The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-29

correspondence of to-day. A letter which we
publish from we'll informed correspondent in
the Mexican capital gives the finishing touch to
q character which nothing but the last extreme
Of political and social Generalization could
have brought prominently upon the scene.
Various as have been the aspects under which
! the present ruler Of Mexico has appeared to US,
| in the many desperate shifts to which he has
been reduced by his own incapacity and want
of principle, we have seen nothing as yet which
equals in cold blooded inhumanity and atrocity
the villanous part ascribed to him in the con-
| munication to which we refer The statement
of our correspondent amounts to this-that for
the paltry consideration Of $4,000 General
Santa Anna has authorised his former abide
| camp, Col. Jimenez, to proceed to Yucatan to
wage war against the Indians Of that State for
the purpose Of making captives, who are to be
sold at the rate Of fifteen dollars head to
Messrs. Goicuria Il Co., q Spanish firm at Ha-
vana, for term of years. It is needless to
say that the object of this compact is to sup
ply the deficiency of slave labor in the island,
caused by the compliance Of the Spanish gov
eminent with the requirements of Great Britain
and France as to the suppression Of the traffic.
Once introduced into Cuba, under cover Of this
forced apprenticeship, these unfortunate Indians
will be Immediately re-sold to the planters, and
like the Bolzss and Emancipados, will be re-
duced to condition infinitely worse than that
OF the recognized slave. As to the recovery of
their freedom at the end of the stipulated term,
rhov hava 81 Gttln chanco IF II 90 tho m; en- Ilad
free laborers who have either under the appren-
tice ship system voluntarily delivered them
selves into bondage, or been brought within the
operation of the foolish measures by which
twaddliDg philanthropists have endeavored to
mitigate what they call the evils of slavery.
Without entering, however, into the discussion
Of these questions, there can, we think, be but
one opinion as to the cupidity and wickedness
OF this proceeding on the part of the Mexican
Dictator. vespasian once asked if the coia
wrung from an odious tax smelt Of its origin.
We can tell Santa Anna that wealth thus ac-
quired win stink il the nostrils OF humanity.
KossUTH AND OTHER REFUGEEs.-We have
| not filled our columns with the speech recently
| delivered by NJ. Kossuth, at st. Martins Hall,
Long acre, London; partly because other MAJ
tiers of more pressing interest required the
| space, and partly because we see no sound pur-
pose to be gained by disseminating the senti-
| ments ofthe Hungarian exile. 1t is easy enough
for M. Kossuth OF any one else, seated quietly
| by Preside at home, to criticise the move
| ments Of the allies and to argue on paper or
| in speech that they have gone to one place
when they should have gone to another, and
that they have done what they ought not to
have done, and that they have neglected the
things which the interest of Europe and the
! war required them to do. Centuries ago, the
old poet told us that criticism was easy, art
difficult Hence, when man undertakes to
criticise the acts of another he is only entitled
| to hearing on one of two grounds, either be-
cause he say IS things which are obviously true,
or because, the truth of his assertions being
less apparent at first sight, the character of the
| critic invests them with show Of FEASIBILITY.
Now the reasoning of M. Kossuth is not obvi-
ously true. The allies have certainly failed
hitherto at Sebastopol; but on what grounds
are there any reasons for supposing they would
have succeeded better elsewhere! Sir Charles
Napier had fair trial in the Baltic, and came
back without having done any thing. AS to a
descent on Poland, in the first place, it
could not be made without an invasion
of the territories of Prussia, which was
not to be thought of, and secondly,
Russia had, besides garrison of 100000
men or whereabouts in the cities. an army
of 800, 600 men on the watch on the from
| tier. The allies have never been able to
muster over 10000 men what could they
have done against force four times their own
strength, and fighting ON home base, sur
rounded by every munition of war, and receiv-
| ing reinforcements whenever required? M.
Kossuth's criticism is clearly not one of those
where accuracy strikes the mind at first sight.
| Next as to the character of the critic. There
was time, not many years ago, when Louis
Kossuth had chance Of testing his ability as a
general. He was then the leader of large and
powerful nation in arms against an oppressive
| government: he had right on his side. the SYM
pathies of all Europe except Russia, aud a
strong and staunch army. In the ranks of his
enemies we're many who, had the war been con-
Quoted with skill, would have joined the rebel
cause. Vienna was fresh from insurrection,
and Italy only waited blow to be struck to
rise and operate diversion in favor Of Hun.
gary. Yet with all these advantages, this same
Louis Kossuth, who now upbraids England and
the allied generals with what he calls their
blunders, could hardly hold out q few months,
and finally fed from his country into the arms
of the Turks Surely this is not the sort Of
man whose character invests-his criticism with
value, Ifhe knows what should be done 70