New-York daily tribune., 1856-02-29
HAVANA.


HAVANA, Mondsy. Feb. II, l-j6.
No one at all acquainted with the peculiar Gov
ernment of this Island will deny that the will OF
the Captain General for the time being is the SUI
preme law Of the land. Examples Of this sweep
ing assertion have not been wanting even during
my residence in this "ever loyal Island of Cuba"
Nevertheless, l am happy to have it in my power
10 inform you that his Castilian Hsughtiness
has received a repulse from source least e1-
pected Iwrote you in my last of the discussion
that had taken place between the DiariO de Ia
Marina and Prensd newspapers as to whether the
Africans or the Asistcs were the better class 10
be introduced into this Island az /" Free Colonsts
That discussion. | find, is not yet closed-the
Prepsa Of the 10Th in-t. containing long winded
article upon the subject, which Ia the most perfect
eXtmplihcation OF the 3" roI d Prefered Hhh
have ever perused. This discussion, have since
discovered, originated in proposition Tor the sd-
mission of forty thousand African apprentices,
which ] understand has been for some little time
before the "Junta de Fomento,' body that has
under its immediate supervision the agricultural
PROSPERITY of the Island. These Africans IL was
propos.d 10 introduce at the expense of the
planters 10 serve as apprentices on the sugar
Estates for eight years-receiylng Tor their labor
the pitiiul sum of 81 % per month. AT the end
Of their term Of apprenticeship, such as survived
il were il WAS stated 10 be carried back to Africa.
This plan, if it did not originate with, received the
sppIol alton of our present CsptainGeneral, aud
his Kitchen Cabinet" The goldgreedy Csta-
lens l. O. Spaniards those dealers in human flesh
who pamper the usts Of igooble and de-
graded race, saw in this splendid opportunity to
Introduce Africans as slaves without incurrlng
any great risk, because If detected, they could
pass off the cargo as intended apprentices; II not,
they would serve to increase the plumbers of those
unhappy victims that now, with fear and trem.
bling toll under the lash Of Spanish oppression aud
crnelty. The hard hearted and merciless planter
favored the scheme aud said: 90 Let US have ap-
preptices" There is no danger of their ever OBJ
tanning their freedom, aud but very few, II any
of them, will ever survive the term OF their ap-
prebticesbip, for "frw can endure more than five
wears of such labor as we will impose upon
"tbem." "Let them come, and we will work
them the harder and thereby husband the
" strength aid life blood of our slaves We
"baye not the slightest interest in their weIl-being,
"aud we will alsays be enabled to replace them
"at less expense than the cost OF slaves.
Such are the very words that have heard ut
tered by men protesting to be Christians Is not
the conduct Of the Junta de FOmento IN dissenting
from the foregoing plan worthy our heartlest com
mendation7 Is there man who can refuse his
ened and humane gentlemen Does England not
see the working of the Emancipado system Has
sbe not Thousands OF examples of the bad faith OF
the Spanish Government and its authorities 10 this
Island in their conduct toward those unhappy
wretcbes who still linger in Slavery, though en-
titled BY all the laws of humanity and justice to
IN. ir untrsmmeled Freedom Can itbe supposed
that an apprentice would have stood Oettef
chance than an emanclPad0
understand from undOubted authority that q
SLAYER has been of the coast OF this Island, and
know that We have all been on the lookout Tor
her. | heard day or two ago, that she had
communicated with her owners, aud had been or
der.d to stand of aid on until favorable oppor'
tunity should present itself to effect a disembark'
alton The last report that has reached me re-
spectiDp her. but 10 which am not inclined to
give credepce. was, that she had landed her cargo
at q place called "Piedras Negras" (' Black
stones"). but in what part OF the Island that To-
cality il stsuted am unable TO state.
There has been some slight show on the part OF
the Island authorities Of a determination TO cap
ture her but fear from the experience OF all the
ps,t. that it will terminate like too many such
cases that have fallen under my notice. Should
the contrary prove to be the case shall g'adiy
make the amende honorable through your columns.
| trust the powers that be" have virtue sufi-
cent 10 resist the paltry bribes, or, perhaps,
should ssy the ktary brbes that will doubtless be
offered TO them; but ! much fear certain officer,
who has Of late been generally charged with such
commissions, may be too easily seduced.
The cause of the attempted assassination OF
Archbishop Claret is generally understood to have
been his having excOmmuncated man because
be had refused 10 marry q -cOlored woman with
whom be cohabited. / have heard it generally
stated recently that Archbishop Claret is what
they call rank Abolitionist" All honor to him
If such be the care, say /.