New-York tribune., 1874-01-01
OUR RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN CUBA.

PUBbIC SEN IlMENI In CUBA.
VIOLENT LANGUAGE OF THE HAVANA PRESS IN
REGARD TO THE SINKING OF THE vIRGINIus
AND THE LIBERATION or HER PASSENGERS
OPPOSITION TO REFORMS IN THE ISLAND.
HAVANA, Dec. 3l.-The steamship City of Merida
arrived here this morning from New-York. She
reports having experienced storm during the
entire passage The steamship Yazoo, at this port
from Philadelphia also reports having encountered
hurricane on the 25th and 96th of December of the
coast of North Carolina. The Toz de Cuba says:
telegram announces the loss OF the Virginius. We
did not expect anything else from the American Gov
srnment. 1t has acted with the Vrgnus the same as 1t
did with the Florida. In order not TO be compelled TO
return that ste Brazil. Such nobility corre
spends with the OF those who patronizing
Cuban assassns and ncendares in their heroic enter
prise This will exempt them from paying the full
value of the virgniusshe being the prize OF the Tor
nado-nor from giving ample satisfaction and paying
proper damages Spain for the great injury which
America has inflicted in breaking Its treaty stpuia-
tons scandalousy In permitting the enlistment OF
after enlistment being vertised beforehand
in the Journals and in protecting such men when once
ont Of the country with their flag and vessels of war
upon the high and In foreign pors thereby making
themselves the accomplices of assassins and ncen-
diaries II the weakness fckeness OF Castelar, not OF
5pan delivered to them the Vlrginus the bad faith Of
the American Government buried the pirate ship in the
bottom of the sea, as it did the coal barge Upland
at tho mouth of the dry-dock In the Brooklyn
Navy Yard prevent the departure Of the Araplies
which they feared much. With such deeds they will
gain everything except honor and will transmit TO the
pages history that which, instead OF being their
glory will cause their descendants to blush for having
had such usrious ancestors 1t ID useless 10 Try 10
gather pears from elms What Grant, sckles anh the
rest OF the produce has already been fully
demonstrated For the great wrongs or the Spanish
nation terrible atonements are reserved and their hour
will come.
The Dia,io says:
"Punic faith and American Justice will appear closely
united in history enjoying the same unenviaDe ceieo
rity. Punic faith severely condemned by all ancient
peoples; American Justice will merit the name OF inl-
Quity among the moderns."
The Diario, referring to the liberation of the Viz
gnus's prisoners, says:
"The word niamy' rises to lips as applicable 10
the conduct Of the American Government officials
Tho liberation Of these prisoners makes 1t appear
as though they innocent We can only answer
that American justice is iniquy and per6dy. This Is
the judgment which the sgners OF the Washington pro-
tocol reserved This judgment ia bloody farce COM
mitted against Spain before the eyes humanity. When
an American war vessel took Confederate cruiser from
Brazil the act declared violation OF the rights OF
tho latter and the return OF the cruiser
ordered. The Americans sank her TO avoid complying
with the duty Of returning her. We were told that
Spain insisted upon the return OF the Yirg MUS.
Now we learn Of its loss. We believe the
motives Of the United States for its action toward
Spain are the same as toward Brazil. We believe, and
we cannot do less than call the act low fraud The
Madrid Government was fully justified In the demand
for the return OF the steamer and prisoners aud IL s
no their Davoidable duty to demand the delivery OF
the latter their delivery their captors aud full salts
faction for the fraud employed. Weakness made us
arv,p pla m
that BELTS u.s. spaniards in Cuba protest against such
inquitous maneuyers.
In an interview with Captain-Ge Jovellar,
the latter stated that the newspapers give their own
opinions the Government neither inspires nor is
responsible for the articles they print. The Govern
ment acts independently, and according to circlm-
stances 1t does not follow that because the articles
pass the Censor or the rTess, tat thoy reflect the
opinions of Jovellar who denies having seen them
The official report of the operations of the Govern
ment forces during the past two weeks show that 81
insurgents and five Spaniards have been killed in
that time.
The Vo- de Cubd in an editorial in the form of a
letter addressed to Minister Soer says political
forms in the island will lead to it's independence;
therefore all traitors favor and all loyalsts oppose
them; that the rebels did not originate the abolition
movement; that Aldama was the only one of them
who manumtted his slaves, and he only did so four
years after the outbreak of the insurrection, and
when he had given up all hope Of ever regaining
them: that the abolition movement only
originated as a political lever; that Slavery
is necessary for the successful carrying on of the
war that if the question solved to-day in favor
of emancipation it would decrease or entirely stop
agricultural production. from which is derived
the necessary funds for the civil and military
necessities of tho Government that Spain I'D
not prevent the loss of the Island if deprived of these
resources that all enemies of the Spanish cause
inpatient abotionists and that the loyal Spanards
have pettioned theCores to leave slavery and other
reforms untouched until the war is finished.