The New York herald., 1873-08-05

MANZANILLO July 10, 1873.
CHINO can never be an acceptable agent to es.
Hablish the dominion OF justice. During those
epOchs in which peoples pass through the revolu-
tonary crisis which overturn all elements OF order
tand social morality, whrled away in a current in
which audacity overcomes and overmasters indecis
Non, there are men who rise in the regions OF poll
1ics like birds OF prey, who, mounting into high
Altitudes IN different atmosphere, and, with
minister and deliberate Night search for their gain.
Those reflections come natural to your correspond
,ent when he considers that the elevation from moth
nng into becoming power OF man like Colonel.
NOW Brigadier, Ampudia and his dongs in this city
and district, to be the principal subject of this
letter.
COLONEL JUAN AMPUDIA,
OF DOminquez, arrived at Manzanillo during crti-
cal times and at period when the insurgents
were absolute masters OF the district and har
rassed the Spanish inhabitants OF the towns and
villages. His first care and labors were directed
10 completing the intrenchments and Notifications
of the city; and, well aware that the great OF
natives, countrymen and others in that district
were, the greater part, without and training,
.Nnd consequently could not be expected to per-
form any great feat of war, he allowed affairs in
Hhe country to look after themselves, while in the
city he looked about for any means to put his
speculative IDEAS to some advantage. Games OF
chance, or rather licenses to permit gambling, the
Rnveterate and favOrte vice OF the Spaniard, oc-
Cured to him as a profitable source of income,
and the citizens and soldiers, who were often
called to the trenches and outwOrks repeatedly
and daily by the frequent alarms caused by the
insurgents shoudered their arms to return only
to run against hundred tables
where vice offered its seductive aspect to the
so...er as well as the merchant, to the landowner
as well as the mechanic, and all to the profit OF
Ampudia, who exacted heavy contributions from
the gambling dens for the permits he issued to
them to practise their nefarious craft. How often
must the bright visions OF the mountains OF gold
and the rivers Of shining silver, about which
dreamed the conquerOrs OF the Empire OF Monte
yuma, have noated through ohe mind and before
the eyes OF Ampudia when he saw ana enved the
shower OF Spanish gold which increasingly rolled
and cnked on the green cloths OF his tables. Had
ii not heen for the silver and gold OF Mexico the
diamonds OF Brazil, the emcralds of Peru and the
wealth and slavery OF the Indics, Spain OF to-day
would perhaps still be and retain the glory OF the
Spain OF Charles the Fifth.
vALMAsEDA.
Ampudia had already obtained considerable
yield from this rich vein when General vamaseda
Jegained after forced march of more than sixty
leagues from Puerto Principe the still smoking
ruins Of the town OF Bayamo, which was destroyed
by the insurgents ana its Spanish garrison driven
forth. Immediately Nalmaseda sent column to
ManZanillO to reopen the communication between
fhe two places, which had been interrupted more
than five months General and Colonel having
now come to agreement and understanding,
the troops and salaried volunteer commenced to
take the offensive against the insurgents Of those
districts. The quick and active imagination of
Ampudia did not remain idle nor lose sight of his
money making intentions during this new and
dinicult task. He commenced very active CAM
pagn ana declared and carried war without
quarter to the cattle tribe, always giving the
preference in his attacks TO the horned enemy
rather than 10 the insurgents, VINO at the period
referred to, unharmed and without means to fight,
sought out and sheltered themselves in the most
rugged mountain crags than caring to expose
THIS NEW 'sTRIKEn
OF Ampudia's was much richer than that Of the
Kamng houses, and he plunged into 1t and Its
profits with irenZied ZEAL Large herds OF cattle,
On rapid and incessant succession, were shipped
10y the steamers Cienuegos and Villa Clara along
the south coast. to Santiago de Cuba there he had
chosen and stationed his trusty agents TO person
ate him in the business and received IRON them
Immense sums for the property Of Others which he
disposed OF at Will. number OF officers were re-
commended Tor promotion by HIM on account OF
Their well-fought battles with the-no, not in
Gurgents, but the cattle belonging to peaceful
graziers, VINO dared not make the slightest COM
plant. AZ example, Lieutenant, now Major
Vicente Rios may be cited as owing his rapid ad-
vance N his military career to the famous herds OF
cattle Which he brought into Manzanio, and in
consequence o. whose acts certain civil suit was
instituted. in which his name does not appear to
4.
fled away indefinitely with lot OF musty
papers. But it was necessary at least
TO give an appearance oil honesty 10 this unheard OF
aheit, this brazen robbery, by the semplance of
NOISY deeds, which were to prove OF fatal conse
Huence 10 the future, but acted pompoGs effects
Tor the present and dpr0pos TO their wishes. BY
this acting the Colonel, on one hand, satisfied the
rapacious instincts OF the
..IRRECoNCILABLEs RING"
OF Spanlards who surrounded him, and who hun
gered alter victims TO glut their revengeiul pas
siops, and who i'll reciprocity excused and saw
with certain degree OF pleasure the ruin and
abasement OF a country which they began to see
was forever lost 10 them. From tins state o1 affairs
ySprung crimes OF the most terrible nature. slight
dispute, an old grudge the slightest instigation of
party spirit, and the slightest hnt to OF Ampu-
ydia's satellites and woe to the unlucky being upon
whom fell the dispeasure OF these modern Pr9tors,
dor he soon became food for the birds OF prey IN
some wood, without any other trial than the sim
pie order OF GovernoNAmpudia-
FAT CATTLE WORSE TRAN CRIME
But the greatest OF all crimes was TO be the
more alarm to Abraham than did the growing fat
condition OF cattle TO their owners IN Manzanillo
before the Tantalus thirst for gold OF Coonel-Gov
'ernOr Ampudla. Thus perlshed by the machete's
sharp edge ignorant OF any cause therefor the
,sexagenarians Manuel CodIna, Jaime Santiesteban,
Antonio Roblej0 and Pedro Cespedes Barrcro, be-
cause they owned cattle, ana II was necessary
after satisfying the dastardly exactions OF party
spirit, 70 provide against just and powerful claims
passion OF the Governor TO enrich himself arrive
that, wherever there was single OK, guerilla
company was sent TO bring IL IN and II often hap
pened to be the property of some one OF the per-
sons who surrounded him. But II was fat beeve:
the HesperIdes, SO no one should toucn
It. No tie o friendship, no reason or any
tnducement whatever would oblige him to loose
his prey. which was intended to add another
golden ounce TO his already 0verfowing Golfers,
although on such occasions another victim had to
fbe added to his holocaust. BY following this path
he lost all respect for property and his oncers OF
guerilla and modified vOunteers-such as Vicente
kios Jose M Avila Manuel Reyno, Angel Martin
and others too numerous to mention converted
themselves into commanders OF marauders, VINO
have finished the work OF devastation commenced
by Ampudia.
FIRST CONSEQUENCES.
As natural sequence OF this way OF carrying on
affairs the Cuban ranks to-day NUMBER more than
three or Iour thousand new combatants, when
have been sent them by Ampudia and his disciples
1rom the districts OF BayamO and Manzanillo-vet-
q ran soldiers, who can keep up the war inde1-
hteiy, II they do not indeed soon gam the triumph
winch III now discerned upOn the political horizon