The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-29

aster to the
Foreigners
HAVANA, August %, 1873.
The VOC de Cuoa yesterday took upon itself to set
an immense canard anoat to the effect that Presi
dent Cespedes and his men had made offers OF sur.
render under the conditions Of an unlimited par
don and the return OF their sequestered property.
This invention has found no echo in any OF the
other journals ofthis city nor has the story found
any believers. II such offers had been In reality
made 1t is more likely that La LeoalfdGd the Cap
tain Generals reputed organ, would have had
something to say on the subject. Your correspond
ent mentl0ns the matter on account Of the many
rumOrs without foundation telegraphed to the
press OF the United States and probably this Is the
principal reason that the conservative press occa
sionaiy publish some stirring item TO further their
ends.
REPORTED DEFEAT OF THE sPANIARDs
Since yesterday 1t has been whispered among
Cuban sympathizers that near Santiago de Cuba
Spanish column had suffered tremendous defeat,
losing eighty Killed, macheteados, among them
Brlgader General Burrle, Governor OF Santiago de
Cuba and commanding general OF that district.
can only give you the foregoing as the ,o1orantes
have II. Such news, as matter of course the CEN
sor, who rules the political destnies Of the Inter-
national Ocean Telegraph from Havana, will not
La Republica EspdHola Yesterday denounced the
celebration OF 'subversive" reunions, or Juntas de
persons have been insuted on account Of having
manifested their determination oil standing by the
actual g0vernmenH
Spanish Governors and Their System Of
Provincial sway-Thc Ruler Of the
City OF Manzanillo, His Rule and For.
tune.
MANzANILLO, August 0, 1873.
To continue the sketches of the public characters
which the instruction has brought into promi-
nence. officers who have made names and fortunes
by reason OF the brief authority in which they
are clothed, who otherwise would never have been
heard or your correspondent will take for the sub
ject OF this weeks letter the Governor Of this
city, Colonel Lamela, who has continued the same
line OF conduct adopted by his predecessors in
office, Ampudia and Santalis, but with the advan-
tage OF beng naturally despot and of such cali
bre that he does not even deign to raise his eyes
or nod his head in sign of attention to those who
come to see him on business. Many think he de-
sres TO obtain certain reputation by means of
his ugly face and EVIL manners, he is unable to
win any laurels in the field, Tor IN a recent sortie
he attempted against the insurgents he made a
most lamentable failure
As proof Of the assertion that he is keeping up
the same line Of conduct as his pre- decessors,
tyranny and oppression to the weak and helpless,
he imprisoned on the 80 inst, on mere suspicion
alone, the famous Don Pedro Mesa, and all his
family, even to grandchildren; and Don Gregorio
women
inonensive children. aud who have been crowded
into the snking cells OF the jail OF this city, and
now form part Of that human mass Of misery
pudia What end Is gained by the imprisonment
| on suspicion Of helpless women and children?
| What poor idea Is formed OF that government
| winch occupies itself in Expressing the weak be-
cause 1t finds itself unable to stem the current
| which precipitates 1t to rum.
| Don Felix Leiva, man OF eighty years. was also
| imprisoned because, 1t is said he received wax
from the insurgents and bartered food and clothing
|
| white Leiva, almost blind and feeble enough to be
| carried was led through the streets of this town.
| tied like the most dangerous criminal piteOus
spectacle ofhorror and age, and matreated TO such
| an extreme, on q bare assertion and suspicion OF
Marcus Annius Eurus Dentatos rejected the i'm.
mense sum Of gold with which the Samnite emis-
saries endeavored to buy him on, saying depart
and know that the Romans do not cOvet gold but
dominion over those VINO possess IT," But here
the Is the case and IL Is necessary to rule
those who do not possess dollar; and such Is the
abandoned state OF agriculture that that end Is
'"p'N' "r Tnn EsTArEs AND PLANTATIONS
which were not burned by the Cubans are being
abandoned by their owners, obliged thereto by the
swarm Of guerilla soldiers whose only aim, IN
stead OF protecting property, seems to DO to de-
stroy it, Don silverio Valerie has recently, ON this
| account dismantled his sugar plantation-Only
| about league from the city-and removed there
| from all his cattle and abOrers for IL has been
| DAILY the scene Of depredations by the bands OF
thieves, who lay waste and rob under the CLOAK OF
defenders OF national integrity" Among the
lesser class Of farmers the panic Is the increase
they choose either to go into the insurrectlon
| or take refuge in the towns where they prefer
| to drag out a miserable existence rather than re.
main on their farms, exposed to being arrested
anu maltreated upon the slightest suspicion. In
this manner agricultural production Is exhausted
and consequently sapped-the basis or all other
elements winch constitute the prosperity oil the
country. Will the Spanish government continue
its course, mounted upon SO squalid anag that
when IL fals--which Is not long to be waited for
its rider Will be dashed to piecesY
GOVERNOR LAMELA,
the worthy successor oil Governor Santalis whom
OKely so graphically pictured, mas the intention
to reconstruct the ruined theatre Of this city
(wnlle all the neighborlng farms are being de-
stroyed, and, shame to justice the laborers as
signed to IL are the in0flenslve countrymen who
perhaps uniustly suffer the imprisonment and sem
fences imposed on them y. and by imposing large
fines upon the citizens upon every and any pretext
he obtains the necessary funds for the materials.
Unjust, do you sayf What then? II Colonel La
mela cannot pluck laures by fighting the enemy
he seeks for them in notoriety-that is, in dong
something for his Advancement changing the Pea
body plummet for that OF the mason, although to
do SO he may have to cement his lame with the
sweat oil the poor and money wrung from dire ne
cessity.
Meantime have bsen just informed by person
fresh from the theatre OF operations-but not tue
theatre of which Lamela pretends 10 be the
prompter-that the Bueyclto contra.guerlla had
been dispersed and almost destroyed by an insur-
gent force. 1 shall communicate details further
on. The rumor IS widely circulated around mere
and receives considerable credence, tnas tne voi,
they are at present, intend TO proclaim themselves
the independence OF cuba and secession from
Spain, Judging this measure as the Dest 10 pc
adopted for their interests
The Peninsuars, to a certain degree educated,
residents in this island, foresee as inevlta-
bic the fall Of Spanish domination IN this
last corner of Its ancient empire, and Knowing
the wide divisions which this cruel war, which
has lasted already for five years. has made be-
tween them and the native born, II undoubtedly
enters into their calculations that by proclaim
ing the independence OF Cuba, and thus destroy
ing the sacred cause for which the latter have so
bravely fought, to heal up open wounds and ac-
quire certain rights, natural ana inherent to all
who contribute TO the termination OF u work. But
there is another side to this project Probably
and fearing reforms, the emancipation OF slavery
and a government more In consonance with demo-
cratic IDEAS, these volunteers, forgetting their
weakness and building upon their Strength, pre-.
tend TO separate from their native land and Keep
up the regime to which they are so addicted In this
Island.