New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-05

Iuno or and hence that she is to be governed
in the Same way as any other province. was IL
really needfu to announce that the Captaln-Genera
having failed for the time in his policy of what the
Cubans call DuciiicadOra or Sweetening, was not
becoming Cubanizedi The same official paper notes
that q poignard was found on man who tried III
vain to see the Captain-General at o'clock III the
evening. But probably Gen. Dulce has not yet been
threatened except by his friends.
To return again to the subject of the massacres,
1t appears that they have inspired the apprehension
that the Government will be moved to retire the
liberal concessions which have just been made TO
Cuba. This is the language Of solitary paper, the
Spectator believe. "Such things" it continues,
have been printed in our papers as no Government
can read with indifference, and these were the In
elements of the scandals OF Vianueya, the mouse Oh
Aldama. and the streets beyond the wallis" have
heard an independentist severely inveigh against
the manner in which the minor presses of the city
have used their new-found liberty A dozen of these
papers start up in week or half week, and 60
down again when tho wind is out of them. Money
is given lavishly to keep up currency OF this knd
Cuba is awake with the swarm of newspapers as she
never was before. But after reading them, ana
talking about them. and examining the tone OF tho
Spanish papers, I cannot perceive what harm they
have done for which men should be matreated In
their persons and shot down like sheep. Not many
of the volunteers who wrought the mischief on the
Prado could begin to read the papers which IT IN
said fred them to do it. Intrnsicaily there was
little or no danger in these papers; they fursheu'
as presses usually do, saving escape ior
tho passions; and it would have been the worse
for Gen. Dulce if he had tried the policy OF repression
as. believe he well understands. The people might
divert themselves and their cause with newspapers
his business was to address himself to overt acts TO
win while they were talking if no could. The mis-
take in the case was not in establishing free press
but in establishing an irresponsible armed mob that
bade defiance to authority if it did not actually in
some instances lead the authorities. have read in
one of the newspapers that the troubles of Vanueva
would not have occurred but for imprudences on
the previous night which ought and might have been
avoided" This seems to hint that the revolutionary
cheers of Thursday night provoked sequel OF delib-
crate revenge which far from the notion the jour
nal quoted wishes to convey. Twas myself at the
Vlanueva theater on the night in question, and can
bear witness to the enthusiasm and hiarty OF the
cheering in answer to the sentiments lof the Good
Negro and to the quiet disgust with which they In
spired very few Spaniards present. The audience
was as respectable as need be seen in point of
appearance, and as on the following nights
was composed of great many young men,
college students. law, students, and others OF the
kind. saw nothing heard nothing for which any
man deserved to suffer wounds OF DEATH The VILLA
nueva Theater is especially Cuban theater and 1t
may be for this that its assailants allowed
themselves so much odds aud margin in the doings of
the fatal night. 1t has not to be vulgarly I'M
derstood in the Spanish provinces that there is any
other way of treating free Speech very free speech
than by giving it the bullet and the bayonet, the
dungeon. You of the North can hardly understand
the force Of tho principle of repression which Concha
and the rest bequeathed to Cuba. The Cubans have
been kept under somewhat like the negroes and
surely ought to appreciate whatever blessing there is
in human slavery plus the bullet But to do the au
thorites of Havana justice, believe that the recent
scandals as the papers rather unappreciativey call
them, were not committed by their order, but indie
pendently of all control.
Now hear what the Cuban side have to say after
the nassacres 1--WE suppose" coolly says La Yerddd,
that Cuba tCU remain this time lost for Spain" This
sentiment is important, the italics are your cores
pondents La Verdad is the confessed leader of the
Liberal party in Cuban journalism, and represented
the most advanced phase of the idea of autonomy.
without ignoring the efforts of those who have fought
for Cuba or being blind to the natural aspirations
of the Cubans for the liberty and selfrule which it
is not believed that Spain will give them. Once
again 1t argues the cause autonomy and liberty,
with Serrano and Dulce for witnesses-one at the
head of Spain the other chief in Cuba 1t will bear
recalling here that in the Information given in 1861
both these men subscribed to the belief that If Cuba
were not conceded her just demands she would have
OCCASION if not reason TO rebel SerTano declared his
fear that the humiliation of the Spanish rule would
so far offend the high spirit of his race-a spirit
(which had not degenerated in the Of Cuba and
Puerto Rico"-that it might carry them into ways
~. ..AI
domination of Spain in America. He recognized
that the complaints of the Cubans were just, their
aspirations legitimate; that no reason existed why
Spaniards like himself and his fellows should have
neither press representation, any part in the
Government. one Of the Constitutional guaran-
ties to which the Pennsuar people have right; that
there is no reason why Government military aud
absolute from the highest to tho lowest grade shall
be the one only regimen of the Antilles that nOo
is precisely the moment for the Government not to
forget" the circumstances. internal and external,
which favor the political reforms demanded with
urgency by the Antillanos, and that those reforms
should be granted uithOut delay All this and
more was written in 1867. What has become
of Serranos nowf Here is what Dulce said then
"The Cubans aspire to be Spaniards because they
understand that the state in which they find them
selves for more than thirty years implies kind of
estrangement or expulsion from the great family to
which they belong Consider now the question of
their rights not only under tho aspect of interest
but Also and principally under that Of dignity for
il is well-known what considerations of this kind
can work in the souls and hearts of Of Spanish
race" What is Dulce's latest utterancei Let us
read his proclamation after the affair at the Villa
nueva Theater:
"HABASERos Last night was committed great scan
DIAL which shall be ehassed with all tho rgor of the