The New York herald., 1873-12-14
RiOtOus Dem monstrntions mt Havana
Shall Our Citizens BE PrOtected9

1t will be seen from dispatches published
in another column that the Havana volunteers
have made good in part their threats. The
news Of the surrender Of the Virginius offered
an opportunity for display Of violence which
they could not allow 10 pass. While pretend
ing to be the true friends Of Spain these vfo-
lent mon never hesitate to set the authority OF
the Madrid government at defiance. Their
own good will is with them their only code
OF law. To their sovereign wishes the govern
ments Of America and Spain must bow Such
has been the pretension Of the armed mob that
for five years has ruled the destinies OF Havana.
How cruel and bloodthirsty that armed
moi could be has been more than once sadly
demonstrated The massacre at the Louvre,
and, later on, the shooting to death Of num-
Der Of children, to avenge an imaginary in
suit, have placed the character Of the Havana
volunteers i'll an infamous light before the
civilized world. These acts will remain to oil
time stain on the Spanish character. If we
recall them now it is because symptoms Of
ponular violence similar in character have
again appeared. Nor has this danger OF
popular outbreak been unforeseen. The
Washington governmen. has been repeatedly
warned to take steps for the protection
of our citizens in case of emergency,
and yet nothing has been done. The riot
mentioned in our special dispatches seems to
have been confined to Cubans and Spaniards.
1t resulted in the death of two men, and was,
probably, suppressed before much serious dam
age had been done. The evidence it furnishes
of popular excitement ought, however, not to
be overlooked by the government at Washing
ton. Probably the irritation will grow, and
we have no security that American citizens
may not fall victims to the hatred of blood
thirsty rabble, and yet no steps are taken TO
afford them protection. In the case Of our
regular correspondent threats Of assassination
have been openly made in the Louvre, place
already made famous by cowardly butcheries.
Such threats are, no doubt, idle vapor-
ing, and those who make them may
nave little intention to- carry them
out; but they reveal an unwholesome
sity of some check being put upon the popu-
lace. In view Of the gravity Of the situation
it is clearly the duty of the United States gov
ernment to take prompt steps for the protec-
ton of our citizens. 1t is necessary that etfec-
tive measures shall be taken, because the
Spanish authorities in Havana are wholly
unable to control the mob. And it is the mob
that we fear. Late events have shown that the
authorities even may be sometimes so carried
away by passion as to be led to commit out
RACES against humanity and civilization. We
cannot consent to have the fate of our citizens
depend upon the good iaith or sense of justice
of the men who applaud the Santiago butch
cries. But even were the authorities strong
enough to enforce respect, and worthy of our
confidence, it does not become the dignity of
q great nation to abandon the care OF the
lives and property of its citizens to any
foreign Power.
The Weather-The Late Cheated Term''
and It's General Rains and the RE-
action.
The closing week of November this year.
with its fierce snow storms and freezing winds
throughout our Northern States, it was gen.
orally feared marked the regular beginning
of rough and cruel winter. The Hudson
River above the gate of the Highlands was
frozen over hard and fast, the Albany boats
were drawn off for the season, and FIVE mill
ions worth of flour, wheat, corn, pork &c,
were locked up by the ice in the Erie Canal.
Then came a change, the freezing nor west
winds from the snowy ranges Of the Rocky
Mountains veered 70 the southwest, the south
and the southeast, and from the whole line
Of States on the western bank of the
Mississippi to the Atlantic coast we have
had remarkable season Of warm skies and
abounding rains, replenishing wells, springs,
brooks, lakes and rivers and thoroughly
saturating the thirsty land. This general
and liberal rainfall is worth millions upon
millions to the vital productive forces OF the
country fact which should not be forgotten
by the inhabitants OF this great city while grum-
bling against this dreadful weather and at the
slippery tarlike mud Of our almost impossible
streets, or while denouncing the city auhori-
ties for permitting even Broadway to be
reduced to its present frightfully filthy condi-
ton.
This warm term, we know, with all its
rains Of the last week or two, has been posi-
tive blessing to the many thousands of poor
people in all our great cities short Of
clothing and food. 1t has been good thing
for this city in another respect-that
is, in the reopening not only of
the Hudson to Albany, but of the Erie Canal
for half its length, thus reopening the pas
sage for millions Of produce now on the way
to the city from the interior. On the other
hand, this 'warm spell out West has been
damaging to the pork packers, large quanti-
ties Of their green meat having sour d and
spoiled in the houses, while hundreds Of hogs
on the railway trains have died from the un
seasonable heat en- route from the interior Of