The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-17
Curious Facts OF the Late Cuban Conspsrac.<
-Explodsd upon the Slavery Question:.

-Explodsd upon the Slavery Question:.
The mysteries Of the late Cuban conspp. acy,
and of its un,imely explosion, have exc ted "a
great deal" of public curiosity, which. thus far,
has been in no degree satisfied. We believe,
however, that we have at length secured the
leading particulars OF tie organization aud dis
ruption of this projected enterprise, and we
proceed at once, as in duty bound, to lay them
before our numerous and intelligent readers.
The Lopez expedition amounted to nothing,
because they were haphazard adventures, I'M
dertaken without any definite or practical en-
gagements with the creoles Of the island, but
simply upon the vain presumption Of Lopez,
that upon his landing with his flibusters, the
body OF the natives would rally to his standard.
His life was the forfeit Of his temerity, and thus
ended his inglorious career. Not so, no Wever,
with this last Cuban conspiracy. 1t was also
getber different affair. The wealthy creoles
of Cuba were at the bottom Of it; and the
slavery question affords at once the key to the
organization of the plot, to its untimely dis
closure to our government and Gen. Concha,
and to the destruction or dispersion of the
parties in the island and in the United States
involved in the ill-fated coalition.
Under the anti-slavery influences, machina-
lions and emissaries OF the British government
the Cabinet of Spain were induced to send out
General Pezuela as Captain General OF the
sever faithful island" His policy was speedily
manifested to be the West India policy Of
Great Britain-the abolition of slavery, and
the adoption of something as substitute, like
the apprenticeship and Chill Coolie" system
of Jamaica The wealthy slaveholding creole
planters instantly took the alarm. They re-
membered the horrid scenes of the servils
revolt of st. Domingo, the desolation Of the
estates and the bankruptcy Of the planters of
Jamaica from the British emancipation act, and
they had before their eyes the most disgusting
negro dsepotism in neighboring liberated
island. All these consequences of black rebel
lion, general bankruptcy and African despo.
tism were wildly suggested as the probable
results to Cuba, with the abolition of slavery,
as foreshadowed in the administration of Gene
raj Pezuela. The policy of England, and the
policy of Spain in this scheme Of emancipation,
was to render the island absolutely distasteful
and disgusting to the United States, as it would
necessarily become with the abolition of sla-
very. But the leading creoles, consulting their
own safety and their own interests, were not
long in determining upon their alternative.
They accordingly resolved that revolt
against Spain would be safer than to risk the
losses ard hazards of negro emancipation, and
so they began to cast about them for the means
and the time for striking the decisive blow.
The crisis was favorable for immediate ac-
ton. The Espartero revolution was fomentng
in Spain. This would occupy the government
at home There were plenty of Cuban refu-
gees, and disbanded American soldiers of the
Mexican war, and other adventurous spirits, to
be had in tie United States, simply by paying
their way. And SO Pinto, Estrampe1 and others
of the Cuban creoles, set to work systematically
for thorough going revolution. They raised
half million Of money, and transmitted it to
bis country in bills of exchange About one
half of this fund came to New York, and in the
hands of Mr.. Goicouria, treasurer of the Cuban
Junta, it was appropriated to the chartering Of
ships, the purchase of arms and supplies, and
the recruiting of volunteers. The other moiety
of $4,000, for similar objects, was transmitted
to the American wing of the filibustering
league, whose headquarters, under Gen. Quit
man, were at New Orleans.
The general plan Of the campaign was to or
ganize, under experienced officers, an efficient
body Of four thousand volunteers, to arm them
in superior style, and to ship them in small de-
tacbments, from different points along the Anne
rican coast, to some common eligible rendez
vous in the Gulf, whence, in swift steamers,
and with provisions for thirty days on land, and
ammunition for thirty battles, they were to be
thrown in solid mass into the devoted island
Once there, it was expected, and, indeed, def
nitely fixed, that thousands of creoles would To-
stantly join them, and swell their march to
Havana as that Of William of Orange to
London was swelled by the general rising and
acclamations Of the solid yeomanry of England
But
The best laid plans OF mice and men
Gang aft aglee.
And 80 1t was with this Cuban conspiracy.
They had the means-they had the men--they
had the ships; but they failed from that lack of
unity, harmony and discretion through which
so many beautiful projects have fallen 20
pieces. The Cuban Junta in New York, chief.
ly Creole refugees could not exactly agree
with the American detachment of the expedi-
ton at New Orleans. The Junta could not
wait the tardy movements of Gen. Quitman
and his American volunteers; and were ambi-
tious of opening the ball. Hence that unseason-
able preliminary movement Of the Junta for a
descent upon Cuba last summer, which put our
Cabinet and the Spanish authorities at once
upon the qui Uive. A spy was appointed by
the administration to ferret out the plot. He
came to New York-he wormed himself, like a
first rate confidence man." into the secrets #
the Junta- he became member of the Lone
STAR" and, with this card of admission, he pro