Year: 1869

Cuba than the revolutionary movement which


the mob of Spanish volunteers in Havana has


just made in deposing General Dulce from
command and installing his now powerless
successor in the government of the portion of


the island still held by the Spanish troops


This mob is composed of from eight to ten


thousand ignorant Spaniards, who have
migrated to Cuba In pursuit of fortune They
come generally from the lowest class of the


population in Spain, and fill the corner


groceries of the city and country to the exclu-


sion of every other class from the occupations


of the retail trade. Living entirely in their
shops and exercising the closest thrift, they
seldom have married in the country and are


never admitted to any of the circles of Cuban
society. Their sole ambition has been to


gather few thousand dollars with which to
return to Spain, where it requires but small


fortune to constitute great man.


The advent of the revolution menaced the


very existence of their hopes and gave rise
to the bitterest hatred against the Cubans.


This feeling has been fostered by the urf-


wisely bombast course of the government and
press, and the result is that every expected
victory which proves to be an empty success,
or perhaps q defeat, goads them to frenzy
against the officers who have failed to accom-
plish incredible promises or fulfil impossible
hopes. To-day they find their traffic de-
stroyed, their notes given for their stocks in
trade falling due, and themselves on the verge
of bankruptcy aud ruin. Victory is their only
safety, and it must come soon or it will be
worthless to them The march of events has
gradually shown to them that this is fleeing
from their grasp, and the repeated landing of
arms and assistance for the patriots
during the last ten days produced a
feeling of depression among them which cul-
minated in the outbreak of Tuesday and drove
General Dulce from power.


The immediate occasion Of the outbreak
was the return of General Pelaez to Havana.
This officer has been recently in command of
the Villa Clara district, comprising that city
and those of Sagua, Remedies, Trinidad and
Cienfuegos. 1t may be called the quadrilate-
raj of Cuba, and it was on the announced sup
preston of the insurrection within its borders
that the Spanish government few weeks
since based its statement that the revolution
was almost extingushed. So far from this
being the case it has become evident that the
Spanish force holding the position is melting
away, and should the patriots now operating
there be able to take Villa Clara and organize
their forces revolutionary movement in the
Western Department Of the island will become
inevitable. General Pelaezs injudicious an
nouncement of victory has subjected him to
the serious accusation of selling his cause,
now that defeat begins to be apparent. On
his return to Havana he would no doubt have
been murdered by the Spanish mob had he
been taken, and his escape resulted in the de-
position of the Captain General.


ThiDis grave event, and we trust it will
open the eyes of the administration at Wash
ington to the task that is before it. The accu-
sation against their leaders shows the exact
mental calibre of the mob now controlling the
government in Havana, and the deposition of
General Dulce removes the only barrier to the
reign of the widest passion. Thousands of
American lives and millions of American pro-
perty are at stake in Cuba, and our govern
ment cannot too soon make demonstration
which shall afford them some protection. A
powerful fleet should collect in Havana at
once, and public exhibition of our determi-
nation to have our citizens respected should be
made. Such o course will fll our immediate
duty and probably prevent the shedding of
much innocent blood.


But is the government prepared to meet the
great questions which the inexorable march of
events Is forcing upon it? This march is
being accomplished with all the speed natural
to an age in possession Of the steam engine
and electric telegraph. While the Cabinet is
agitated with minor questions between the
Spanish and Peruvian Ministers at Washing
ton Cuba is growing apace and preparing to
place her flag upon the sea as well as on the
land. Let no man doubt that the sister repub-
lies will open their ports to her cruisers and
their prizes, and that a vast combination will
soon be seen to Danish the Spanish flag from its
last hold in the New World. Mexico, Central
America, New Granada and Venezuela have
nothing to fear from Spain; and it was the
possession of Cuba that enabled the Spaniard
to lombard Valparaiso and attack Callao at a
very recent date. Peace with Peru is not yet
made, and will not be made, as every one who
runs may read.


If we had an American statesman at the
helm to-day in Washington we should at once
prepare to take possession of Havana and St.
Johns, Porto Rico. II is coming to this, and
the sooner we define our policy and exert our
power in the interests Of civilization and hu-
manity the better will II be for US, for Spain,
for Cuba and for the world at large. We
doubt the wisdom and the energy Of Mr.. Fish,
He is an elegant gentleman Of the old school,
admirably adapted to manage the nothngncss