The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-04
O q ID a..
The Emancipation Law n
Dead Letter.
RuMORED LANDING OF GENERAL QuESAOA.



me eamship City OF Merida, Captain Deaken,
nom Vera Cruz October 10, SisM October Is and
Havana October 20, with merchandise and thirty.
nine passengers. arrived AZ this port yesterday.
The Emancipation Inv . Dead Lctter-secree
Orders Against Enforcing It-A Sop TO Pub
lie OpfuIon-The Emancipados-Tbe Desires
and Intentions of tho Pro-SIavery Party
Tho Negotiations for the Sale Of the Island
RumOrcd Lsnding OF Quesada.
HAVANA, Oct 20, 1870.
Your correspondent mere rome time since predicted
that the Spanish government would prove unable
TO abolish slavery In the island, either at by
any gradual system which would at all decrease the
amount Of compulsory labor, already falling far
below the demand. In the face OF this came the
of1clal publication OF the emancipation law OF the
Oortes now familiar to the readers or the HERALD,
and it seemed that In despite OF expectation and
prediction the train had been laid through which
the slaves were ultimately to be made free. This
has proven q delusion and snare, and II has been
already established that the publication OF the law
was but sop TO public opinion throughout the
world that there never was any intention OF Gu
forcing It, and 1t has fallen born, not slave,
whatever his age or condition. having been released
under II. on the contrary Il private circular has
been issued to the Sindicos-an official who has
charge OF the interests OF the slaves-not to free
any under the law, though the fact Of the save
being over sixty years OF age be ever clearly
tabllshed. Some change has taken place in the
status OF the emancipados--those captured from
slave ships and held to service-who are declared
absolutely Tree by the law, but It Is only TO place
them IN practically worse condition than they
were before. They are now placed under q contract
for eight years. very generally to those with whom
heretofore. L m thn
'letter OF nberty,n called, which was heretofore
given Into the possession OF the emancipado, and
which was Of some small protection to him. is now
given to the employer for consideration, enabling
him without difilculty to pursue the old custom OF
substituting an emancipado for slave when one of
All tins is the result OF the power and influence OF
the slavery party, which Il the controlling one IN
the island owing to Its numbers and great wealth,
and the fact that ali the material interests here are
at present centred In the existence Of the nstitu-
no AZ e same me aes ha e me y ns
them and that sooner or later they must yield. AS
definite object they have determined to struggle
Tor the existing state OF AFFAIRS for the period OF ten
years. more than which," as say they, I'VE cannot
expect and after which we are Wiling to let the
thing go BY the boardn Beyond this, however there
y no doubt that some benefit mas accrued TO The
slave over sixty years OF age though ii Is only that
his legal CONDITION OF hberIy VIII prevent his being
Sold since no one win risk the purchase, and slave
cnildren born SINCE The publication OF tho law must
sooner or later be freed. In Havana abe-bodied
the revival Of the rumor that negotiations are
pending between SPAN and the United States for
the sale Of Ouba, coupled with the recent proclana-
tion Of the President against the Cubans, and the
consequent dissolution OF the Junta has caused
much speculation here, ana In this connection
curious statement IL aaoat. AT the time Seior
rumor became current thar he mad come out with a
view TO an arrangement Tor the sale Of The island
him in their usual energetic styie for Z time and
then snddenly ceased. IL now stated that these
journals were notified to make no further ausion
TO Senior Ascarate and his MISSION under heavy
penalty. and hence the silence.
a runor mas been current hero for the past few
OF IT, More than usual activity ls observant among
the insurgents Ia the c:nco Villas. The admins
traitor Oh the cmbargood estate 'tAustrala,n in The
district OF Nicaragua, recently wrote to the authori-
ties here that 100 additional ircops were needed
The Captain General has commuted the sentence
Of Alonzo Meco, recently condemned TO death In
small paper calel FL Ld60rdate in the interest
q the insurgents y being constantly published In
Tie following anonymous circular has been scat
tered about the city here during the past few weeks
spanish Bank. BY order Of the Captain General a
translation Of It appeared yesterday IN the ofcial
Gdzette:
has been br.ed abou, 10 wsin that
H.ysn. &: lately been .t.ssn,sns and Dis
proof the o1Ce Of the Spanish Bank should be very
Be- the
custody the plates which the notea tho
Spanish Bank printed: that, bank
ca these plates were sent this city that they
n here that notes 10 the value Of several millions OF dol
ars have been printed trsm them here and that lately
Ut hyec millions of dollars OF these spurious bills
forwarded By the confidential of General De no
das In this city 70 his address in Havana.
Tho above notice y6u all consular
sosasuss in HavanH In order Y afford you and hsm an
IN Havana, oceIs Of the bank insisting
disprcng Che libel BY the Immediate production and public
exhibition Of the bank plates.
The matter has not been pabsoed by the press here be-
cause suoh would necessarily Illustrate the ends OF
Justice.