The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-29

ought now 10 De IN possession OF the HERALD Sc
cures the interest OF TRUTH even should your cor.
respondent be doomed to eternal silence.
FIRST DAYS OF CAPTIVITY.
Shut Off from communication with my friends for
the first four days my position was far from
assuring. No notice was given me that the tele-
gram OF the Vice Consul had been detained, and the
failure to receive o reply from any quarter In
creased my anxiety to the measures the authori-
ties were prepared to take In my regard Having
yentured to DEFY public opinion by arresting me
there was no longer any security that they would
not 60 farther to justify their first step. 1t
would be diflicult to convey to the minds OF
people accustomed to the public administra-
ton OF justice. and enjoying numberess SAFE
guards against the abuse OF power, even
faint idea OF the mental suffering to which one who
finds himself in the hands Of men practically IRE
sponsiblc may be exposed. All confidence in the
loyalty and chivalry Of Spanish officials had been
evaporated by the treatment to which was sub
1ected at the time OF my arrest and by the
aspect OF the men with whom l had come
into contact. The extreme precautions taken
by the authorities lest should escape also
had the effect OF convincing me that my
case was serious. This conveys but meagre
notion OF my feelings to those who are unac-
quainted with Cuba aud the manner In which a
war of mutual vengeance is waged.
THE CHEAPNEss OF HUMAN LIFE IN CUBA.
Here lie is no more considered than II 1t were
thing OF no value, and under the pretence OF full
filing the law the most revolving severity Is prao-
tised by the bellgerents. 1t Is true that was not
IN any way mixed up with the mutual slaughter
that goes on here increasingly, but the same right
which justified my arrest would easily excuse my
assassination. Once man is dead 1t is easy to
nuo tn inst hto liant Axvha had
seen OF Consular representation left me but little
faith either in its efficacy or It's disnterestedness
Had been shot at the outposts 1t Is
even possible that no one would have
heard Of my death and would have been
registered among the shades after the stereotyped
fashion, "In such q point man 1T to bear arms
was killed by the troops.n That in all probability
would have been the elegy OF your special CORE.
spondent Knowing this, Il is not surprising that
the first days Of my prison life days OF suffer-
ing and Of terrible anxiety. 1t Is theory OF mine
that most men die braveiy when death is inevita-
bic, but the bravest man will shrink from an
obscure and unhonored grave when no principle
is involved in his dying To fall victim to
THE SAVAGE PASSIONS OF BRUTAL SOLDIERS,
with the certainty that ones death will pass unno
ticed and unavenged, is the saddest fate that can
present itself to the imagination OF human being
1t may be thought that these fears were exagger-
ated. All that can say is that those who think so
ought to visit Cuba and mix among all classes, as
/ have done; perhaps they would then find those
Tears very natural. II the public are disappointed
that HERALD correspondent should 'be subject
to fear" 1t is their fault, not mine. When was
sent to this island it was not to be heroic,
but simply to discharge the duties of q
newspaper correspondent, examine into the
social and political state of the coun-
try, and afterwards make as clear q
report on the subject as my poor abilities would
allow. So far as the mission has depended on me
it has been completed, or rather 1t would now
have been completed II the Spanish authorities In
their wisdom had not taken 1t into their heads to
lodge me in this Internal fort, instead Of permit
ing me, like sensible people, to go my way in
peace. In one OF my former letters characterized
this island the country OF crOQ,se- ,attdtnes and
here In my own person s an exceedingly appro-
pirate illustration OF the truth OF that state
ment. In real lie very inoGensive and
unimportant person, by the influence OF the
peculiar Cuban atmosphere my shadow has
been cast in the eye Of authority immense and ter
rible 1t Is reasonable to suppose that the Spansf
government saw some danger in allowing me to ~
ut liberty, or they would not have arrested me
but their calculations certainly very perverse
with ten times the eject in prison that could
being at liberty. However, as the profession OF q
fronde,u, or propaganda. ia not at all to my
taste, prefer abandoning all the advantages Of
political Imprisonment for the solid, II less
brilliant enjoyments of that editorial chair about
whose existence some OF my critics pretend to be
incredulous.
sHoRT-sIGHTED POLICY OF SPANISH OFFICIALS.
Some bodies polite are wise enough to desire
IDENTITY the conversion OF enemies into friends, but
the military O.igarchy that unfortunately for
themselves and for Spain, rule the destinies OF
Cuba, seem determined to force wel-dspesed neu.
trails into position Of hostility. When on my ar
rival in this country, in order to prevent mscon-
ception Of the motives OF my voyage, proessed q
love for old Spain, l stated only what every
one who knows me knows to be true;
but now, when contrary confession
Is decidedly more dangerous than 1t would have
been in the beginning, must say that my opinions
and my feelings have undergone considerable
modification. The more that is seen OF Spanish
government the less one likes 1t. My experience
has been sufficient to dsenchant me OF many alb
surd prepossessions In its favor. Under the pre-
tence OF fulfilling the law since my arrest I have
been mystifed and terrorised in way that, for
the sake Of common humanity, hope would be
civilized.
BRIEF CHANGE IN JAILERs.
On my third day in prison there was an encoun.
ter with the insurgents somewhere In the neigh
borhood. This news was withheld from me by
order, but leaked out bit by Bit My first observa-
ton that something unusual had happened was
founded on the temporary withdrawal OF the
regular soldiers from the tort, which was occupied
for one day by the volunteers. These gentry did
not fail to mark their little friendship for me in
every way in which they dared to manifest their
feelings. 1t was, therefore, with something like
relief that saw myself again under the guardian
ship OF the regular soldiers who, having buried
their dead comrades, came back to town to await
their turn to be slaughtered by the bullet or
wasted by disease. 1t Is impossible not to
feel sympathy for these poor dupes, who
bleed and suffer for the exaggerated ambition OF
others. In the main they are good hearted, simple