The New York herald., 1873-12-10
NEVER GIVE HER UP, NEVER" !"
Dilemma of Captain Cen
eral .JOvelIar.
Threats Uttered Against the Herald Correspon-
dent-Sketch Of the Cuban Laborantes-The
Sore Point in the American Demands-
Interesting Extracts from the Ha-
vana Papers s-Sentments Il
the Country Casinos.

the excitement produced by the despatch from
CASTELAR, to the Captain General, ordering the sur
render OF the virginus. Time and the telegraph
more or less confined me to mere outline OF the
extraordinary manifestations made on that occa
sion. so. to do justice to the subject must return
TO 1t for little while. An unnatural calm rested
ON the city during the greater part OF last week,
from the 24tn ofNovember to the 2Sth. Strangers
nom America landing here in the interval were
fOrclbly struck by the utter absence of any appar
ent concern in the grave crisis that threatened
Cuba ana absorbed the attention OF 40 O00, 600 OF
people few days. sail removed from us. Here was
the population most Immediately interested in the
issue oil peace war, and 1t natural to look to
1t Tor the exhibition OF
.. SOME DEGREE OF EMOTION
under the circumstances But there was none to
be seen. True, there were plenty Of uniformed
men to be met In the streets; but this has been
The case ever since the breaking out of the Cuban
insurrection, five years ago. The muzzing OF the
press and telegraph was manly responsible FOR
producing this alluring and treacherous calm. To
all intents and purposes Havana took as little In
terest as Timbuctoo in the turmoil that was agi-
tattng the chief cities OF America, and all concern
ing the very tragedy for which this city was
mainly accountable; for here resides the chief
power or the island, the Casino a law unto itself
al times, and as arbitrary and high-handed an In
situtiOn as the old Star Chamber Of England or
the Inquisition Of Spain. time, however, came,
and that was last Friday night when the news could
no longer be kept STILL AS well pretend by
shutting their eyes that there was no hurricane in
the air, while trees, fences and chimney tops were
rattling about their ears as to ignore the stern
summons OF America for retribution to her in
suited nag. 1t burst through
CENsoRsHIPs OF TBLEGRAPH AND PRESS,
Onhf ~
painfully audible within the walls OF the Casino ana
the palace. 1t was the talk OF the city on Satur-
day and it was the main material OF discussion IN
the meetings OF the volunteers on Saturday night.
Feeling against America ran very high; 1t was all
warithr0ugh0ut the night and throughout the next
day. The volunteers were prepared to lay down
their lives, fortunes and sacred what-d'ye-call-it
Tor the insulted flag OF Spain and IN defence OF the
justice OF her position on this question.
THE SPIRIT OF CASTE
IN the Spaniard Is very strong Is his propensity
TO exaggerate the ancient glories OF Spain to the
entire overlooking of her present pitiable asser-
tiOn Of power. always think see in the six tiers
OF seats in the Tacon Theatre the six divisions OF
society on this island The Captain General to the
Spanish eye (pardon the digressonl is or was the
impersonation OF the sovereignty at Madrid. On
the tier where he sits in the theatre all that pre-
sumes to be the creme sit also. Your eye in the
cbestra stalls starts in an upward sweep from
. pale alabaster face in the first tier, as eX-
quisitely aristocratic as any devOtee OF Fifth
avenue could desire, and, passing over the
intermediate shades Of cream, coffee and
copper, finally rests upon the jet black
mp near the roof-that is, the sixth tier. The Oh
ject or this hurried digresston is to state that for
all practical purposes, IN a political sense, the
five tiers Of society above the level of the Captain
Generals box amount to less than row OF pins.
The first tier rules the island; the sixth and LAST
tier ranks in political weight with the cattle But
have left out the auditorium. That is given up
10 the male sex and taxes in all stripes OF society
decently dressed. Your Cuban and Spaniard MN
gle peacefully on this neutral ground. Now all
classes OF people are enrolled in the volunteers;
but 1t is the first tier that composes the famous, or
infamous, Council, as you may be disposed to call
ii, which controls the Captain General and die
tates policy for Cuba to the mother country.
THE FIRST TIER
IN now essentially Spanish-offce holding, tobacco
growing, sugar planting, slave-owning Spanish.
All the grand, fierce gasconade Of Sunday night
was started by the people or the first tier. In
feriors invariably initiate their betters and what
wonder II the caballeros had even the very walters
at the tables OF the Casino struttng in the i'm
aginary garments OF the dead and done for
hidalgOs who, in the ages long gone by, delighted
o fight and iall OF their horses and
smother in their superintendent armor
rather than the mdest insinuation should
be made against the virtuous habits Of their
royal masters or mistresses. The Louvre and
THE CASINO EsPANoL
are the chief points Of rendezvous for the arsto-
cratic volunteers. The young fellows remind one
much OF boys out for q holiday in new suits of
clothes. Some Of the older hands, who are accus.
toned to the thing, pass along with veteran
careiessness Of their gay uniforms; but the fresh
ones never cease admirng themselves and won
<ering whether there are any officers on earth as
martial and beautiful to the eve as they are. sun
day night the thrOng was unusually great. The
streets Of this city are narrow-not more than 20
or rs feet wide-and the sidewalks only two
Jeet; consequently, until you get outside the old
walls OF the town. you feel as II you were in series
Of long aleyways. The Casino is fine building, In
place where all the rest are exteriorly mean.
however magnificent inside. Outside the walls
you win meet crowd not much unlike in dress
and general appearance what you might expect to
see OF summer afternoon at Central Park Garden.
iou can hardly bring yourself TO think that these
POLITE AND HUMANE PEOPLE,
exchanging among themselves all tho gracious
amenities OF civilized society, and peers as they
WIZ quickly tell you, to the cream OF European
VaioT ana chivalry, could countenance and rejoice
over the slaughter OF Santiago.
THE EXCITEMENT OVER THE AMERICAN DEMANDS.
Most people had heard on Sunday night of the
demands OF America, and nothing else was talked
ofin the places where men most do congregate.
~ was a. the Casino Espahol and the Louvre. how
ever, that all the tall talking was done. "surren
der the yirginiusl No, we win die nrst.v The
volunteers were In groups. No mass meetings are
allowed, and, in passing from one to the other.
'Uastelar," washington "ViUo Espaaa ~ "Vira
la fntegriddd national ~ "riud Ia Marina y, &C.
were expressions that indicated the text OF the
debate.
Spaniards are
NOT A DRINKING PEOPLE
at home but the Catalonians Andalusians and
Biscayans that emigrate 20 these islands fall
slightly into the pracuce OF gin and water. Ameri-
cans, as In everything else, go with energy into
tho business, and the consequence In they die Off