, 1873-11-12

ish rule in the island. Between this nation
al party and the Peninsulars there is a feel
ing of hatred, none the less deep and bitter
because latent and disguised. These creoles
are the children and descendants of Spanish
immigrants, and it is not uncommon to find
the son of thorough Spanish Conservative
in the ranks Of the opposite party to that
Of his father. The movement for the
abolition of slavery promoted by the
motaer country alarmed the Spanish
slaveholding party in the island, and while
they still maintained the cry of Cuba for
the Spaniards, opposed the Madrid Gov
eminent, and refused to carry out, and
even, for some time, to make public the
abolition law passed by the Cortes. The
Spanish and native parties, while hating
zach other, agree in hating the Madrid
Government, and setting it at defiance.
The Madrid Government has now no real
power in Cuba. The volunteer battal-
ions, mainly recruited from, and com
pletely under the influence of, the PENN
sdlars, are the masters of the island.
They care very little for Spain, but very
very much for theis own interests, which
are involved ia the existence of slavery.
The only benz fit of the Madrid Govern
ment in Cuba is to preserve a sembIance
u order and authority which has some
moral effect in keeping the Spanish party
and its creole rival from engaging at once
in a deadly struggle for the possession of
the island. Everybody in Cuba antlci-
pates q /" cataclysm," and everybody is
Fastening to grow rs rich as possible before
the time of dissolution and ruin comes.
Havana is a city without women-there
is no home life, no social charm to temper
the rough passions that spring from the
present disorganiSed state of things A
respectable woman dare not appear unat-
tended in the streets. There is plenty Of
show and speenIour, but no real moral
health. Tn island must be made to yield
as much money as possible before the
ruin comes, and then those who have
ma lie their fortunes will hasten elsewhere
10 enjoy them. Havana is the traders
very paradise. A heavy protective tariff
gives him a reason for selling dear fraud
and smuggling enable him to buy cheap,
oni reap great profits. He makes the
very miseries of the island yield a profit,
for while professedIy loyal he sends
secret supplies to the insurgents. These
insurgents, though small in number, and
always avoiding engagements in the open
field are a source of great trouble to the Co
vernmeut, trouble quite incommensurate
with their avowed strength. There are
no decisive battles, but there is much
cruelty practised by the insurgents on
unohending people. The injurious in
Auence which is exerted by the insur-
gents upon the production of the Island
may be estimated from the fact that, in
the district of Trinidad de Cuba, one of
the oldest settlements 10 the central de-
partment Of the Island, about two-thirds
of the sugar and coffee estates, and graz
ing farms, have been either destroyed or
abandoned. The rural districts of the
Island are very thinly populated, and tho
insurgents have therefore a fine field for
their evil doidgs. Owing to the unsettled
state Of the country, many of the land
owners have emigrated to the United
States, or to Jamaica, to the manifest ad-
vantage of the British Colony. In plea
sure-Ioving Havana Itself the insu ERECTION
is little felt. TIE Madrid Government
has never made a real attempt to crush
the insurgents, but seems to have adopted
a sort of guerilla warfare, in which the
insurgents are more than a match for. the
Spanish troops. AS has been stated
before, the strength of the insurrectlon
Iiaa in tha secret svmDathv with which