New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-22
Sp4NISH RUIEHER-

II will be remembered that when De ROdas
came out from Spain last year as Captain
General of Cuba he brought with him an ex-
ceptional reputation for severity and cruelty
of nature, based on his antecedents as mill
tary officer in the Bourbon service. SO well
was he known for his hard-heartedness that
the announcement Of his appointment caused
wide spread apprehension and terror among the
sympathizers with the Independence party in
Havana, and, in fact, throughout the island of
Cuba. After his arrival in Havana, he took
occasion to refer to the reputation he had ac-
quired in this direction, and attempted to APP
pear pacable by saying that, though he was
rough soldier, he would neither indulge in
harshness nor permit it-denyng at the same
time that he was of blood thirsty disposition,
or that he deserved his name for ferocity.
But during the period of less than year IN
which De Rodas has been in power in Cuba,
he has proved by hundreds of executions ana
volumes of sanguinary evidence that his repu-
taton was well deserved. Those who have
read our correspondence and news from differ
ent parts of Cuba during the last twelvemonth,
and especially within the last few months
must have become fully convinced that there
has not appeared in modern times any execu-
toner more cold -blooded and relentless than
the present Captain General of Cuba. We
do not, of course, refer in any way
to the military operations against Quesada
and Jordan; nor do we allude even to the
slaughter of prisoners of war. But, when we
look at the innumerable helpless victims, ex-
ecuted by the bullet or the garrote, on one
pretext or another, in the smaller places as
well as the larger cities of the island. we are
forced to apply to De Rodas the Infamous title
of Spanish butcher by which another Span
ish soldier (Alva) was designated when he at
tempted to crush another uprising for freedom
Any sort of charge against any Cuban Is now
sufficient to insure his execution. Or course 1t
is death to be accused Of completely or of sym
pathy with the Cuban party; but there have
been countless executions in which not even
loose charges of this kind were made. After
the shooting of Castanon, there were several
murders of innocent Cubans from mere ven
geance; and in cases too numerous to remem-
Der we have seen the hapless Cuban victims
sacrificed from equally mercess motives. We
cannot permit De Rodas to throw the infamous
responsibility for recent proceedings in Cuba
on the Volunteers" If he cannot restrain
the rampant Volunteers, he should not become
their tool he should resign his place and re-
turn to Spain, which he could do with far
more honor than he can remain in Cuba as an
executiOncr. But, with twenty thousand Span
ish regular troops under his command, and the
control of all the Notifications and strongholds
of the island he has the power to restrain the
Volunteers; he has the power to enforce JUS
tice and secure protection for the helpless. 1t
does not suit him to do SO; and therefore he
must be given over to the execration of man
kind, who are crying for the overthrow of the
power of which he is the sanguinary uphOlder.