The New York herald., 1873-08-23

HAVANA, Augubt 10, 1873.
Within che past few days the moro timid portion
Of our citizens thought they were again to be
thrown into the hands OF their bigoted and merct-
less rulers. the neDero coloneIs OF the majority of
the volunteer battalions. These men. in their ex-
treme "patriotism," must have some hobby which
they think will serve their interests, and their last
one is to ride on the Commanding General Of the
Cinc0 Villas, General Portillo, VINO has like valma
seda In times past, promised to become their tool
these oigarchists would elevate him to the POSI-
tton OF Captain General Conspiracy In all quar-
ters has been rife OF late. and the oligarchiss have
hoped for the desired results OF their machinations
However well planned they had the whole
AFFAIR, they reckoned without their host
Captain General Pieltain. who in these critical
times, begins to show the stun he is made or The
widest rumOrs had been circulated to the effect
that the conservatsts, alias ne0reros would,
through their leaders the c0lonels referred to),
impose certain conditions on the Captain General
and II he refused they would depose him in the
same manner they deposed Dulce, and put General
PortO, their idol Of the Cnco Villas, in the ONCE
Of Captain General OF this island, trusting to find
In him ready tool for all their schemes.
PIELTAINS POSITION.
In the meantime Captain General Pieltan well
informed Of what was transpring, had taken pre-
cautionsry measures. Regular troops, upon whom
he could depend In case of need, were quietly
called in from the country and as quietly dstrib.
uted at the different forts surrounding the city,
and other steps were taken to support his own will
effectualy In case OF any hostile demonstration by
the volunteers. Unlike Dulce, with all the power
OF justice and energy, General Pieltain awaited
now 'c0mlng events" which thus had been
casting their dark shadows before them For DAYS
past the conservatst retrograde journals had
thrown out covert threats Of bloody days to come
and generally we were told from day TO day that
'ya gorda" was expected The Voz de Cuba an
nounced that General POrtilo was to arrive In this
city on ''private business" The plan was that
Portillo should ask permission Of the Captain Gen.
eral to visit Havana on private business; that in
consideration OF his exalted 'patriotism" and
other great merits (2) the volunteers would give
him tOrchght serenade, and at the same time
take occasion to make a demonstration against
General Pietain create conflict and depose the
latter after the fashion OF General Dulce, and then
"crown' their favorite, the commander and So
called "pacincator" OF the Cinco villas. But this
plan was trust rated by the Captain General simply
refusing permission for Portillo to come to the
city. warned tn sreto by the republican press.
CHANGE OF BASE.
Another plan was then resorted to. The colOnels
OF the different battalions OF volunteers-with the
exception OF Colonel Jose Partagas and Colonel Soto
mayor-supposed that altogether in bunch they
could gather sufficient courage to present them
selves to the Captain General, now at his Summer
residence in the Quinta de los Monos and there
dictate to him their wishes and demands Wednes-
day was the day appointed. Early In the morning.
dressed as civilians-in their military uniforms
am informed, they would not have been received
they started on their visit and duly presented
themselves Advised beforehand, the Captain
General gave them so frigid reception that it
froze up all their plans. Coldy remarking that he
knew no occasion for the honor Of their visit, he
asked what they wished.
Discouraged or frightened at the austere look OF
General Pieltain, they could only utter words OF ad
herence to him and the government OF Spain. The
Captain General expressed thereat some astonish-
ment that 1t was supposed necessary TO assure him
this, which was but their duty, and dismissed
them. They left and returned to the city, rather
cresrfallen.
without anyone knowing what stimulated them,
ashamed OF their own cowardice, they put their
heads together and resolved to give His Excellency
anot9er call at 2 al and then make the
His Excellency received them the second time in
the same If not more SO, stiff, hard manner, which
Of Havana and the island Of Cuba then stated their
views and made their demands, the exact nature
of which cannot be vouched for for regarding this
part OF the interview there are numberless ver-
sions a10at; but the majority OF the well-nfOrmed
agree that they asked OF the Captain General 10
DidriO VOz de Cuod, CO7std'lctd and OciGt Gazette
to be pubiished-to refuse, the organization
for number OF weeks past 1t had been
openly asserted were being organized ana per-
mission for which had already been granted by His
Excellency. with the sole condition they were to
be oficered by regular army officers. Further
the disembargo OF property should not be pub
hshed Offcially nor carried out, and that no re-
1orms OF any nature were to be put in practice on
this island during the existence OF the insurrec-
tion; in short, from all accounts, they pretended
that the island should be ruled under the guidance
OF the masters" who were to whip their Slaves"
white and black yea kill and exterminate them
at pleasure as in days Of yore.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION
is at the root OF ALL the assertion Of Minister
Zorrilla, to obtain which the slavocrat agent in
Madrid expended large amounts, that no reforms
a single armed nsurgent In Cuba" Is always ex-
utingy referred to by this class OF people, and in
that case 1t would pay them well to keep up the
insurrection and thus retain the stotu quo they
desire.
THE CAPTAIN GENERAL
was not in temper to be trned with. He gave
the Coonels Of volunteers, the richest slave
owners on the island, to understand that ne
he plainly said that ne was not "Ducen Tor
''Sweet'D, and tnat he could not even listen to
any OF their pretensions; that he was the execu.
tive here in representation OF the government OF
Spain, ana would carry out all orders received
from the home % government t9at ud u any any nUisS
energy; that he was fully prepared !or any emer-
gency, and that he was determined to carry out his
own will and not be swayed py theirs in opposition
to orders from the Republic.
The ColoneI-masters had found the last for their
BnOe, anu 6S no ulsCussion was pVssiuie anu Juey
saw it was useless to make threats, they retired
again, crestfaen. The only answer any one OF
them Will give when questioned on the subject Ii,
that the interview was s0tisJdctOrta.
AWAITING THE ISSUE.
Meanwhile the connict, which there is every in
dication must come some day, has been postponed,
and the minds OF the tmid are assured and quieted
to know that the Captain General is frm that
number OF regulars garrison the forts and can be
relied upon for the present to preserve order and
the majority OF Havana Is glad that the ovcrwhem.
ing supremacy OF the volunteer Colones has Ut
last received q check.
PRESS OPINION.
The conservatist press has kept 'rock-jawed" on
the subject. The details OF the foregoing af1air
have not been given by any Journal but the Legati-
dad the captain Generals organ, gives the follow
ing remarkable article yesterday In very large type
which In some manner accounts for the milk in
the cOcoa-nut'':-
During the past few days the city has been kept in