The New York Herald Newspaper, February 19, 1869, Page 4

SPANISH AND INSURGENT ACCOUNTS, THE COMING REIGN OF TERROR. Expiration of the Amnesty—What Preparations ef General Dulce—Risings in the Western Department=Tho Insurgents Hound Villn Clara=Details of Military Movemonta—Iucreaso of Excitement and | aud volunteers marched to day for Alarm. Havana, Feb. 13, 1889. ‘The amnesty proclamation of General Duide, issaed | Gil, no doubt with a ioe of joining those. on the 12th of January, granted forty days to the in- surgents, in which they could lay down their arms and come wmmder obedience to the government. It consequently expires on tite 2ist inst, “What Is then to happen ?” is now the great question, exciting interest, apprehension and terror, General, speaking of himself, recently remarked, “I am an exireme man, and as | have been so in the matter of conciliation, so will | be in punishment and redress.” It may be safely calculated, both from this statement and his known character, that the severest measures will be inaugurated, and that the garreie, the rope and the bullet wiil make dreadiul havoc among the Cuban patriots un- fortunate enough to come within his power. At the same time the insurgents of this isiand, numbering ps request wa3 thousands of men In arms, will be by no mears slow in retaliation for injuries thus indicted, and will make their pathway one of blood and ruin to Span- fards. ‘The latter, residents of this island, fit repre- ‘Then= | jie reports the rebellion "NeW YORK HERALD,' FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1869.TRIPLE SHEET. ‘a bruige Guardia Civi) had repulsed 200 reveia, Camarones, de and Camanayagua. latier p.ace padre Dained Cienfuegos, and & G J pean panied him, On the estate i tinez Gord Ingut. ie dually eaeaond noe hence shed th | u afterwards a force of 600 men columas, among whi the spanich orig Pluvi A letter spate on His Sanne” The S00) Clara, wi the situation 13 very bad. The insurgents, the Montesguidos of Sagua la C! were bazar, aud were moving from Encrucijida to es 2s iat = 5 gs 3 sib £, S225 ES = 5 E Clara. The alarm in town is very great, thoi far nothing has interrupted the’ tranquiltit, Precautions have been taken to secure the :/ where there are more than @ hundred inmates, Some of the piantutions of Caladazar there have been some cases of cholera.” in ‘The Vox de Casa ot the 11th has @ tetter from V: ‘The Captain | ciara ‘the st Walch saye;—""There re | in to ‘They do not miles from town, on the same: “Mayagua’? pas, Was set on fre, en were mere to a large amount, the iuss affecting ‘The Diario of Santiago, in tts Issue of the 24, men- ttons the arrival ti ola of Vailmaseda’s {c under Colonel Velatoo, w tad T from the foi ers in the insurgent ranks, commanded by an irsh- man, formeriy second machinist on the estate “Monie letter from the city of Cardenas, the 8: L, Barrenqui, Brilish Vice Consul, eames might at iis residence i the country, where he removed on Saturday SHORE OE of the volun- rising, He 13 lodged in military barracks is not allowed communication with the twelve Ppotitical prisoners who preceded nim, He is believed to be wixed in any conspiracy, but is ted solely on suspicion.” ie iarty denies the reported disturbances in ia Honda, A column of troops had gone thither, found all quiet. Letters from Caranatas (Sagua), , report # rising of 300 revels near Quemado cart, loaded with arms, was captured in the dis- t Of Espiritu Santo on Friday iast after a ski with Cue escort, in which une oilicer of the vol- Unteers was Kuled, Tn Trinidad forty or fifty volunteers went over to the insurgents ay soon as the war ery was pro- The conductors and engineer of the train that took the troops from Havana to Batabano on the 8th nage to reach tue latter place twelve hours too EeETEES, 3 5 On | nounced on a neighboring estate. ‘There are @ very large | late for the Cienfucgos steamer. La Voz de Cuba de- Nuuber of tusurgenis in this viciuity, interce; all | mands tinmediate inquiry, The m: r of tt > pone y> xe a9 quiry. anager of the rail. the communica ions e town. The invabitants, however, were determined to resist to the iast, despite the {mpolitic measures without any of the Governor's predecessor, wh cause or notice, had disarmed the of the rebeluon is for sel be not granied immediately, tl petition had been drawa ing for autonomy, and Spaniards and Cuoans; and changed into a demaud by armed ‘The first. intimation of the troubles here through- out the jurisdiction was through comufunication by telegraph. The line to Villa Clara has been cut and the railroad destroyed. An aged and well known planter, named John Di i en independence. A (*) sentatives of their race in the present as in the past, | proprietor of the estate “Capitol,” in the vicmmity of brougi ever dreaded the coming of Dulce. His popularity | 58gua has been arrested with the Cubans was hateful to them; his liberal ideas, which, unlike thelrs, extended to the colonies as well as to the niother country, they openly prophe- | Vuelta Abajo, the garden of Cuba, and com sied would result in the loss of the island. They claimed, also, that a@ stronger hand than his was needed to preserve it. Arrived here, his policy Proved even mone conciliatory than had been antici- pated, as he offered amnesty to every one without exception, This caused the greatest dissatisfaction at hei argod wiih complicity therein. sb Simultaneously with the risings in the jurisdic- the cessation of | Position road, Seior Echevarria, @ native of Venezuela and a very popular gentieman among the Cubans, has been in consequence oi the delay. ‘The Diario contains a letter from Guanajay, the Nia: company of | 1 which states that more than 200 persons—mer- Spanish volunteers that existed there, ‘The Dauner bivrted traders and others—had Ri ent, and teer fo organized a volun- ree twenty days ago, and (hey cannot account for the fact that the necessary armament has not been furnished them by the government. INSURGENT ACCOUNTS. of Giéueral Quesnda’s Force=Num- bers and Resources of the Men—Affairs in Puerto Principe—Prespects and Hopes. Havana, Feb. 13, 1869. Agentleman from the Easiern Department, who has been for a considerable time with the insurgents, tion referred to came news of movements in the | farnishes me with the following:— the most oi the western part of the island. rumors of troub‘es there have reached us frot to time, but the jour Made no mention and nothing « as kuown. Of iate, however, they have been too prominent to be ignored, and La Prensa of tie 10ch gives forth its bitterness toward General Dulce in the following:— “Letters dated Santiago de las Vegas the 8th con- ‘arious among them, and their threats were loud and deep | {7m the perturbed slate of the Vuelta Abajo, evi- ently carrying out the precon plan which not ouly toward the Cubans but the Captain General | uiugnt have been successful in November nad it nov been for fear of the character of General Lersundi, | held the wom@ and children there to prevent an as- us Well. i owever, influenced by the more conserva- tive among them, the time has been allowed thus far to pass without demonstration save of a compara- tively trif_ing character, nor need any be feared until it ts expired. ‘The general sentiment now is, “After the 2ist we shall know whether General Dulce is a Spaniard or not,” and the feeling is to proceed to the utmost ex- tremities against all engaged or suspected of com- plicity in the insurrection. What “extremity” means in the mouths of Spaniards can be gathered from their past history. Many of the lower class of these, without education or judgment, only actuated by a blind malignity, openly state that “if the Captain General does not pursue the proper course we wili make him,” and they threaten indiscrimt- nate s!aughter of all Cubans. As has been before stated, among all classes the determimation is that under no circumstances shail the istand go out from | Seized @ quantity of arms. uuder the dominion of Spain, at least until its utter ruin {8 accomplished, and no one of them hesitates to declare that before it is surrendered to theCubans | With or to the United States its charred surface shall be turned over to the Africans. As the natural result of these feelings and determinations the utmost terror and apprehension are felt among the families here, and a general stampede ix taking place. The passport office is constantly besieged and every steamer and not a few of the sailing vessels going to the United States and elsewhere are crowded with passengers. There can be no doubt, moreover, that the gravest apprehensions are felt among those not given to groundless alarms as to what is to follow the expiration of the amnesty, There are but few regular troop in the city, and the great mass of the volunteers, unaccustomed to discipline, ignorant of he remote effect of their actions and guided only by passion, may, a5 many fear, inaugurate a massacre, Such ts the situation both here ena generally through- out the island, Meanwhile General Dulce is making ali possible preparations for an energetic campaign. Witha view of obtaining the “sinews of war’ he called a moeting atthe Palace on Tuesday evening of the principal planters, merchants and property holders of the city. in bis remarks to them he stated that this was in no sense @ political meeting, but one called to take into consideration a social question of bo om gern on which was based not only the public Bood, but alsg private interests and the future of all housendids, preserve these the govern- ment required aid in the nature of a loan, to ve re- paid soon after the restoration of peace. He in- formed them .that the government was about con: tracting a loan, twenty-iive millions of which would | Proauctive, wealthy, prosperous and happy by our | be applied to the exigencies in Caba, sacrifice made now would be fuliy rep: advance the egtabjighment of peace. he wan » ‘liens. To this those spontieg hh alacriy, offering to raise the sum to ba ‘illions, Other meetings followed, and vari- plans hi Leen submitted, among them one chrough which the capitalists guarantee the ment of a new issve of the amount required by the Spanish bank, redeemable in ten years at five per ent. a ‘Thursday night a spectal meeting of the direct- | we have a right to consider them our enemies. As ‘i Bank toox place, together with the atthe Palace. It was then deter- §,000,000 Taore notes, which are to be ‘sof the Spanis mmittee ban uuined Lo issue No interest or comuisston is to be charged. tte ption is to be effected by the proceeds of the iolluwing iImposts:—Pir: Xport duty of fifty cents fcr every box of sugar; second, export duty of fifty or six cigars and oi iat for every cergo of leaf tobacco; third, five per ¢ mm the amount of all import du- ties; fourth, twenty-five per cent additional tax on property and traue. The sums thus collected will go to the coffers of the bank weekly. if ia understood that the sum of $25,000,000 ts to be madg up in some manner or other, a fair amount of winch. tt 1s {git to presnme, will, as usual, find its by governinen way to Spain and the pockets of the patriots. It claimed that the authortties will yas relieved of their great embarrassments, which, together with the organization of additional volunteers and fresh arrivals of troops, Will result in a speedy restoration of peace. i" risings of the insurgents in Vila Clara, Trini- fueros, a8 mentioned in my last, are a. A lotier from the iatter place, dated the that the namber of people engaged tn the own; but it is supposed that srom organizing, under digerent leaders, ions of Villa Clara and Cienfuegos. moveme in the jurisd One party, says the letter, is said to be near Clego Montero, another at Camanayagua ana a third at No cepredatiogs tad been committed pt the burning of a s:nall bridge on the on t st mentioned place aad Villa ne 6th Clara, Ont he government started 200 troops for Batabano, en route for the scene of disturbance, and on tle sth these were followed by 800 more. * A Cuban named Cavada, inte United States Con- sul at Trinidad, ntly tendered his resignation, and, turning his office over to another, placed him- seif at the head of a body of insurgents in the juris- diction, During the week there have been various stories afloat as to operations in the lucailiies referred to, but nothing determinate. Lt Vor de Cuba of the loth states that official news has been received that the Lientevant Governor of Cieamegos, with a squadron of Volunteers and two companies of regu. jars, had compietely routed the insurgents in Cam- arones, in that jurisdiction, ‘The Diario de ia warina of the same date professes to have news from Cienfuegos to the Sth, contaiming “few detaiis relative to the band of rebela im the district of OCam- ‘The troops and volunteers which had gone out had not encountered any considerable body, but only smail gangs, which were dispersed with some loss, Jt was believed that an extensive conspiracy existed and that Macayue was the raliy- ing point. To frustrate this forces let Matanzas, Cardenas, Colon, Sagua and Villa Clara. which, jomed with those from Clepfuegos and the column gent out from Havana, Woald wake up @ force of irom 5,000 (6 4,000 men, including volnnteers. The Keo te Bepatia, of Matanzas, states that two compantes of regulars have marched out from that He stated that | treachery and perfidy to the pardon which our exces- resent re- | sive over to the Treasurer as tue money is needed | who have declared themselves, as we mode theta and a nalf cents for every 1,000 | walls, the wretches indulged in theological disputes, then Captain General. The insurgents evident eared the inilitary commitments und drum-iieud courts martial, The present has been con- summated in the vicinity of the Cuzco mountains, These are very accessible to the inhabitants, who know those rough hilis, and unrough them can coin- municate with the north coast as far as Baia Hon- da, The belief 13 that many rich Cubans who left for the United States have sent cargoes of war ma- teriais to that vicinity, and that the number of in- surgents in those mountains is very numerous, This occurs when only eleven days are wanted for the amnesty to expire, and we recomuud renewed Vigilance on the part of the authorities, ‘The Marine Department has taken steps to watch the coast.” ‘The same journal in another articie says:—“Alarm- ing news of an insurrection in Havana recently reached the district of Santa Maria de! Rosario, when about 300 Cubans, from the vicinity of Mana- gua, rose and marched toward Guasima, mtrench- themselves on the Pastora estate. ‘The Governor and the civil guard of Calvario, as also those of San Antonio de los Banos, were soon on the spot and The rebels with the exception of afew taken prisoners. As this is but twenty miles trom the capital, we believe that the hig Lot General will take serious steps to finish trailors, Witt the announcement of the arrival of expeditions and the movements in Cien- faegos and other parts are we still to believe in the efficacy of the Riego Hymn?” ia. Prensa also states that in Managua eleven prisons were apprehended on the 6th by the Gov- ernor of Santa Maria del Rosario with @ list of nu- merous adherents, a box of revolvers, a flag and the ribbon of a so-called general, The latver was among be i PUES Killed, La Prensa wight have added. Information has reached here that an engagement recently took place at Paso Keal San Diego, m tne jurisdiction of San Christoval, between tne insnr- gents recently risen, commanded by Garcia Prieto, and the troops under Major Areilla, in which the jatter were defeated and compelled to retreat. ‘Twenty wounded Spaniards had been brought to tuanajay. Prieto was reported to be acting in aid of the landing of Cisneros, formerly editor of Hi Pats, with an expedition of mulattoes. The steamer Colon, from the Vuelta Abajo ports, which arrived at Batabano on the vth, brought six political prisouers, including bon Francisco Hernan- dez, Sedor Vinal and a rural police officer. They are now Ip the Havana ports, Many other prisoners have arrived here from various districts of the West- ern Department. Though the details of these risings, as thus recorded, are necessarily few, they are suf. fictent to Indicate & preconcerted movement all through the Western Department, and have arousea some of the spaaish journals here to an apprecia- tion of the situation, Its manifestation ts various, The Vor de Cuca (Spanish liberal), ieretofore some- what mild and coneil , nits issue Of the sth raves in the foliowing extraordinary manner:— “Salus Popili—Suprema Lex.—The ume for rational discussion is past. Conciliation and compromise are now impossible, Between secpssionists and Span- fards there is no other course than the submission of j the former or dishonor of the latter. The red and | yellow flag shali not mingle with the blue and waite | while one Spanish heart beats in this land, whica our forefathers discovered, conquered, and we mate jabor and our biood. The enemy is at our door; nay worse, 13 among us. He has replied with ingratitude, nerosity conceded him. There is no clemency for the ungrateful nor the traitor. Do they seex the seruggie or ‘oke & War of,extermmation’ They have both. Because to shun the combat any longer would be the most iniquitous of all cowardice. | ‘Om with the mask’ we are told. Verily, vit with | the mask! we fepeat. Oh, Spaniards, Vu, eneaues! | Those who are not with ia are against her, and | ' long a3 We keep united and compact we defy the numbers, the estuteneas and forces of our aniago- nists, We will drive from the whole tsiaud those horry away from Havana. It is necessary for this that we keep absolutely united, and not imitate tie Greeks when Constantinople was threatened vy the followers of Mahomet. instead of running to its We must renounce all discussions about fusions, for- | et the elections, the representation in the Curves and liberty. A dictatorship is necessary, and iu | General Duice we have all the conditions aad quali- | fications to be an excellent dictator. Let him ex- pect ana on the support of ali Spaniards of | these Antilles, as they look to iim for tieir salva. | tion, Let Lim not spare our blood or our interesis; We are disposed to sacrifice ali as long as we are not the sport of tra.tora. In Creafuegos and Espiritu sauto tue rebellion has already reared its hideous front. 1 wiil soon be in Trin. and Villa Clara. Let as all fy to arms and cut che enemy asunder, after we are | #ure Of nov leaving traitors Debind ws to treat our | Let | famiites with their villanous savage instincts. General Dulce make au animated # trotism and le Wil see it resp zens of Havana. Let no one wa justice by their owa hands, whi taking place. The justice of t necessity arise, will ve like upto t orable, For Spain or against hér. ‘Ini 14 the prob) if to solve ft Veneral Dui requires to cover statue of the law with @ veil, let him do it son. | When in Cuba there are none o it will be time to unveil ft, and it will toen appear | more majestically. The safety of Ue people i tie | supreme law, aud we doubt not that the present | Captam General and Supreme Governor of Cuva will thas understand it.” ‘This article ts regarded by natives and foreigners | here as inciting to that massacre of the Cubans, aud, | indeed, of ali not actively in sympathy with spain, which is threatened and feared. | Upon La Prensa, conservative Spans: which, no doubt, regrets the dethronement of pella, ine advance of the insurgents seems to have had qu the contrary effect. its leader of the oh uryes to re- coneailiation. tt admits the existence of many who are disposed to a compromisé, based on self- ment for Cuba, rejecting both annexat United States and tadependence., It says:— . vided this will produce @ peane, h is the puramonnt interest of all, admit the project in goud tune, If the men of the Eastern and Central be- partments will vot listen to reason, let those who desire an autonomy at once deciare against then. Perhaps noching would diseourage the insurgents more than this, to come fearlessty forward and occupy an honoraple position in tae ranks of all loyal Bpaniar * The Diario in its issue of the sth saya:— “We do not intend to underrate the situation nor to mask its dangers. We have raised the flag of civilization against barbarity, as we planted that of nationality against that of independence, that of order against that of anarchy, We will not desert our post; we will not retrace our steps an inch; we will remain firm tn the breach and we will fight until the & of Goa, ine rity to surud, In the jurisdiction of Colon. , "ia. Vos de sOube states dat the insurgent force which appeared in the austrige ot Camarones con- sisted of about 1,000 Cubans, Who Te nea to come from the Eastern Pel aa A eS Lith it published news bos 5 pare 90 ee jollows:—The insur form cam, is the vicinity. juent communications had passed between them and Montave, the recently appoluted Governor, neutral emissaries, in- cluding @ lawyer jares. The insu 2 demanded sell-government tinder a system jar that of Canada. The Governor, wnable to grant any such concession, told them to draw up Mm. 3 iment of ther demands and he would forward it to the Captain General for his action. ‘Their num- bors were increasing considerabiy. iy of the chiets had oot yet appeared. The principal ones keown thus far areCasanove, Jimenes and Piauite, wicked are annihilated or we among the righteous, While we not di further, that Lag oh SE) haya uw. =The ey He | serious, neral apprectates is Getermined to orerootue t ‘or pariah ‘tumnes if — He will spare no Fg y Nf danger will deter him, Spaniards, ol him on entire confidence and we will not re- In view of sue parity ot Se tena ee) have ie Baas raeten aetee maes me five hundred men each are to march at @ moment's notice wherever their ser- | of choosing « \ of mi rising General Quesada, of Puerto Principe, sailed from Nassau with three schooners laden with arms and or nee munitions of war, including eight cannon, and ar- rived afGuanajay last month. He was there wel- comed by 4,000 insurgents, who were’ supplied by him with Spencer rifies. He continued his march to Puerto Principe, besieged since December last, but not attacked for want of arms, and in order to give the families time to leave, and because the Governor ey satilt, as did Colonel Lofioat Tunas. General Quesada marched toward the place with 6,000 men, well armed, leaving 4,000 on the railroad to impede the approach of the troops from Nuevitas. All attempts on the part of the troops at the latrer city to advance have been fruitless, and they have been compelled to fall back with great loss. The Canaguayans now number 10,000 men, well armed and equipped, defending every inch of ground and determined to achieve independence or die in the attempt. There are youths in their ranks only nine years old, with arms tn their hands, and deli- cate young ladies are caring for the wounded and cmocer sr ing brothers, sons and fathers to the struggie. Whenever a Spanish soldier passes he is look upon with contempt and pity. The very atinosphere inspires hatred and abhorrence. the 27th ult. the town of San Miguel was attacked by Colonei Edward Agramonte, at the head of 800 men. The troops were defeated and tied, leaving many arins and. two cannon in the hands of the patriots, wlio masie 200 prisoners. The taking of this town, twelve miles from Nuevitas, is of great importance to the patriots, being on the road by which tue troops have to come on their return" from Bayamo. J General Augusta Arango, who commanded the forces of Las Minas, went at the request of the Com- missioners to confer with the Governor of Nue- vitas, but not being suiliciently authorized by the government he gave Arango 8 safe conducé to pass to Principe and see Governor Mena. On reaching the city he presented himself, p pers: in hand, to the Police Commissary, Don Miguel Tbargarai, who aiready had orders from Mena to Kill him, and when the Commissary and his men toid him to proceed they thrust him through the body as soon a8 he turned Ms back, Not satisiled with this, they entered tue town crying, “Vira espaiia! Tne Chief of ihe Freeboters is dead.” Such are the acts of the *delenders of order,’’ On the ith more than 6,000 patriots appeared be- fore Villa Clara, raising the flag of independence. At this moment tue number has increased to tending over we jurisdiction as faras Sagua. Tne patriots overrun the country; one is found behind every tree, Coiwuel Schmidt, an American citizen, is at the head of one of toe columns of ‘Trinidad, His brotner 1s the United States Vice Consul. We do pot know how many troops may come from Spain. Whatever the number may be they cannot occupy the territory of Cuba; they will die as they dit in St. Domingo; those tnat do not fail by the macheto will be carried off by the vomite, dysentery and cholera, unaccusiomed as they are to the climate, Cubs peeds very little to attaia its independence. Itwaricn coantry in itseif, and ts able to pay in a very short tune for all it may receive, Wita ouly two or three good ships and some arins Cuba can be free and Independent, aud its sons Will be ever gratevul to their American brothers. VENEZUELA. Condition of the Country—Candidates for the Presidency—Character of the Monagas Claimants—Poverty of the Peopie=Droughts and Short Coifee Crop. Ouracoa, W. 1, Jan. 26, 1860, A recent visit to Curacoa and frequent con- versations while in saat city with the best im- forined politicians of Ve have satisfled me that the nominal peace now reigning in that coun- try cannot be of long duration. Venezuela, like the other South American republics, seems doomed to constant turmoil. In Curacoa, indeed, at present, order reign. «i there is liberty and security for life and property, at ieast 60 far as these terms can be understood by South Americans, The p t provisional government appointed last July Is composed of able, and for the most part of conscientiow’ inen, but tg lacks force to execute fis a and bas hardly prestige enough to com- at lea but a mand re in ts naty eof Caraccas, Being ounel!, it is powerless to restrain the ambittons of the factious demagogues, eay! obtaum thé spotis of govern- When General Jos Tadeo Monagas was lected President October, it was hoped, and with some t is strength of character and Dis name, as the anion of Molivar, would tend to elevate the » went and secure the fraits of | the revolution which he had just brought to a sue- cessfal termination. Rut bis death, just a month after iis election, frustrated these hopes. The daty devolves ou stant, bul Up bo the 2ovh its sessions wel for waat of @ quorum, and r of Designado that the strife the two principal aspirancs being 1 a nephew of the Inte geueral. Dow Bix ye Mia s, his son, 18 & young man twenty. ni holds the post of Re ts not a young man ‘ation, but evidently of considerable ambition. Until ntly he was & favorite with a8, expecially of the younger mea; but of jate his complication with the insurrec tionary doings of Venancio Pulgar, the newly pro- claimed ruler of Maracaibo, has tended to disninian his populart ‘The desertion, also, recentiy of & general with 599 men from quarters next door to Domingo’s hor hins cast un snaytcrons on his acegrity, Raperio Monages, a nephew of the late feneral, Is now Generalin-Chtef of the army, aad & ch ability or even of greater 1d older than his cousin. He nee & large, the largest, party in hua favor, and ti rmined to have the Presi- \ a quested to come to the | capital be reinarned yn anattitude of defiance with his | army, somewhere in the neignborhood of Valencia. | He ts said to have about 4.000 men under his com- inand. These ure the two principal candidates, but there are many others, in fact the number of petty parcial is Almost countess, of whom each has hit party ¥ to proclaim him President, Designado, ) OF Dictator, aa he may desire, ree ) | , Thos, it wilt be seen, there is but litte hope of rinapent tranquillity in Veoes * mat Beaurirat country would neem d feotined: toy team i be the avode of ‘felicity the ¥ ar te ten ae | Sad condition. ‘The jasi revointion mitcted im Inense misery, especially in Ouraccas; then followed sicknes#; typhus and yorito have prevailed exten sively during the past few months, and now there is ® og of the ar rains, cunaing dearth of coffea and cocoa, and consequent incre: poverty ai antrema ane of sicknesa, rega! local news there is ¥ municate. ‘The St. Thomas packet ‘teumer betrolln as you doubtless know, was wreaked last month on pets Tog Laguayra, oft Loa nen. Wi ex] ing Another steamer to replace her, in Bur by & wealthy and enterprising of this taland, Mr, A. 5. Jesuran, Weg eomemma visited regularly hereaiter by the ach steamers of the Martinique and St. Nazaire ihe, The French corvette 1) Kstrees is now in last from St. Martha. She sails to-day for La; Te, The th of the isiand i# good, bat there is mach com 6 of scarcity of rain. ‘ ie LUDLOW STREET JAlL. Can Shoriff O’Brien Keep a Hotel and Does Het—Description of Ladiow Street Jail from a “Hotel Point of View—The Differ- ent Classes of Boarders and Their Fare and Pay, and Other Facts of [nterest. Dickens, whose proclivity for.delving into the mysteries of’prison life led bim to hinge the princi- pat incidents of one of his novels upon facts con- nected with the famous Marshalsea debtors’ prison of the English capital, might, with his remarkable genus for evolving curious facts, and capacity of thrilimg narration, “a tale unfold” regarding the Ludlow street jail of equally absorbing inter- est, All the emotional passions of life perpetually pulsate within these prison walls. Love, hate and revenge here concentrate, here orood and in long sufferance grow strong. There is no doubt of cruel injustice, of long and weary imprisonment upon un- justifiable ground, of relentless persecution of the honest but helpless debtor at the hands of the stronger and unscrupulous creditor, of great bodily suffering in consequence, of keener anguish of mind chafing under constraint of liberty,“and of terribie torture and positive suffering inflicted’ ypon the families of the unfortunate victims of tite debtors? jaw. Of course many of the inmates have been guilty of gross frauds, and, for their clear and posi- tively proven attempts to swindle their honest cted- itors, deserve the punishment inflicted on them. It is not our present purpese, however, to go into an inquisition as to the propriety of the law by which assumed fraudwent debtors are thus cast into prison and deprived of their Uberty, or to show off the stirring passions of ro- Mance and tragedy engendered and fostered under the influence of this special prison life, but simply to reeord the treatment the prisoners receive. In general terms the treatment, we are happy to state, is not of such a terribly heinous character os bas occasionally been reported, and py many is believed. while aye some things to condemn there ate many things Worthy of commendation, We propose to write of it wholly in the justitia flat style, in other words, to write the facts as they are, aud leave the public to draw their own interences. LOCALITY OF LUDLOW STREBT JAIL, Thousands live in New York who know nothing whatever of Ludl street Jail. It would puzzle very many who Nave heard of the institution to know where to find it, and the most of them wouid be unabie to give an intelligible idea of the classes and character of the inmates. For the | perrtanat enlightenment of unknowing ones we will state that the jail is located in the street after which it takes ita name. Formerly it was known as the Eldridge street Jail, whicn was while it was in the latter street. ‘Seven years the old building having be- come too dilapk age and long use to be further employed 2s a jail, and also being too small for the rapid increase in the number of in- mates, was abandoned and the present structure built. Its site is in Ludlow street, vis-a-vis—an alley-way being intermediate—to Essex Market, and directly in rear of the Essex Market Police Court. It is rather a stately four story brick structure, with nothing special in its exterior to indicate the pur- Se for which it was erected and is used except the avy network of iron bers, arranged in diamond pattern, fronting its large windows. The let is ifty feet on Ludiow street, with a depth of 100 feet. It is well and substantially built and contains ‘all the modern improvements of oar most approved prisons—that Is to say, bars difficult to sunder, ceils made secure by massive iron doors and bolts, and a héight of wall none bat a Romeo, frenzied with the passion of Jove, can scale. The inmates are of two classes, civil’and criminal, the first comprising al- leged fraudulent debtors and the second those charged with passing counterfeit thoney and crimes onthe bigh seas. The former class are Known a3 county prisoners and the latter as United Siates prisoners. PLEASANT PRELIMINARY PROBPECT. An tntimation that if a HeRaLp re) 1” ventured to obtrude his bodily presence within the precincts of this jail he would see evidenced a sudden rise in leather was not a peculiarly pieasing ereprid rospect a3, jay, With orders to visat the = proceeded to ly with the order. Certain re- cent strictures on if O'Briea, the head-and front of the iustitntion, ring inthe HERALD, had led ppeal to this intimation. This pleasing prelinnary inti- mation, we are happy to say, however, was not car- ried out, or rather, We should state, was not attempt ed, for truth compels us to assert that with our heaviest shoes on we stood ready, if circumstances competied it, to give Our whole sole to our defense. On the contrary, We Were received with special, if not marked polsteness, “f have come,” i remarked to tife official answer- ing the door bell, “trom the H&RALD to look through the jail, if there is no objection.” “You are @ reporter,” continued this official in- terrogatively. . “Yes, sh,’ “OF the HERALD, | understood you te say.”? “1 have that honor,” “Well, sir, Idid say that T would kick che first re- porter that showed himself here, but-——" “Bat what?” “It's the editors that do the lying after all afd not the reporters, aud they do- he feariuily;’ and he went on to instance a recent editorial in the HewaLp in which Sheri? O’Brien was declared to say one thing in one Ine of a letter he wrote, and to say ex- acily the reverse inthe next line. He added that special deputy serifs had no ©) of prisoners until received in prison after con) ion. “But that is neituer here nor there,” J interrupted. “Can [look through the jail? “Certainiy,” he auswered, “there ia nothing here to couceal. Youcan talk with auyo the inmates you please, and wrile your owa account irom what you see and hear,” FIRST CLASS BOARDERS, Casves do not exist In Hindostan more pointedly than in Ludlow street Jail. There are mmates of niga and low degree—those of substantial paying abilities and those of conspicuous iapecuniosity. Oar first interview was with one of the iughest caste, or otherwise Known as a@ $30 a week boarder. Hie showed us his room, an apartment ten feet square and with ceiling sixteen or elgiteeu feet high, Mb looked at the snuitbox of a room and the meagre fdrniture—an ivon bedstead, with two straw mat- tresses, two straw pillows and two coarse army blankew for bedding; a small pine table with fade colton cover, an ond and stained carpet, tw6, chairs, & stationary clothes closet and small looking ass. “And #0 you pay thirty dollars a week for this room /’ we remarked alter our mental mvoutory,. and Waich we have written out above. e#, With board,”? he answered, “And you think it reasonable?” “But fmust have air,” he replied. “This window you see jooks into the street, and { can control the ventilation to suit myself.” “Do you have the room to yourself?” we farther inquired. “yow I do, because the jail is not full; but not otherwise.” “AD diilerence in charges if you have a room. Toate *" . “Not @ bit.’ “pork occupy that bed?” (A two-third sized bed- steal.) “Certainly, We don’t have all the luxuries of a first class hotel here.” pursuing the conversation I found that there are two olber rovins like his, intended for ie same class of boarders, ja one of wich Mr. Bowles, of the Spriagiieia Kepuvircan, had the honor ef pussing a night not long since. The special advantages of these rooms over others were that they are not under lock and key, and that the inmates, paying more money for their accommoaations, are entitied to more privileges, SECOND CLASS BOARDERS. This elass js made up of the fifteen dollara week boarders. They sit at the same Labie Witu those pay- ing twwe tus amount, but eajoy less accormoda- tions 10 t of room and furniture. ‘fhe roows are # little larger, being twelve feet square, but with colling only ten fect high. Two occupy these rooms, but the venulation 1s not so satisfactory to these ‘ivated notions on the subject of oxy- gen. Excepting vedsteads and bedding, com- posed of the articles stated above, they have to uraish thely rooms. Tae inmates have to take owe of their own rooms or pay some one for doiug it. All these boarders, as well as tose of the tirst class, have free use of & bathroom. There is also @ library to which they have free access. ‘Tuey are allowed to receive visitors 1a their own apart- ments, which is a consideration not to be overlooked, Im fact they enjoy very extended freedom, barring tue deprivation of their liberty, and for the latter imavier any one can go out almost any time he pleases iv he will accept the escort of a deputy sherif, and pay the latter for going with hin. ‘There is & billiard table for playn billtards, and tables for cards and chess aud chequet playing. Altogether the appilances for agg away the time pleasantly are quite abundant, taken in connection with the dom of friends to bring them cigars aod liquors and such like luxuries, ‘They are strong in their denunciation of the debtor's jaw under whch. are imprisoned, but indulges} in no denunciaiion of the oifcials in charge, but, on the contrary, speak higty* of their politeness and hamanity. ‘THR TABLA BOARD. ‘There is but one table set. The ing of the thirty doliars and fifteen doliars a week boarders we have described eat at this tabie, at which also cat the Keeper and his family. Taree meais are sproed daily, sad. though not presenting all the and Juxuries of a first class (able a’ are Hied with good ani substantial food, ey have beefsteak and fred potatoes with coid meats, itlor, some kind of sauce, cake and tea or coffee. Though they pay their money it will Be seen that they are not kept at starving rates. ‘THR COUNTY AND UNITED STATRS FARE. Those wi are eanabie to pay the price of board as wen above, or are tinwilling to do so trom beilev- itbwed either Uy the. eouty or ttc peneral perce t 1 mien ie former urains bout at the Vract rice acne ner, th fatter at e ae week, The ~~ ‘ech ‘Thotr daily dinner, except two days, when hy 1 Dre, ly of bread and'a ded but amau qoasiay ot meat 82d fact ing titre’ at ance 86 Sud dh tuey specially thrive on i 'RISONERS, These are far mates andare te’ tind class or Powest rade of boarders, such as we nave just There extendiag’ ulong “ee eae” out Sout ee There are ven sql twelve feet. All the are ts wore. tv consider, Though there is no Tent to pay and coal gas are the keeper and = his uties have no salaries, ‘They iy on. juisites, Or, in otier words, hey "are on tne Take, ‘This 1s their business, and they try to make it pay thein, despite the drawbacks of working tor notiuog, fur nearly all the furniture, paying for ali the heip eu! being responsible lor prisoners if pe, It is certain that the prisoners kindly and courteously—that is the table buar that they find very little tault. There worse jails than Ludlow street jai as regards the point of in- carceration and the privileges it carries with it, and there are worse piaces for muking money, THE EASf RIVER BRIDGE. Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce—The Plan of the Bridge Approved=A Spicy De- bate. ‘The Chamber of Commerce of this city convened in special meeting at their rooms, c@gner of Wilham, and Cedar streets, yesterday afternoon, at one o'clock. In the absence of the president, Mr. George Opdyke, First Vice President, took the chair. The object of the meeting was to receive a report from a committee on the subject of the East river bridge. The committee was appointed two weeks ago, and consisted of Mr. Henry A. Wortnington, Chatr- man, and Messrs, Sinclair Tousey and George Opdyke. Mr, Worthington read the report, which was to the effect that the committee ask to be re- heved of the further consideration of the matter, as it would take months to fully investigate it, and it being, moreover, beyond the objects and scope of the Chamber, which were purely commercial. Hence the action of the committee was confined to investigate whether the proposed bridge would injure naviga- tion, which was found not to be the case, as its ele- vation was 130 feet above high water, and but few vessels have masts higher than that, and these can lower their topmast spars at slight expense. The comunittee reported, therefore, the following pream- ble and resolution:— Whereas this Chamber at {ts last _ineeting adopted resolu- tious requesting the Senate of the United States to tempora- rily withhoid Its sanction to the proposed suspension bridge acrons the river; and whereas the Chamber has become watisuied that said structure wili not present any serious ob- structions to the navigation of sald river; th Resolved, That the President and_ Secretary be ed to inform the Senate of the United States that the Chamber does not ind any objections within the scope of its official ac- ees that would justi/y @ protest against the erection of said e. Mr. A. A. Low moved that the report be accepted, which was carried, and he then moved that the pre- amble and resolution be adopted, whereupon Mr. Dow rose and inquired of Mr, Worthington whether the committee had considered any other pians than that of the bridge, to wuich quesion tie Chairman replied that they did nots under the view they took of their duties, but that fey had received several communications m regard to damuing the East river with solid structures, having draw ones for passing vessels, which, however, tuey did not examine. Mr. Dow then entered his pro- test against the proposed bridge, and suppoi his protest by a long argument, during whicn he stated that the bridge will not be of any such beneiit as 18 now supposed, as it can accommo- date but a small portion of the community, He re- ferred ss aD example to the bridge across the Ohlo from Cinciunan to Covington, that, while the fer- ries are crowded, only here and there @ passenger is seen on the bridge. He (Mr. Dow) was not an oj nent of any measure that will do good to the city, but this bridge he opposed, The very engineer Who proposes to build ic had three bridges already fallen down, and this inay be the fourth. ‘The ele- vation of 10 feet was not enough, as there are ves. Sels with maasts 168 feet high, and che expense of lowering the topmast Spars would be two hundred dollars, Tha bridge would linpose @ debt of twenty millions upon the people. And for what? ‘The average of the duration of this kind of bridge ts from ten to twenty years, and for that the expense is too much, He considered ita piece of folly to presuime that it is possible to erect & span of 1,600 fget clear, that it would be unsafe and, that Mr. Roebling, the engineer, bad himself said that on a windy Gay no one would venture on the bridge, Mr. Dow then explained the dock system, Which would give piers, wharv docks, Warehouses and a free crossing on a level with the shore lines. Itis the opinion of eminent engineers that something of the kind must be done to preserve the entrances to our harbor and to meet the wants of our trade. The bridge is a mere cipher compared with the docks proposed, and ie would otfer the following a3 @ substitute for the resolution of the committes:— Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the sbair, whose duty it shall be to convene a competent Board of Engineers, one of which to be selected by the Superintendent ‘of the Coast Survey at Washington, and request said Board to cause an examinailon, under aresnre necessary, of the foundings and the tides and current of the North and East rivers, with special reference to the consiruetion of open dykes or causeways having liood gaves or locks for passing veaels; in orier to decide ff such dykes would favorably change the harbor curreats or {f they may be constructed the bast river without injury to the harbor of New York, Resolved, That said committee be authorized to take ‘such measnros as it may deem best for obtaining the means to pay the expenses of such examination, Mr. 5. B. Currrenpen believed the substitute to be at least fifty years in advance of the times, Ifa vote were taken on It to-day it would be no less than fifty years before the peopie would consent to the damming up of the East river and thos inter- fere with the jaws of nature and of God. Even with tue bridge ferries will still be nsed by those fr whom the bridge might be too much out or the way. The estimated cost was nine intilions—it may Ton up to fiiteen millions—but even if it cost twenty- jive millions it was worth all that, Mr. Ciittenden reierred to the amendment offered by Senator Mor- gan to the House bill now pending in the Senate, calcul i to protect the interests of both cities and ot th ipping by providing that the bridge shall be constructed so as not to obstruct, impair or in- juriously modify navigation, making the consent of Congress subject to the approval of the Secretary of War o: the pian subsmiited to him, and reserving to Congress the right at any time hereafier to alter, ainend or repeal the grant. Mr. Dow again replied and reiterated his opinion that it wus folly to avempt to. build a bridge with a sixteen hundred feet span, whereupon Mr, Chitten- den read three resoincions, passed and signed by six engineers—Horauo Atien, BH. rop, J. H. Kirk- wood, William J. MeAlpin, J. on Steele and Julius W. Adams—ail agreeing that the plan of Mr, Roebling was feasibie. Mr. T. RALLY MYERS, Oneof the corporators in the Dill granting the charter, advocated the adoption of the resoiutions of the committee, as Mr. Roebling’s Pian iad beea carefully considered and approved of yy luany experienced and practical men. Mr. Destas RARNes, momber of Congress from Brooklyn, stated that the United States Senate felt embarrassed by the jormer action of tke Chamber, and he was autiorized to say that immediate action was necessary. The commfiee of the Senate having the bul in charge were wnamimousiy in favor of i, and to sustain them, as Congress was about to adjourn, the yote on the resolution should bo unanimous Mr. Barnes then entered largely into statistics, showing that the rapidity of expansion was gregter in Brooklyn than New York, being but 6 per cent annually in the latter city, while it was 14 per cent in Brooklyn since the eon- solidation in 1869, With this eercentons of yearly increase in New York, the whole space of Maghat- tan island—having 158,000 lots, countt the acre—would low of pulation, he sald, has but just fore the 1 Juction of railroads the annual increase in the national wealth of the country was $13,266,000 & year; it js now or 6,000 cent mt Rane eek eee ae ie; in 1870 it will have 000, In 1880 this ve frit ‘have. tnoteased. 60 100,000; 400, tan 1 to 200064, hat ‘The substitute was to a vote and | Mr. Dow and two others for it, Me Wortle ington then concluded the ite hy defending Mr. Roebling what he od the “fiippant at- tacks” of Mr. Dow, and that he was @ bold, aafe, ia} , of whom the coun: try may id. 4 disavowed ‘personal feeling in the matter, after a few from Mr. Opdyke the resolutions by the com. mittee in. favor of the bridge Wore almost unani- mously adopted, when the meetiag adjourned, MILK LEAKagR.—The jucers have convention oN. He Int the Sprain acca aw agrng ex “exten. sion” of milk when Toe’, than imenty-ive per cent of Seal ot wih tap ere 1 oats pov baged 3 the qu of i in car er aitferege tnodes of faving. 7 ’ Curious and Shocking Facts and Figuros~ How the Inmates are Treated and How They Live—Tferrible Facts Relative to Their Condition—A Reform Nosded, ‘That there is a great deal worthy of pratseand admiration in the way the public institutions are conducted by the Commissioners of Charities and Correction 10 person who has ever had occasion to pay a voluntary visit to Blackwell's Island will for a moment deny, but that there is also much which deserves the severest censure and condemnation 1s equally undeniable. As a general thing, the lavors imposed upon the Commissioners of Charities are of @ kind which cannot exactly be called pleasant, though they mfy be said to be fall of recompense, and if they attend faithfully to the duties of their office, which, according to popular belief, they really do, tholr task 1s certainly an onerous one. There are at least twoof the Com- missioners who understand this fact very weil, and conscientiously act accordingly; but tho good results that flow from thelr rigid adherence to -duty are oftentimes marred by the stu- Pidity of thelr subordinates, The latter, as in almost every other department of life where tho great contest is for bread buttered on both sides, are expected to take all the responsibility for every- thing-that is not strictly right in their several ‘dis- tricts,” and, of course, as much compensation as they can get hola of, They ure given, in conse quence, @ power which is far more than discretion- ary. It 18 quite true—and no one understands the fact better than those who have from time to time been compelled to reside on the island for a speci- fied period—that the Comunssloners cannot always provide the inmates of the institutions under their charge with all the accommodations and comforts which a reasonable regard for poor humanity would at all times suggest; for they, in their tarp, are themselves subordinate to a, “higher power,” which creates and uncreates official life at pleasure. It must not be inferred from this, however, that it is but right that persons who, for offences committed against society, are made to spend ® portion of thelr lives in the atmos- here of prison cells, should be accorded com- lorts mstead of punishments; but in regard to the inmates of one of the insututions the inierence can be spies in all its force, an tastitution which is Ae ly the most important, in ceriain respects, of he whole number on the island, namely, THE LUNATIC ASYLUM. ‘This establishment consists of three distinct build- ings, one of which is called, out of delicacy no doubt for the feeli of the friends of the inimates, the “Lodge,” inst of the “Madhouse.” - The asylum proper 1s composed of the mein building, whicn 13, according to oficial Sepres, capable of accommo- dating properly 204 patients and attendants. The “Lodge,” which ts used exclusively for the care of the more violent patients of both sexes, properly ac- commodates sixty-six patients, and the third butid- Sy ern eet pees fee only are kept, is capable perl ny one) hundred ‘patients, Jy few bs. pup culled fromm official sources, will probably shed more light on the packing system practised at the ‘Lodge’? than uy mere newspaper statement. For instance, the foi- lowing table will show the proper capacity for pa- tients and attendants in the various buildings as contrasted With the actual number that are now in the asylum:— Proper — in the RORS. » Now, the offictal records of the commiasion show that the buildings yperly—the Commissioners’ own expression—hold only 370 patients and at- danta, yet there are at present im the: institu- tion 977 inmates, or, in other words, 607 more per- sons than there should be if any regard for tue welfare and safety of the poor wretches confined tp itis atallan object of concern. A very idea can be had of the fearful state of things which exists in the asylum, when it known that the crowding carried on to 80 great an extent that numbers of the patients are compelled to sleep on the floors and in the hallways of the main building and the “Retreat.” Under these circumstances is it at all to be wondered at that the iriends of insane people should tremble with fear and terror wheu they cousign them to a den of howl- ing maniacs, who are jowed to roam about the corridors in the day time, and are packed away, like herrings in a barrel, at mght? A few di ago the community were startied by announcement of the terrible murder which was committed in the “Lodge,” the murderess and the victim being violently insane—at any rate, they were inmates of the “Lodge,” and that ht to be sufficient proof of the extent of their m: . It was shown on the inquest that the murderess her victim slept in the same room and that of late it has been the habit of the authorities of the isiand to have more than one occupant in each room of the butia- ing. This revelation was, no doubt, quite as staruing to the community a8.was the murder itself. Butts ib a matter of just surprise that murder should out ip such a place? True, the authorities say the deed chronicled a few days ago was the first crime of the kind ever committed in the asylum aud that @ murder is not likely to occur there again: but can they guarantee @ non- recarrence of a crime equally as appalling? They might 4s well argue that because aman now Living has never been drowned he never can be. The crowding in the buildings 18, however, not the only horrible feature of the institution, although the other evils to be remedied may be justly considered as its legitimate results, nor does it require the report of any special committee of experienced physicians to add Weight to the argument against the manner in which the inflicted inmates are compelled to linger away their wretched lives, : AN ATMOSPHERE OF DEATH. The various rooms and halls are always, it must be conceded, kept in au exceilent condition of cleauli- ness—at le; as far as they can be kept clean with 8o many trresponsible human beings roaming about nd doing pretty much as they please; but they are every one of them so crowded as to render it an im- possibility to keep patienis in proper condition either as to health or decency. All the rooms, with- out exception, in ail the buildings, are filled to such an excess that the atmosphere at ten o'clock at night 18 very ful, and gives proof that a few hours later would be — intolera- ble to any but those who, by being in it from custom, have become tnseusibie to its fwetor, but none the less susceptipie to its deleterious effects. In mosi instauces from three to five patients are pene in & room mteaded but for two, and which really In many cases, owing to def- cient ventilation, is not proper accom- modation for even two, aud two are gen- erally put in a room not large enough for one. ‘this, a8 has already been noticed, is especially the case in the “Lodge” where tue worst cases are con- fined, and Where the filthy habits of many of the mmates render the air to the last degree offensive aud highly detrimeatal to heuith. Rach tieat has only the muserable atiow- ance of 300 cubic feet of air space instead of the proper 1,000, and in fact many of them have considerably les#—that is, the patient sleeps ina rooin but three feet wide, ten feet loag and ten high, and this in an atinosphere contamimated with ex. Lalavens of a most noisome character. The special committee of physicians who, last December, made a thorougd investigation into all the evils of the iustitution, recommended that additional accom- odation shouid be provided for at least 400 patients, and, to provide for the increase, at the presentrate, w to the probable me of the completion ® now buliding, additional accommo- dation for 800 is required. In addition to the three buildings already spoken of, there are other patients in the Pavilion Hospitas, butlt ior par- alyucs eptieptics, each of whici is a sing.e Ward, and wholly unsutted for the insane—the proper ca- pacity of each being fifty, and each containing at present seventy-five tuimates. The Commissioners state that the annual Lacrease of this class of patients is ten per cent, aud if this ratio should continue daring the next ten years they would have under their charge at one time over 2,600 patients. Of course the only remedy for the terribie state of the Innatics on the island ts to be found in proper. legisiation for their better welfare; and, although the law-making power has for a long time turned a deaf ear to the appeals that have beea made from various quarters in behalf of the insane, it would seem that the day of relief will soon come, ‘a8 @ bill was passed by both houses om Tuesday au- thorigig an addition to the Asylum. What tie Werits of the btil really are cannot as yet be ascer- tained, ban, it does not grant the addition: modation Gre laid on the tabie never to be takem up again. A REPORM NEEDED, H M4 E é Ef 4 z iis 228 {| 2 Be | a8 5 3: s atl 2 z 3 | if