Mariposa Democrat., 1857-04-29
CUBA.

We are permitted, says the State Journal,
to make the following extract from private
letter written by gentlemen from this State,
who is now in Cuba for the benefit of his
health The letter is dated Havana, Feb IL F.:
"Havana is an interesting place; not so
much in the physical comforts it furnishes as
the character manners and customs of the peo-
pie, and the institutions and government of the
island I find everything new and strange
around me. Nothing but the whistle Of the
locomotive sounds natural Spanish life and
Creole habits are unlike those of our own peo-
pie as black is from white The Spanard, the
Creole and the Negro-the three principal
races of the island-invent nothing. They can
initiate, and hence the use of the same carri-
ages, agricultural implements, and furniture for
their houses that were used ages ago. | find
few Yankee implements here and there, but
they are received with great deal of caution.
Everything of a mechanical nature on the island
is done by the people from the States but our
Yankees do not seem to do as well here as at
home. They are surrounded with the Spanish
prejudices and jealousy and the climate has a
tendency to render them inactive, both in body
and mind. Let this island come under the pow
er and influence Of our government for ten
years-let its agricultural resources, which are
truly immense, be brought out, and let the
freedom of thought and action Of Republic
be allowed here-and more than all, let reli-
gious freedom be introduced-for a tyranny
worse than can describe, is now exercised by
the Catholic Church upon the people-let such
state of things exist and Cuba would be like
the fabled Phoenix rising from its ashes. 1t
would hardly be recognized by its own inhabi-
tants, so great would be the change.
The government of the island is an abso-
lutte monarchy, subject only to the Queen Of
of Spain. The Captain General makes and re-
peals the laws at his pleasure, and the lives Of
the people are at his control Such govern
ment, when exercised by Spaniard, cannot be
one that will promote the good of the people,
Indeed, the people here are nothing-exceptt to
contribute to the support of the aristocracy
and he is the best Captain General that sQueezes
the most out of the people. Over twenty mil
lions of dollars are annually paid by the people
(over twenty dollars for each man, woman and
child-slaves included) for the support of a
government which is nothing but curse to
them.
" In social life the people have peculiar ideas
and customs. In the upper classes the females
seem to have but little else to do than to whip
the negro now and then, and to dress, and ride
in the volante No lady ever walks out here.
If she wishes to go forty rods to make a call or
a visit, She takes the volante Hence, ladies'
arc seldom seen in the streets; but only at
home, or few of them at mass on Sunday
morning, and on the "Paseo Isabella" and the
"Paseo de Tacon," in their volantes. Unmar-
ried ladies and gentlemen noyer walk or ride
together, or sit in a room alone. The etiquette
Of society here renders it dsreputable. The
unmarried lady who should be seen even riding
in one of the public paseos with a gentleman,
would be at once cast out of the pale of fash
ionable life
g like the dress and general appearance of
the Creole ladies. went to the opera at the
Tacon Theater few evenings ago to see the
style of dress and manner of the best educated
ladies' and gentlemen. have also visited at
the house of a Creole gentleman who has been
in the States with his family His children can
speak some English. Their ease and politeness
of manner-the delicacy and propriety ofdress,
and their numerous proflers to aid me, render
them very pleasant companions. The Cubans
are noted for their politeness-and we con-
stanty see it from the highest to the lowest |
have never seen Creole Calistro Qhe postil-
lion for the volante) that was not naturally po-
lite.
The climate of this island is most agreea-