Year: 1869

Our intelligence by telegraph from Havana
to-day is of grave character. The policy OF
the revolution has been formally announced in
the proclamation of the emancipation Of the
slaves, and the two parties to the contest have
now each distinct character before the world.
The insurgents aim at complete social revo-
luton, and, as a natural result, this policy
places the government in the position not only
of defending the rights Of Spain in Cuba, but
also in that of being the conservative element
of society. II has been the instructive dread
of this result which has restrained the people
of the Western Department from embracing the
revolutionary cause hitherto, and rendered
them indisposed to contribute money for the
purchase Of arms, as complained OF by Generals
Cespedes and Aguilera. These facts mark
the distinctive interests of the people of East
ern and Western Cuba. In the first named
grazing is the leading industry, and slavery Is
less intimately woven with the social fibre. In the
West on the contrary, and particularly in the
large cities and towns, the family support de-
pends largely upon the possession Of one or two
slaves. The institution pervades all classes,
and in immediate emancipation thousands of
families behold only immediate hunger and
ruin 1t must not be forgotten, however, that
the great majority of Cubans are in favor of
the gradual emancipation of the negroes, and
the announcement of the policy of free birth
by the Spanish government few months
since was received in Cuba without word Of
complaint.


The movement at this moment of time is a
critical one for the republicans in Cuba, and
its acceptance or rejection by the people of
the Western Department will depend upon
other issues than the intrinsic merit of the
policy. A people unused to habits of self
reliance and unaccustomed to privations will
naturally be slow, it not entirely averse, to
accept cause which insures only immediate
poverty, however great may be the promise
of profit to future generations. The COM
plants of the republican leaders against the
revolutionary inertia of the West are hardly
calculated to remove it. We have referred to
these complaints before as indicating diver
gence between the two sections Of the island,
and we have seen no evidence that they do
not spring from natural and uncomfortable
causes. A spark, however, may light another
train and decide the success Of the revolution.


An incident which occurred on Thursday
shows the feeling against Spain which exists
among the Cubans. A street ARRAY and
secret burial very nearly involved the city of
Havana in revolutionary movement, which
was only prevented by the prudence of the
new Captain General. This feeling is the
fruit of the unwise traditionary policy of the
Spanish government, which, since the time of
Ferdinand and Isabella, permits no officer to
govern in his native province. This policy
has been nurtured in Cuba until every Office of
any Importance is filed by Spaniard. AS
few Cubans reach position in Spain the natives
Of the island are practically excluded from
interest in the government. We clearly COM
prehend the conflict which exists under this
state of things in the Cuban mind between
material and moral reason. The material
counsels caution, make haste slowly, save the
family, while the moral incites to immediate
war upon the intruder, come what may. Pas
sion, once aroused, will side with the moral
terests. Herein lies the danger to the new
Captain General and the promised concessions
from Spain, and the next advices from Havana
will DO looked for with much interest.