, 1873-05-24
O'KELLY'S REVELATIONS.

republican institutions in Spain after four wears
of open revolt by the Cubans, the situation re-
mains unaltered, really nothing having been
accomplished, no assistance from without has
reached them, nor have the Spaniards uncon-
d~itiOnally liberated the slaves or settled matters
with the creoles. Neither of the latter may
be expected for some time to come conse-
quently the insurgents would act very unwise-
ly if they should repel the hand of forgiveness
aud reconciliation which, it is stated, the Spa
nlsh government will hold out to them.
To be sure, the account Mr.. O'Kelly gives
of his residence in the discretionary district,
aud the condition of things as he found it,
leaves but little hope that the leaders them
selves will evince a desire to accept and lay
down their arms under an unconditional amnes-
ty. In the interviews which that corrospon-
dent had with them they expressed their doubts
as to the Spanish Republic having a long exis-
tence. Spain, they insisted, is a monarchical
country, and a land in which no permanence
of political institutions can be hoped for. If
they were willing in Cuba to-day that the
island on the republican basis should remain an
integral part of the Spanish domain they have
no guarantee that in a month or two they would
not be called upon to acknowledge a Don Carlos
or an Alfonso as King, and while they allow the
favorable opportunity which the present trouble
in Spain offers to pass unemployed, which rend-
ers it impossible for Spain to send anything like
a strong fighting force to Cuba, believe that she
would be capable, as soon as the government is
permanently settled, or in anything like stable
eands, of renewing her tyranny over Cuba.
We doubt, however, that these sentiments,
the natural result of four years Of bloody and
exterminating war, will be acceptable to the
majority of the oreoles, who are so eAcminate
that in the event of Cuba securing her indie
p~endence they would desire that Spain should
stand by them under the old conditions, or others
similar to those under which England abides by
her colonies. They may hate the Spaniards,
but they fear them still more, and thus, if Spain
should be completely crippled or subdued by
the out break at home-not merely unable to
supply more troops, but even withdraw the
present war forces from Cuba and leave the
island to its fatc-these creole8, who of all
South American creoles are the weakest and
most timid, Toald still rcmain as Spanish set
tiers, and no such heroic shaking off of authori-
ty can be looked for from them as was the case
when the other Spanish colonies declared their
independence.
Mr.. O'Kelly seems to have been astonished
that he had seen so few white people in the in
surrectionary districts. The majority of the
soldiers were negroes, having, in many cases,
colored officers, and many of those whites who
were in command were not Cubaus, but D0mi-
means, the whole strength of the revolutionary
forces being estimated at 10000 men. There
seemed to be no absolute lack of money, and
arms, and it is even said that Spanish greed has
gone so far as to let the insurgents have what
ever they want if they are only in a position to
pay for what they order. BY the constant in
flow of negroes the revolutionary ranks are con-
stantly being recruited, and although the insur-
gents in the field, if they are not in an over
poweringly superior force, are regularly slaugh-
tered, still they are able to keep up the move
ment at least by means of their endless stream
of followers, while the Spaniards, unable to re-
cruit after suffering a loss, even if victorious,
are compelled to fall back on the cities or be
beaten.
Even under this condition of things without
foreign aid there is not the slightest chance that
they can obtain possession of even one of the
large cities. Therefore, the most righteous way
out of the present difficulty and to arrive at an
agreement between the creoles and the mother
country is to consent to an independent govern
ment under which the natives and the Spaniards
should have perfect equality, the slaves to be
liberated under the same condition as those of
Porto Rico, and granted an amnesty to all who
have taken part in the revolution. The present
government in Madrid have, doutless, consider
ed such conditions and, as we before remark
ed, and now maintain our belief, that the new
Captain General is clothed with the power to
make such an offer, and in this case we firmly
believe that the majority or the natives will