Of the island since that
which took place at Cabanas. But, as understand,
the British fuDctonaries here not unmindful of
their duties-irdeed, the Captain General has re-
peatedly been heard to say that they are most an
noyiDgy vigiant--tbey doubtless will duly have re-
poited all tie cases which came under their notice.
for the particulars Of which would refer you to the
proper department in London. whilst l. in the mean
time, shall content myself by giving you the
particulars Of those dsembarkatons only which
have occurred since your ord,hp expressed
your doubts as "to the propriety of Withdrawing
your charges against his Cuban Excellency until
you heard the result Of the new assurances and
honest intentions"
On the very day that your lordship made the re-
mark above ree1ed to, 500 poor victims were landed
from brigantine ut the port OF Marel, a few miles
distant to the westward Of Havana, and almost in
sight of the Moro Castle. After the negroes were
al safe the estate San Juan, the fees &c, paid,
and it was understood that the vessel was to be
abandoned being totally unfit for another voyage to
Africa, she was thereupon seized by the Spanish au
thorities, who, you may depend upon it, make much
merit Of having captured SLAYER, abandoned by
her crew and curgoD The Lieutenant Governor OF
Narel, Colonel Justz, has since been removed from
his post under the pretence Of lacking vigilance but
dare say his Excellency. when stating this oircum
stance in proof OF his honest intentions, will forget
to add that the Colonel has since been pro
vdcd with a better employment. Nothing more
has resulted in this case.
Nearly about the same time as the last mentioned
AFFAIR upwards Of two hundred and ninety slaves
were landed ct Bailen, town the south coast to
OF Pnar del Rio, from brig, said to have been the
old English brig Baracoa, which got ashore in that
neiehborhood some twelve or fourteen months ago,
ard was purchased by certain Don Ventura Peque.