The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-09

position To be perfectly just the solution to be
found for this difficulty must secure protection for
the immigrant as well az liberty for the slave.
Not that there would be any trouble in accom-
plishng this If the volunteers would Loyalty sup
port the government in giving freedom to the
slaves The trouble is that they will not because Of
the influence over them Of the slave masters, who
are the real rulers OF the island This statement
will give offence to the authorities, fear. but It Is
true; and 1t is that fact which will make 1t the
more unwelcome. One OF the chief obstacles to the
intelligent discussion OF the affairs OF Cuba Is
found In the extreme
s, sENsITIvENEss OF THE AUTHORITIES
to anything that might be suspected OF conveying
even the slightest censure OF the government. In
the letter which the Captain General did me the
honor to. address TO me you have an excellent ex-
ample Of this state Of feeling. In what wrote to
His Excellency there was nothing which 1 would
not have safely stated to the President of the
United States without fear OF giving offence. Nor
was 1t SO much the phraseology of the communica-
ton as the idea of an individual having presumed
to put forth a few logical reasons why the Captain
General should reconsider Q resolution, taken, as
1t appeared to me, without sufficient reflection,
that called forth the assertion OF superiority and
c0ndescension which Is SO unequiv0cally made
in the Captain Generals letter. Such Is the
II any subjects OF Spain would have dared to ad-
dress the authorities In the language Of common
sense Whatever communications are made to
the Captain General are usually in the form Of an
humble petition, and 1t no doubt shocked the nne
sense Of etiquette Of the Spanish officials to receive
letter from simple citizen, politely but firmly
written In the language and spirit OF freeman.
There was certainly on my part no desire to give
0fYence and no one more sincerely regrets than
that 1t was possible for even the most punctllious
to find something to carp at In what wrote.
have no desire to achieve nOtorety at the expense
OF decency and respect for the hospitality extended
to me in foreign country, but at the same time,
VIII not submit without protest to anything
having the air Of discourtesy or insult. What l
asked from the Captain General was simply to be
let Alone and to pass at liberty, according to the
les drotts de geas through the country over which
he commanded. do not pretend to know what he
means by travelling at my own risk, but intend
to find out exactly what the phrase means. The
same hour that sees this letter on It's way will see
me far on
MY JOURNEY TO SANTA CLARA
where shall first visit some OF the estates to note
the operation Of the slave and co0e con-
tract systems, about which intend to somewhat
enlighten the civilized world before proceeding at
'my own risk" to investigate the state Of the in
surrection. The causes that have led to this deva-
ton from my original programme must remain I'M
expressed for the present, but they are sufficient
in my own mind to justify. the few days. delay the
new Investigations will occupy.
Whatever the peculiar phrase in the Captain Gen.
erals letter may mean wish to express to him
publicly, as have charged some OF his friends to
express to him personally my sense Of the polite
ness and courtesy with which he has treated
me. There are differences radical in our
modes Of viewing things that 1t is impossible there
ever could exist more than the sense of mutual
respect between us-the Captain General repre-
senting the extreme pretension OF federal military
ISM and the progressive and Independent spirit
OF republicanism that refuses to acknowledge any
other superiority than that which the intellect con-
fers However unfit for the post, accident has
made me the representative or the conscience Of
civilized humanity, and as such, for good or evil,
shall WELD on the destiny OF this island influ-
ence greater than even Captain General can pre-
tend to; for after all he is but high official who,
1t is true, commands within restricted limits, but
what shall have to say will
SWAY THE MINDS OF MILLIONS,
both in the Old World and the New. comprehend
my position and its Importance, and the very OPP
position have met with here has aroused me to
the necessity Of dscharging my high trust so that
II will be OF benefit to the Of humanity. AS
have before stated, not one werd or line will be
written which will not be based on indisputable
facts, drawn from my own observations or that Of
persons worthy OF all credence, and by this means
hope to lend such an interest IN what may have
to say as Will more than compensate any lack OF
brilliancy or power in my manner OF saying 1t. MY
mind on all the questions is free from prejudice
and confess to love Tor Spain that would rather
incline me to be her partisan than her censor But
though admire her gOries and her heroism do
not love her faults; and wherever fnd any, or
what appears to me to be faults, will lay them
bare unflinchingy. 1t is one Of the misfortunes Of
the system ofgovernment as understood In Spain,
that the subject
MUST ALWAYS ASSUME THAT LIE Is WELL GOVERNED
even when he desires reform. Before everything
authority must be respected. and so abuses grow
old until the people lose patience and attempt to
procure reform by violence. The cause OF this ID
that the officials, or as We would call them, politi
clans, who live and grow rich on money wrung
from the people, look on the masses as an inferior
race OF beings, whose chief use in life Is to pay
taxes and render obedience to those whom they
support. The idea-very generally entertained BY
every man in Amerca-that an oflcial OF govern.
ment is q servant Of the people, would be secuted
by Spanish oficial as an ab0minable political
heresy; and II newspaper man was Independents
enough to write such O sentiment every hair on
the censer's head would stand bolt upright in
blank astonishment and dismay. In such state
Of society, where abuses have freedom to develop,
like mushrooms in the dark. there Is and can be
no healthy public opinion to check them for one
dares to say anything publicly that the oflcial
'rtng' disapproves. But just imagine old Tammany
with the right OF censorship over the press, with
the power to prevent one word or line being
written b a..r oge
EXCEPT WHAT WAS PLEASING TO The "Boss,v
and what hope would there have been for the re-
forms that swept away that corrupt institution
Under the Spanish system 1t would have continued
to flourish until 1t became respectable by time,
because the cant about respecting authority
would have rendered the exposure OF the thieves
impossible. 1t Is well for us that the Tammany