The New York herald., 1873-09-25
Q u B a..
SlaVchOlding Interests Assembled in COun>
cil--.Debate on Emancipation.
Class Concession to Spanish Colonial Interests-~-
What Was Said and Done-Genersl
Riquelme Leading Dissent-Exciting
scene-Br tish Note to Madrid
Tumult and Adjournment-Pro-
lection of the Press
HAVANA. Sept. ~, 1878.

HAVANA, Sept. Is 1873
For some weeks past it has been known among.
certain circles that party OF the principal slave
holders OF this district and delegates from other
parts Of the island were TO hold meeting in
Havana for the purpose OF discussing that most
important question, the emancipation OF the slaves,
and to adopt some action in regard to measures
which every indication offered that the govern
ment in Spain was compromised to force upon the
island.
THE ASsENBLAGE
The meeting took place on Tuesday, the 18th
inst, and was numerously attended bv the slave
owners OF this district and others from the Cinco~
Villas and those who had slave interests in differ
ent parts OF the island. The intention was
to discuss the project OF emancipation
presented for their consideration some time ago.
This project your correspondent got hold OF and
reported at length IN his letter Of the Goth Of
August, published in the HERALD on the 9th OF
the same month. The leading idea of that plan.
was that the present slaves were to change their
name but not their status, by being called colo
nsts. and were to serve their present masters for
a term OF ten years longer; their masters were to-
be called patrons and the whole scheme was 10 be
known generally as q benelcent "patronate."
Some eleven articles elaborated the reciprocal obll-
cations OF patron and colOnsts, only to Kill the
whole plan in the twelfth, or additional article
which provided that, as law, it should not
be published lOr compliance and observance IN
the Official gazette until six months after the OIL
eial declaration OF the cessation Of the armed rebel
lion in Cuba. Such was the proposed law dictated
by the oligarchy OF the island for the abolition OF
slavery in Cuba-ludicrously impractcablc and
merely q dodge on the part Of the slaveowners to
preclude the possibility OF the slaves ever being,
manumitted.
THE DEBATE.
To return to the meeting referred to- Don Julian
de Zulueta called 1t to order, and then stated the
necessity Of coming to some determinate action on
this most vital question. plan was then read,
which proposed immediate emancipation and pro.
vided that slaves should take the condition
Of colonsts and serve Tor term OF
per month for every male slave and SO
per month for every female slave, this being in
for the loss they incur by letting them free. This
plan was drawn up by a lawyer OF this city, Perez
ZamOra, who mas slave interests, anu was the fruit.
OF repeated discussion and mature thought.
Scarcely had the reading OF 1t been concluded
@mped to to their feet and General Riauelme, acting
as their spokesman, roundly refused to concur
with the plan proposed. This General Riquelme
was formerly commanding general OF the eastern
de par Cment anu Will be remembered in connection
with MIR. Henderson'si visit to Santiago de Cuba.
The general some years ago married a lady the
Clnco Villas, and through his wife has become the
owner OF numerous slaves and property in that
district, and Is therefore one Of the interested
''ghts'' OF the ngger party.
General Riqueme, In brusque and loud voice
and with appropriate gesture declared that "he
and his associates would die first, before they
should allow the emancipation OF their slaves, and
would only conform to the law OF Moret, July 4,
1SI0"-wnch lrees slaves at the age OF sixty years
and children born of slave mothers since the 17th
OF september, 1s6S-a law which Is generally con-
HereupOn terrible tumut and racket,
every one crying at once, "Order!" "orderE' and
alter the tumult had somewhat subslded Zulueta
spoke again, and declared that for eight years past
he had abOred to dsconcert the plans Oh the aboli
and time, but that AFFAIRS had arrived at such an
extreme that all their present efforts should be
directed to the adoption OF a plan Tor immediate
abolition especially since he had been informed by
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
had sent very urgent note to SPAIN to act In re-
gard to the promised abolition OF slavery" No
wonder that such declaration from the man con-
sidered the arch enemy of abolition and the cham
pion OF slavery the possessOr Of immense wealth,
altogether due to the labor OF slaves and his profit
able specuatOns in their Importation should have
struck the entire meeting with surprise and filed
with dismay his fellow slave owners. Astonished
at his retreat from the principles OF lifetime, j.
owner sprang to his feet, and, confronting Zu-
lueta declared that such proceeding was to exer-
else pressure upon them, and that they would all die
before consenting to grant liberty to their slaves
The tumult broke out alresh and was SO violent
dency OF the Junta. This however he was per-
suaded to retract, for others more moderate in
their views addressed the meeting and succeeded
in calming the excitement, and the upshot OF the
whole affair was an adjournment till the next day.
THE ADJOURNED SESSION.
This session commenced at about one O'Clock In
the afternoon, and did not rise until ten in the
evening, with no nearer approach to the solution
of the difficulty and an adoption of some p!aIs
touching the question than before, and the only
result was an adjournment till the following day.
THE PRESS
of this city have not q word about the meeting,
and concerning the deliberations which must
has learned as yet no details, but will probably
furnish them in his next letter.
PROSECUTION OF THE PRESS.
The morning papers all publish the judgment
Of the Court before winch the Board OF the Treasury
Debt (Zuiueta President) had called Don Ramon
EspnosO de los MOnter0s, the editor and proprietor
OF the Repu6icd ESpudOid, Tor alleged libel having
published Tor three consecutive days In his journal
q SANDER upon the Board 10 the effect that they
opposed the execution of the recent decree of
the Captain General regarding the sale OF con-
fscated property.
AS proofs the plaintiffs filed letter from the
political secretary delylng that the article In ques
ton had received any formal authorization. Es
pinosa declared ne had had no idea Of injurng the
respectable parties who compose the Board, but
asserted that he had duly received official author
to, and that the official the Intendente Crespo~
Quintana) VINO authorized 1T even stated he
might add his initials and required tnat he should
publish in full the names OF the persons comprising
the Board, and Espin0sa presented to the Court
the official authorization. The libel was quashed
and ended with expressions OF good Will ana "eie-
vated'' patriotism on both sides, IL being conceded
by each that the cause OF complaint was altogether
In a Pckwlcklan sense.