New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-05
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION.
THE MAsSACRES IN HAVANA.
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IRON OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
HAVANA, Jan. 3O.--The various massacres which
have just been committed in Havana night after
night plead for truthful history. There was q
savage tragedy at the Villanueva Theaer on Friday
night week A sequel as merciless occurred at the
Louvre saloon on the Prado The house near by. Of
the weathest planter the island searched and
sacked. Six other quarters of the city have been
visited with murder at the hands of an armed mob
These bloody aggressons and their circumstances en-
gross all of the excitement which more than ever
prevails in the minds of the outraged Cubans They
define with deadlier sharpness than any familiar
event Of the revolution the hatred daily growing
bitterer between whatever is progressive in them
and whatever is inveterate in the Spaniards. You
must remember that tyrant in Spain was q
worse tyrapt when he served ont an APPRENTICE
ship as Captain-General that liberalism in the
old country is not so liberal in this. Human
slavery may account for this difference; but it ID
certain that the line has been drawn between Cubans
and Spaniards. The former entertain disgust and
distrust of wanton, bigot power of which nothing
kindly can be remembered by Cuban, coupled with
the forced and now inexpressible desire for inde-
pendence and liberty OF the ruling class the Cubans
say that they are incorrigible and unconyertible.
They are growing more stupid every day.
Revolution in Spain is opened out to them
like chapter, but Cuba is inegi-
BILE. They cherish the blind notion of keep
ing Cuba for Spain's sake and Slayery's sake,
and their ideas end in this obstinate necessity.
They defy the revolution and are ready to react FOL
the old monarchy and the old expressions In snort.
it is Boutbonism which, in apparent contempt OF
Dulce and the supposed illusion OF the LiDeral r-
umphs in the old country, now has moral hold Oh
power in Cuba-Bourbonism which, having left bet
ter men, has entered into the lowest of the mob to
run them down hill like the creatures we read of in
Scripture Lersundi left the Island virtually in pos
session of the Bourbons and his legacy to his sue
cessor is contained in the late masSacres do NOS
deny that there is Liberal side to Spanish affairs
on the Island but surely this side could have had no
part certainly no intentional part, in these frghtful
circumstances Now rejecting that stupidity may
be sometimes very cruel, more stupid performance
than that of the Vanueva Theater has not occurred
in these latter days.
During his administration in the isle, Gen. Lersundi
conceived the planOf Oyerawing Havana by means OK
large and irresponsible militia of Spanish Bourbon
lists while he sent his regular troops to the war as
they arrived. These men may not all consider them
selves Bourbonists now, but they were Lersundists
then, which is the same. They volunteered from the
quarters of the town to the extent of several
brigades and when mustered into line presented an
array Of able-bodied men with the hard and study
physique which distinguishes the Spanards from the
| Spanish-Americans. These dangerous men vera
allowed to remain unquartcred, to take their arms
| home, and elsewhere carry them about freely. In
time good part of their officers have come to lose all
but shadow of control over them. During the late
occurrences it is said that they rallied at will some-
times with and sometimes without their officers to
the scene of every ARRAY. They well armed and
uniformed and some estimate them eight thousand
strong at least-a number sufficient to terrorizs
cit Of fha eiz of Havana
In five or ten minutes they could summon
thousands of their fellows to the recent Disturbances
and have everything terribly in their way. For
several days they have as completely domneered the
city as though the Captain-General did not exist;
aud the worst OF it is that the situation cannot be
altogether helped until Spanish troops arrive Tins
say those who know the antecedents of Dnlce, and
think well of the honor of the have at vari-
Gus times heard that threats have been uttered
against the Capain-Generars ownlife by his trouble
some soldiery in suspicion of his unwillingness TO
garrOte some Cubans under arrest. Subordinates
among them have pumply refused orders from
perOr officers, as the late massacres must have at
tested if nothing else. There is disposition to
guess what soldier and Liberal Of Dulce's fair
record can possibly think of the humiliation which
SPAIN now supposed to have been liberallzed, must
somehow have endured IN being committed by its
own sad instruments to the murderous biunders per-
petrated at the theater and about the Prado.
On the light of the 23d the handsome Nillanueya
Theater was crowded in honor of benefit TO sOmo
iaSOrents to use the precise language of the bills
The anonymous and mysterious character of the in-
solvents excited suspicion the part of Spaniards
that they were none other than the Cubans fighting
under Cespedes but for all this the insolyens stand
unrevealed. AS usual when the favorite and rather
revolutionary song of The Good Negro was sung.
uproars of applause and cheers answered the patri
otto interpretations made, according to wont, by its
Cuban singer None of these sentiments favored
SPAIN but all for free Cuba, and accordingly at
the end of the song excitement ran high in cheers for
the liberty and independence of Cuba, and for the
insurgent Cespedes, the papers on both sides va
rousy report 1t has been said that in the hight of
the confusion man mounted seat, and was making
an enthusiastic speech for Cuba when he was shot
down. rs also told that yonng lady wearing upon
her breast tho revolutionary colors of Cuba
was also shot down at this time. But the first
hearsay I do not believe. and the second is
not right in point of time All that strictly know
as to the origin of the massacre that 1t begun on
the outside of the heater in the pause between acts
when Cuban audiences usually leave their seats to
90 out to smoke and promenade. Two papers report
that pisto-shot was fired in the theater stimuli.
taneously with discharge outside. One who was
then in the theatcr informs that such actually
the case and that the first shot was fired by yolun
toer Let this be it may, the papers concur in say
inc that it was the shouting heard liz the drinking
saloons and in the portico of the theater that
brought the volunteer troops To the ground.
Several of tho Spanish papers report what
seems quito likely, that viva Cespedes" was
among the cries uttered by the Cubans then
and there; and another declares that "Muea Es.