New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-03-11
HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.
special to the New Orleans CRESCENT
y


endeavor to trace effects to their causes, and thus
have been led to strive to trace the sad state of
mercantile discredit under which this island at
present so unfortunately labors to its original
cause which believe to be a natural consequence
of the conduct of the late Supreme Authority Of
the island.
Some three or four years ago we were almost
daily entertained with announcements of conspra-
cies having been discovered, intended to over
throw the Government of this island, or of Eek
petitions said to be fitting out in the United
States, to come and capture Cuba and to keep up
semblance of there being something of the
kind intended have it from good authority that
General Concha sent large sums of money to the
United States. Then, indeed, there existed in this
island perfect reign of terror" The most
| respectable citizens were dragged from their beds,
their dwellings ransacked for documentary evil
dence with which to convict them, their persons
| immured in dungeon deep,n and the finale was
their being conveyed to the "Vile Garrotte,n there
to suffer an ignomnious death: Passports were
refused to the of respectable citizens to 60 to
| the United States to receive their education. No
| man dare give expression to the feelings of his
| heart, because he knew not but that his dearest
| friend spy in the employ of the Government,
who would forthwith report what he had said, de-
| nouncng him traitor to the throne of SPAIN
and without further evidence prison and Danish
ment from the loved isle of his birth was sure to
| follow. | remember one morning soon after the
arrest of poor Ramon Pinto who, you know, suf-
| fered by the " Vile Garrotte,' upon making q
morning visit to the ladies of family with whom
was at that time on terms Of intimacy being sur
| priced at finding the house, to use common and
somewhat vulgar phrase 'all SKIES and sevens."
| Being sufficiently intimate to inquire the cause
was told they had been searching to see if an
enemy had deposited in their dwelling any SCRAP of
paper that might serve to convict the master of the
house of disloyalty to Spain. "You know, Senor,'
said the mother of the family, addressing your cor
respondent, g in these sad times one scarcely
| knows who to trust: our very servants born and
nurured beneath our roof, may be bribed to testify
against us-so and my girls have been having
thorough rummage to see if some false friend has
not left behind him or her (for females were also
employed as spies) some paper that might serve to
| get us into difficulty" Verify, that was what
| charming family now reside in the United States
where had the pleasure of seeing them last sum-
| mer The result of all this was to produce a bad
| feeling in the minds of European capitalists.
One alternative presented itself-either the conn
| try was discontinued with the Government, or
there was to be feared sooner or later a general
+" break u or burst up.
A reaction on the part of foreign capitalists be-
gan to take place, and they thought Cuba more or
less like Morocco, or at least like Mexico, where
wealthy men have been ruined in q single day.
An arbitrary imprisonment for mere denounce-
ment of the acts of the Government was the first
step taken in the administration of justice, rendered
still more arbitrary because ordered by the mill
tn7'g authority
The number of Africans introduced into Cuba
during each of the last two years of the admins
ton OF Gen. Concha were more than treble the
number introduced during several previous years
But yet there remained doubts in some quarters as
to the actual condition of the island.
In 1858, when the then Captain General was at
the end Of his term of office, he returned to Spain
but the system he had naugurated remained in full
force.
Can country so situated expect TO possess any
credit in foreign countries That commerce in This
island is reduced to its lowest ebb we know full
well, and though that event may have been hasten
ed by the election OF Mr.. Lincoln to the Presidency
of the United States and the events that have fol-
lowed that election, yet it must have come sooner
later. There is not, fully believe, an old Span
| ish name engaged in the commerce of Cuba, more
| particularly those who rendered aid to General
| Concha, that is not at this time. have reason to
| believe, in state of bankruptcy!
! That race of men have proved, since the wear
| 1857, that they are not as strong as bankers as
| they are as African slave traders. The Spanish
Bank of Havana, although it declares large divi-
/ dends is understood to have lost at least third of
| its capital and being unable to pay said dividends
| in cash, the six millions of g bonosn it has been
| authorized to issue, bearing interest of per
| cent, are, am told, used the only means the
| bank possesses of paying its shareholders their
dividends
The Spanish Bank of Havana, during the three
weeks ending the I'd inst has decreased its line of
discounts to the extent of Sl44 ,574 %. This is
atording aid to struggling commerce with wit
ness.
A short time ago person living in Rastro street,
in this city, had hundred and eleven onzas in his
is suspected, by of his brothers and friend
who lived next door to him.
The baritone Mancnsi, who was sent to the
United States by the Empressario of the Teatro
racon to engage prima donna and a tenore has
returned to this city without having engaged
either.
1t is said he communicated from your CITY by
telegraph with Cplson, who returned him bv the
same means favorable reply. He thereupon
FASTENED to New York and found upon his arrival
there the terms he was authorized to offer did not
suit Madame, and she gave him a decided negative
about her coming to this city, Won't you have
compassion on US and send hither la petite Patti if
it be only for single week. She shall carry away
with her hence goodly share of our golden onzas
Frezzoni is queen of cantatrces here at present.
She created quite turore last week by her
impersonation of Eluira in al Purtani,n an
Ballo in Maschero,'' Verds last opera, is promised
us shortly, and it is understood the te7oye Musian
has been engaged to appear as Nabuc0 and ma
ri1lo Fdle7O.
There has, happily, been rain at Matanzas, and
at Pinar del Rio and its neighborhood. 1t extended
six miles from the latter place and greatly bene-
fitted the growing crops of tobacco, etc.
The weather here has been extremely warm for
the season. On the afternoon of the 9Th inst the
wind shifted to the northward. and there was
smart rain for two or three hours. To-day it is
cool and ba2y.
The Spanish steamer Union has arrived from
Vera Cruz. Her dates are not so late as those of
the Tennessee at your port. The only items of
interest in the published intelligence received by
VI WIS ABOUT 10 be eStab-
shed by the Government. to run along the Mexi-
can coast to San Francisco touching at the chief
Mexican ports on the Pacific.
The British Minister, Mr.. Matthews and Captain
Oldham, of the British ship ot-war Vaorous, had
arrived at the City of Mexico.
Mrs. Miramon arrived here few days SINCE in
the Spanish war steamer Isabel Ia Catolica from
vera Cruz, with two young sons.
She was somewhat disappointed at her husband
net being here to receive Ter, having gone to Car.
denas. He has taken house outside the walls and
It is said they intend to reside here until next New
| Years. when they will goto Spain. He keeps him.
| self very quiet here, and perhaps acts wisely in
| doing so.
| There was fire on the night of the 5th inst, in
| Tenente Rey, corner of Composotela street oppo.
site the Santa Teresa Convent. 1t scared the Door
| nuns out of their wits. The doors of the Convent
| being opened they could not be restrained, aud
| Abbess aud all rushed out into the street. 1t was
some time before they could be ssured and then
only by high authority that their Convent was not
| endangered, when they rGentered it. many of
them for twenty years not having before been out.
| side its jail-like walls.
By the exertions of body of sailors chiefly
| who came from manofwar (Spanish) 10 the har-
hor, with their engine, the fire confined to the
house in which it occurred
We have had visits from the U. S. steamers Wv
and0tte and PoCahontas. both from Vera Cruz
also from the U. s. schooners Tortngas and a. Ap,
pleton, from Key West. The latter saw in this
harbor yesterday. lsnppose they just dropped in
a Ia Paul Pry to if there was a Palmetto -
| or that new and beautiful flag adopted by Louisi
ana. TO be seen in this harhor. DON'T thew wish
they may catch WeAXi q ash en- - and To get a SIM