American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-03

\ SPECIAL. correspondent of the Lon
don Daily Telegraph, writing from San
lander on the 3D. inst, says: " 1t is some
what of relief from the constant mar
ration of the civil war, with its daily-in-
creasing barborities, to be able to divert
ones attention to Il different subject.
The great festival of Santiago, in honor
of Spain's warrior patron Saint James, is
being celebrated throughout the whole
country by religious ceremonies and bull
fights. Santander had another attraction
"a cattle show-but that exceedingly in
teresting exhibition deserved a better
fate than to be deserted for the horrors
of the bull-ring. There is no Disgusting
The fact that the Corrida de Torres is the
ne Plus ultra of delight of every Spaniard
of whatever station, age or sex. So pop
ular was this that the lowest price for
admission was raised to twenty-one
reales -four shillings and sixpence), and
even at that every place was disposed of
on each of the two days of the spectacle,
Saturday and Sunday The amphithea-
ter holds 10000 people, and, like ali other
bull-rings, is open to the sky. If it were
otherwise the heat would be insupporta-
bic. Six bulls were put to death each
day, but so many horses were sacrificed
on Saturday that few were left
for Sunday The espadas, picadores
and banderillos were far from per
feet in the exercise of their pro-
fession-the main object of the
picadores apparently being to thrust
their sorry steeds on the horns of the
bulls, instead of, by their own deXterity,
swerving them from the : impending
danger. Each bull killed three, four or
five horses on the first day. If | dared
to portray few of the repulsive features
of the scene, it would lessen the surprise
felt at the horrors of the war now raging.
The boxes are filed with ladies, many of
whom brought their children, possibly
upon Spanish principles, to harden their
feelings against what they may deem
false sentimentality. The Alcalde, with
his brother municipal officers, presided.
To their credit they would not comply
with the reiterated shouts of the gods
(who were in their more proper sphere,
| the bottom instead of at the top of the
house, for more horses. This was less to
be wondered at after one more than usu-
ally disgusting spectacle of horse
which a bull tossed up and literally dis
emboweled before the eyes of all; the
| poor wretch even then staggered half
way across the arena before it fell dead.
| The bulls in their turn suffered from the
| bungling of espadas; one was to be seen
| rushing wildly about the arena with a
| sword buried up to its hilt in its carcass,
| and it was only when from mere weari-
ness it fell down that it was stabbed be-
tween its horns by a member of the
| troupe, who stealthily approached it
| from behind and gave the coup dc grace
when all other means failed. The whole
company, with hardly an exception,
shaved such signs of timidity and mex
| perIence that the spectators expressed
| their opinions in a most forcible manner
| by liberal showers of bottles, sticks and
other missiles nearest at hand, at each
| fresh specimen of awkwardness. AT
| Madrid, Seville and other large cities
more experienced operators prevent the
| exhibition of such scenes as | witnessed
at Santander; but until Spain's favorite
j amusement ceases to interest her chill
| dren she can never take her place
| amongst civilized nai1ons, who are taught
to look upon cruelty to the brute creation
as crime. One of the first things which
strikes an Englishman on entering the
| country is the want of consideration
| which is everywhere noticeable. Over
lading is the least and most common OF
the cruelties practiced. One can only
| now use the voice of reason, but that is
| of little avail unstrengthened by the
hand of the law. 1t is fervently to be
hoped that the Society for the Proven
ton of Cruelty to Animals will be able
to induce the Government to permit it &c
| extend Its career of usefulness to thi.
neglected people, and, by inducing then
| to be merciful to their beasts, to be mer
| ciiul to their fellow men"