The New York Herald Newspaper, January 31, 1873, Page 4

CUBA. Scenes from the Slavers’ Last Paradise. “VISIT TO A SUGAR PLANTATION, ;The Maximum ef Work and Ignorance, the Minimum of Food and Rest. /THE “LAZY RACE” ARGUMENT \Glimpse at a Cargo of" Coolie Celestials. \an Ex-Chinese Professor Wants to Com- plain of Ill Treatment. JSTART WITH A SPANISH BATTALION, jHow News of the Rebel Expedi- tions Filters Into Cuba, JOUTRAGE ON AMERICAN CITIZENS. )Condemned to Death in Havana and Invited to Go There for Execution. J}THEY ARE NOT LIKELY TO. \an Appeal To Be Made to See- retary Fish. )Skirmishes Between the Troops ; and Insurgents. SANTIAGO DE CuBA, Jan. 15, 1873. When the train at Villa Clara came to a stop, Pwith a shock that recalled me from the contempla- on of past glories to the necessity of attending to uch vulgar cares as the safety of one’s luggage in- olves, I found mysel! set down on the outskirts of ‘hat appeared in this starless night a large village. he only reason for thinking that it was large was the great number of itrrepressi- le muchachos who gathered round me ike 80 many young jackals with the intention of rending my baggage from me. After good deal of pushing and elbowing and shouting at last succeeded in driving off the pack, and, en- rusting my worldly goods to the care of a pair of ‘trong urchins, each one of whom in his greed de- ired to have the sole control, although together they found it difficult enough to convey my amp equipage to the hotel to which a fellow passenger had recommended me. It ag situated in the centre of the town, for, as soon as the first palm covered juts were passed I found myself in a compara- ‘ively well-built and pleasant little town, boasting f gas lamps and sidewalks, the latter frightfully bre ee and more dangerous than convenient. (he hotel, like all the hotels in this country, was ather a fonda, or inn, but THE LOVE OF HIGH-SOUNDING TITLES Ys so engrafted on Spanish human nature that it is roof against even the arrows of ridicule. As, pwing to the perfect indifference to the comfort of heir passengers exhibited by the railway officials, had been unable to procure anything to eat Yrom early morning, my first care was for yue inner man, Refreshed by the repast, I astonished the proprietor by a string of questions Felative to the plantations of the neighborhood. Whe fellow’s curiosity was immediately aroused, and, being a captain, or general or something of the Bort of volunteers, he proceeded at once to inter- wiew me. This to me was highly amusing. When he was through with the operation he had thor- oughly convinced himself that I was a young man with plenty of money and a laudable ambition for nigger driving. Under this impression his heart opened and he professed himself my very devoted servitor. Horses and a good guide, I was assured, would be in waiting muy temprano next morning to conduct me to the principal incu, or plantation, of the neighborhood. With my mind at ease on this point I went to bed and slept soundly until the muchacho of the hotel awoke me in the morning to take my coffee. This duty per- formed, I prepared for the road, The horse pro- cured me was a small native animal, rather res- tive, but, as I found afterwards, good to go. From the manner he conducted himself I am under the impression that he was a mambi to the core, and, mistaking me for a Spaniard, endeavored to get rid of me. Finding the plunging business would not do, he tried what a sharp rush along the road would effect, but atlast gave up, and conducted himself in a somewhat reasonable way. Owing to the constant rain that had fallen for many days I Knew the roads were in a bad condition, but ex- expected, in the immediate vicinity of the large ntowns, to find them somewhat passable. This ex- pectation proved groundless, for scarcely had we crossed a picturesaue old stone bridge that spans one of those chasms, at the bot- tom of which fows a stream of water, which the natives dignify with the name of a river, when we found ourselves navigating through puddles and stretches of morass, in which we were constantly sunk almost to the saddle girths, For a tew hun- dred yards the ground, though muddy, was some- what level; but we had not been riding a quarter. of an hour when @ morass stretching away across the road blocked further progress. I was obliged to pull up while the guide went forward caretully, as if sounding a ford, to find a reasonably convenient passage. After a good deal of splash- ing about he made his way across without sinking any deeper than his horse’s knees in the puddle— an achievement which [also had the good luck to imitate successfully. Bad as this passage was, it ‘was by no means the worst, as before long we ‘were obliged to quit absolutely the roads and ride in the bush or in the fields skirting the high- way. We had been dodging about in this way for about three-quarters of an hour, now on firm jand, now traversing pools of water, and sometimes tumbling into holes in the most un- expected localities, and only escaping broken necks by keeping a sharp lookout and a tight rein, ‘One of these obstructions had delayed me an un- usual length of time behind my guide, whom I always allowed to be weil ahead of me, When an accident occurred that was neariy putting the HERALD special hors de combat. My guide was A TACITURN OLD soLprER, who never condescended to speak to me unless I addressed him, and then he replied with military precision and brevity. Ido not think that he once turned his head’ to see whether or not 1 had suc. ceeded in following him through the maze of sheep tracks, bushes, pools of water and mud holes through which he led me. In setting out 1 had ruffled his temper by insisting on shortening my stirrups and riding cross-country style, much to his disgust, the Cuban mode being to have the stirrup leather long and the toe point- ing gracefully to the ground, like a thirteenth century swell. I had, however, reason to be thank- ful for my obstinacy. In order to join the guide, who bad ridden far auead, after passing one of the NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET, morasses of which I have spoken, I struck my spurs into my horse. At first he was inclined to dispute my authority, but haying given expression to his feelings in a few vicious plunges he rushed off ata good’ pace. A sudden turn in the track, which passed at this point along a field, brought us into very broken ground, and I had orly time to gather up my reins when the horse stumbled, and in spite of my efforts to hold him up went down head joremost. Fortunately Thad him well in hand and 4 came down on my feet, but before I could completely free myself he rolled over, CRUSHING MY LEG, BUT VERY SLIGHTLY. ‘The softness of the ground had saved both myself and the horse from any serious injury, 60 I re- mounted and joined the guide, who had chancea to look back just a my horse fell, but had not stirred one inch. When I rode up he asked, in a perfectly coof and unmoved manner, “Ha rectbido daiio?” Assumed in terms equally brief that I had not, he relapsed into silence that was not broken until he reached the outer gate of the plantation to which we were bound, THE PLANTATION. We entered without any ceremony, riding up to a large mass of buildings standing aimost in the centre of the plantation, which extended for miles on every side, Here we were fortunate enough to find all the superior officials at breakfast in the shadow of the great shed which protects the ma- chinery from the weather, It was delightfully cool, as the place is open on all sides, giving the air free passage without creating any very perceptible draught. The usual invitation to partake, which ‘is always tendered by the Spanish race to whoever enters when they are at their meals, having been declined on the grou nd that we had already eaten, the ob- ject of my visjt was explained to the major domo, who expressed himsel! delighted at the chance of being of service. While waiting for the meal to bs over I had an excellent opportunity to notice THE DOZEN OR SO OF SLAVE-DRIVERS who were gathered around the table. For the most part they were vigorous, semi-military look- ing men, with faces indicating sternness, With one or two exceptions, there was nothing strik- ingly brutal in the expression of their faces, while in some instances there was an open frankness about the look that consorted badly with the, vile profession of the men, They were seated around a_ large deal table, on which @ number of dishes of the country were placed, There was a rough plentifalness on the board that reminded one of the feudal times, For the most part these men were rudely clad, and in some cases their linen was not remarkable for its cleanliness. Nearly all were travel-stained, having sat down to table as they arrived from the fields, In spite of the roughness of their exterior, there reigned, however, among themjall the polished oouneRy of the old régime. It was amusing to watch the punctilious attention paid to each other by this somewhat rough looking group. Rugged in feature, coarse in attire, but with the innate re- finement of the Latin races, which even the barbarous habit of thought engendered by slave: could not wholly eradicate; booted and spurre with the formidable-looking machete hanging at their sides, these men looked like beings called back from the barbarous days of chivalry by some magician’s wand to contrast with modern ideas and progress as seen in the complicated machinery in whose shadow they were breakfasting, There was something so opposed to the spirit of liberty and thirsting after progress and justice, which dis- tinguishes the nineteenth century, in tnis scene that Iam not sure that I did not pinch myself just to be certain that I was not dreaming. As soon as breaktast was concluded the director of the plan- tation ordered one of the black slaves in attend- ance to saddle his horse, and in a few moments we were } JOGGING THROUGH THE GROUNDS, which were divided by well laid out roads to facili- tate the conveyance of the cane tothe mill. Our first visit was made to the buildings used by the slaves.- In the distance, raised up on piles, were what appeared to me huts, but on closer inspec- tion the rere discovered to be small and unfit for |. human habitation. In answer to my inquiry I was informed that these were the storehouses in which the slaves were permis to keep whatever corn they raised in the patcnes set apart Jor their use. Underneath each hut were sties occupied by pigs of various sizes and gondi- tions. These animals, I was told, were “bought” by the ptantation for the maintenance of the 7 = ployés, As I witnessed later in the day a “pur- chase’! of this nature I am inclined to look upon the use of the word ‘‘buy”’ as aecuphemism. One of the superintendents of the estate called out a woman's name, Almost immediately a wretched- looking creature advanced to where the Superin- tendent was standing, and taking up a position of absolute subservience, with head bowed and eyes cast down, awaited in silence the further wishes of the superior being before whom in spirit she was prostrated. She had not long to wait. A PIG WAS WANTED; she had one ready totbe killed; it was to be deliv- ered up, and, in return, she would receive $2. The poor creature bowed her head, mumb!ed an assent, and the ‘purchase’ was completed. Not far from those houses we came upon an open shed, on two sides of which were placed narrow planks, on which a couple of old eee women were bus, placing a number o/ tin platters, each one fille with what appeared to me boiled maize, This, I was informed, was the breakfast of the slaves, who would come infrom the flelds at eleven o'clock. There was no sign of spoons, and I suppose the mode of disposing of the boiled corn was the same as that adopted by a number ofnaked urchins, who were busy DIVING INTO THE POTS, IN THE KITCHEN, when, much to their disgust and cenfusion, we ap- peared on the scene, They were engaged in kick- ing up a “jolly row”’ over their feast, evidently not caring a straw for the old women, when the shadow of the Superintendent was cast in front of the shed. Suddenly the noise ceased, and the little ones crept stealthily away, until the voice of the man of power riveted them to the spot. An authoritative “Ven aqui” brought a few of the padi scamps to us. The poor children looked frightfully guilty, as if to eat corn out of a pot were a crime deserving very severe punishment, so they shambled towards us, too much afraid not to come, but not at all certain of the kind of recep- tion that awaited them. For the most part they were fine, healthy children, and, in spite of the horribly degrading influences by which they were surrounded, bright and intelligent looking enough; quite as much so as white chilaren under simi) at circumstances would have been, There was only one lesson taught them, and, young as they were, they already knew it by heart. It was not to be good or virtuous or honest, but TO FEAR AND OBEY THE MASTER .if they would avoid the whip, There was some- thing irresistibly comic in the expression of those faces, smeared with the corn which they had eaten out of their hands, for their spirits, though bent, were not yet broken by the knowledge of their ab- ject and hopeless condition. Dismissed by a wave of the hand, the troop of youngsters disappeared with alacrity, and we pursued our way to the sieep- ing quarters of the slaves. On the way the superintendent, who was an intelligent and apparently an open-hearted young fellow, informed me that there were on the estate some one hundred and fifty souls, including some twenty children. The greater number were men, most of them natives of Congo, one only being a cooli¢, who, contrary to the representations made about the traffic in Asiatics, was treated in every pect In the same way as his sable companions ib misfortune, THE SLERPING QUARTER OF THE SLAVES is a low, square structure, entered on the side fac- ing the mills by a gateway which leads to a large courtyard or open space, around which the sleep- ing rooms are ed. It is aone-storied structure, divided into five apartments—two smali and three large—which were occupied in common, Nomi- naily the females occupied diferent apartments, but, as there was free intercommunication and no recognition of the marital relation, the state of morality can be imagined. At night all the slaves are locked In this building, and an armed guard mounts sentry to see that none escape, In my character of nigger whipper, in prospectu, all these details were treated in an exhaustive manner, and I confess IT was forced to admire the admirable organization of the slave system, while abborring its workings. If she great aim of exist- ence were to obtain the greatest possible amount of labor out of the human race, without regard to the happiness of individuals here or their fate here- after, no system could be better devised to obtain this result than the one adopted on these planta- tions, At four o'clock in the morning the slaves begin their iabor in the fields, and un- der the eye of the taskmaster, who moves about on horseback, armed with a whip which, in New York, would expose a bullock driver to the anger of the humane Bergh, continue to work until eleven in the day, when they return to the frugal meal we have already seen’ in waiting for them, Through the scorching heat of the day men and women are kept steadily at their post UNTIL TEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, when they return to their prison to snatch some rest to enable them to go through the same mo- notonous course of toil. During the Summer time necessity for labor 1s not so great, and the master is content to exact Only twelve hours’ sweat from his unfortunate bondsmen, Such is the un- colored and wunexaggerated statement made by the taskmasters tlemselves, and the pictures of misery and suffering it calls up vividly to the mind must arouse the indignation of every heart in whieh there dwells @ particle of numanity or of Jove o1 justice, The plea upon which bad men have sought to justify this abomination—that without | the system of slavery it would be impossible to work the plantations with profit to the capitalist— is false. And even if it were not, can men be so | lost to honor and all sense of right as to admit that a few men, for their own advantage, | Nave the right to inflict untold suf fering on their fellow man, and to Fe luce him toa state of degradation Iittie, if any- thing, remeved from tne brate. But the system has not even this defence, According to the care- {Ul estimates prepared tor the owner of the estate, Which were minutely explained to me, the out- r the current year would amount to $20,000, pAb ‘value of the crop raised to $160,000, a re- turn of over SEVEN HUNDRED PER CENT ON ous profite it ie easy to under ch enorm . ated how the planters become millionnaires—at he expense ofthe tears and misery of the wretches who toil ‘or their benefit, That such a system can ate Gt lized is an ou ni or mankind. see the representatives of this abomination knee! before altar of the God of the Christians I regret the thunderbolts of the grand old gods of the past who, the poets tell us, smote in their indignation such criminals, After a sharp ride throt extensive flelas of cane, it wenld have m easy to for- get everything but the wonderful beauty and fertility ce Which we were surrounded, if it were not for the erect and soldier-like form of the slave driver, by whose side hung a long and formi- dabie machete, while the ornamented handle ofa dirk peeped out from his girdie. These realities reminded me constantly that the peace and happi- ness were ONLY ON THE SURFACE, During the ride this man told me that from time to time some of the slaves escaped into the woods; but that in the majority of cases, not being able to obtain food, they were obliged to return and give, themselves up to the authorities, by whom they were handed over to their masters. It is certainly astonishing to my mind hew it is that the slaves do not rise and kill their persecutors. Slave and freeman alike are armed with the terrible machete, which at will can be used as & weapon as well as an instrument of cultivation, I was surprised to find that scarcely any of the employés on the plantations carried firearms, the moral effect of their authority being sufficient to prevent serious resistance on the part of the slaves. The Chinamen are by no means 80 tractable, and are more revengeful and dangerous as a class than the blacks. This, of course, s due to their superior intelligence and their keener sense of the wrong done to them, On our return from the fields eranges were pro- duced, and proved grateful and refreshing alter the sharp ride in the sun, AS soon as THE SLAVES HAD FINISHED THEIR FEED, for 1t would be a misuse of lan; to call it a meal, they were mustered in front of the ma- chine shed. Each one brought his tin saucer and placed it in the general heap, These being counted and found all right the men and women were divided into squads and assigned to various duties. If Thad never known anything of slavery bat ote tea th in the few MO a ae arade las ere was en Ine a determined abolitionist for life, Not that any act of violence or brutality was committed, for no such occurrence took place, and I am quite willing to believe, as the directors assured me, that cor- oral punishment of a severe nature is very seldom inflicted on the slaves. It is not necessary, how- ever, to ascribe this gentleness to any considera- tion of humanity, but simply to the fact that itis more dangerous to punish the slaves pow, be- cause, in order to escape the inhuman lash, even these degraded beings sometimes find enough of the spirit of men latent in them to make them fly to the woods, where they become the most terrible and the most implacable enemies of the white man. PREFERRING DEATH TO SURRENDER, in the midst of almost impenetrable woods, these escaped slaves Ged the chivalry of Castile and ‘wage a war in which quarter is neither asked nor iven, Now, a8 an able-bodied slave is worth $1500, and is becoming dearer every day, the run- ning away of a slave inflicts serious injury on the master; besides, it is almost im- possible to replace him, a8 the de- mand surpasses by ever-so-much the supply. Knowing this, I was not much surprised when the director told me that, except in extreme cases, it was not the custom on the estate to resort to se- vere corporal punishment. It would be impossible to paint in words the forlorn and hopeless look of the slaves as ined stood in a half circle before the director and his assistants. The clothing ef men and women alike consisted of a coarse stuff, out of which coffee bags are made, the only difference being that the men wore something intended to represent pantaloons, while the garments of the women came, in most cases, only a little below the knee, being itened round the waist with a rude cord. There seemed to be little or NO DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF WORK expected from the women or the men, and, in- deed, at first sight, it was not easy to discover any difference of sex. For the most part. the slaves on this estate are Congo blacks; but a num- ber of them, and nearly all the children, are creoles, with unmistakable evidence ofthe mixture of white blood im their veins. In the older slaves all traces of human intelligence have almost disappeared, and their labor seemed to be performed mechanically, under the direction of the overseers. In the taces of the women not a vestige remained of the softness and femininity of character which we look for in those whose destin it 18 to be the mother of men, but beneath the las! of the overseer’s whip all thoughts and feelin; lanted by Heaven had been crushed out, the ight of love extinguished, and the being whom God created fora noble end reduced to the level of a Ursa of the field, whose only use was to minister to the BASE PASSIONS AND AVARICIOUS GREED of & master. View slavery from whatsoever side we may, we shall be able to perceive nothing but moral turpitude as its immediate result, Tram- pling all laws, human and divine, under foot, we Shall see the slave master and his assistants hand- ing over their own flesh and_ blood to this ter- rible life of degradation and expesing their own children to the lash of the taskmaster. That this terrible crime against humanity is committed daily can be seen in the color ofthe children born on the estates, and who, be- cause they are not so white as their fathers, are condemned to slavery, A system capable of so deadening the best ieeiings of our nature as to change men into monsters must be regarded by all honorable men as gccursed. In presence of this awful wrong even the Church ts silent, because the siaveholder is rich and powerful. True to its con- servative instincts, IT I8 ON THE SIDE OF ORDER, as represented by the rich and chivalrous slave driver, who sells his own child into slavery or hands his daughter over to satisfy the caprices of some new master. It is only when the poor and. the weak are unjust that the modern Church can thunder. Not a word is uttered against the slave master here, who, in deflance of all laws of morality and justice, robs the slave of the sweat of his brow, and degrades him by forcing him to live in that very socialism which the Church denounces in Paris, but shuts its eyes on in Madrid. The owners of these estates in Havana, Madrid and Paris are Christians of the first water, It is said not to be unknown that many reverend fathers have an interest in human chattels. Owing to the bad treatment and hard work which the slaves un- dergo they die usually at a much earlier age than the white population. Since the stoppage of the free importation of slaves from Airica the dim- culty of supplying the places of those who have died has been constantly felt on the estates, The experiment of CHINESE LABOR has not been altogether successful. It has been disastrous in its effects on the immigrants, of whom about sevewty-five per cent die during the eight years they are forced to labor by their contract. Very few of them can be persuaded to renew the contract, and the severest and most unjust laws are enacted in their regard to force them to work either for the benefit of a master or for thatof the government. li cases where they have succeeded in overcoming all obstacles and establishing them- selves in business, they are exposed to the extortions of the police, who can ruin them at any moment. Owing to this the condition of the coolie after he has tultilled his contract is almost as bad as while he is on the plantation, In many cases these coolle immigrants are VERY BAD CHARACTERS, and prove anything but a desirable acquisition on the estates. Owing to this, and the fact th are more malicious and infinitely les: than the negro, there is considerable prejudice against them among the nigger-driving fraternity, In some cases the immigrants come voluntarily, but Lam inclined to think it Is very few, AN ANONYMOUS SOCIETY IN ‘ANA, at the head of which is one of the richest planters on the island, has gone largely into this business, which, under present conditions, is more remunera- tive than even the old slave trade used to be Before Lleft Havana I visited a Spanish steamer that had just arrived from Macao with a cargo of Celestials, some eight hundred and eighty-nine souls ail told. As I meunted the gangway the shaven heads and round faces, with piercing eyes, of innumerable Chinese were popped over the vessel's side,and they seemed as much amnsed with Ls appearance as was with theirs, Everything on board tne ship wag’ in appie-pie order, and if tt had not been for the’ threatening looking iron gride that cut off all approach from the coolie quarter of the ship and the quarter deck, as well asthe appearance of two small ship’s cannon 0 placed as to SWEEP THE DECKS in case of attack, one might have thought himself on board of one of those floating herring boxes known as emigrant ships to the habditucs of the port of New York. With the permission of the cap- tain, I went through the ship until | found a Celes- tial who had the reputation of speaking English among his fellows. Unfortunately his vocabulary was very limited, or { should have been able to get a pretty history from the cargo, His story, 80 far as he could tell it, was no doubt representative of.many of the rest. He had been to California some years ago, and had returmed to his native land witk some money. Having settled down, he married, and, things going wrong with him, ac- cepted an offer of a situation in Macao, but, in- stead of cere taken to Macao, he was put on board the immigrant ship and ,carried to Havana, The poor fellow seemed to feel very much for the two juvenile Celestials and his wile, who were left without protectors or support by his absence. In the case where this absolute bad faith is not exhibited a deception scarcely less cruel is practised, Men are induced to engage themselves with the prospect of high wages, which to their eyes is fabulous, but which, in the ‘diferent condl- tion of society they find themselves on their arrival he sufices for their sup- port. The impossibility of communicating with the people by whom they are surrounded makes their position MORE NOPELESS RVEN THAN THAT OF THE BLACKS, ‘The Congo traders could allege, with some ap- pearance of truth, that, however bad the position of the slave on the plantation, it was certainly better than it had been in his native land, There Was a speciousness in this argument suficient to smooth consciences Hot over tender, but no such pretence can be put iorth in defence of the colle twatic, Here we have men oi a high order of jutel- nee, citizens of a free nation, whose civitiza- tin ‘was. old while “our remote. auosstees were still sav degraded Congo ne} en from thetr heat and forced into servitude, It was only necessary tosee, as Ihave seen, the contrast between the new immigran of stre and in coo! compare favorably both physically and mentally with a simiiar nomber of almost aay. people taken ss ranean frome the population, fay y ot altogether willing Tmmigran shown by the fact that SEVERAL BEVOLTS HAD TO BR SUPPRESSED on board before the arrival of the enh in port, However, the profits of this infamous traiic are too great to allow any considerations of right or justice to weigh with those d init, Accord- ing to the information furnished to me by the offi- cers of the ship there are regular agencies estab- lished in the Chinese porvs, having ramifications in the interior, whose business it is to sup- ly the cargoes to the coolie ships. ‘or each coolie shipped the agent receives but he has no claim to his money until the “emigrant” is actually aboard. The cause of this clause is that quite a number of the unfortunates after being delivered to tho boats throw themselves into the water, preferring to be drowned, or to take the risk of drowning, to being carried into slavery. Once on board, there is little chance of escape, as the hatchways are guarded until the ship puts to sea, As the coolio represents a certain amount of cashI do not think that any unnecessary hardships are inflicted on him uniess there shonid be such a revolt as puts the safety-of the crew in danger. In such circumstances DEATH IS DBALT until the capsives are reduced to obedience by terrors, and the knowledge of the hopeless nature of @ conflict of unarmed men with a well-armed and determined crew. It is very diMcult to obtain reliablg information of what passes on boara dur- ing the voyage, as all the crew are compromised, and before entering port everything is put into apple pie order. 1 was rather surprised to find the coolies well, an leanly dressed in cheap suits of a strong cotton texture, Remarking this to one of the engineers, a sleek oily Englishman, he informed me that each one was supplied with two suits, and that by contract the master who should purchase these coolies would be Sbiiged, to supply two suits annually to each man. The im- pression sought tobe made on my mind by this oily person was that the Chinese were very well treated indeed, although he told me one of the passengers, who had been A PROFESSOR IN A CHINESE COLLEGR, ‘was trying to get up a petition to government complaining of the wrongs that had been done to them. Poor fellow! He little knew what a mis- fortune it is to fall among Christians, and how li‘tle justice he could hope for in a so-called civilized community, Aslexpressed some surprise at the couleur de rose picture the oily engineer had drawn from his interior consciousness, his assistant, who was a thorough John Bull, blurted out, “Yes, they looks well and clean enough now, be- cause they’ve been a washed and bathed, and got new clothes; but you ought to have seen them a wack ago. ‘There warn’t a whole shirt among ’em all, This outburst of candor on the part of the assist- ant quite shocked his olly superior, who looked depreciatingly at the assistant, remarking at the same time that while at sea it was very difficult, to Keep the coolies clean, I did not appear to attach any importance to what the assistant had unguardedly blurted out, as it might have got him into trouble, ‘especially if they should afterwards have discovered that the inquiring in- dividual to whom he had so unguardedly expressed himself was a HERALD correspondent. Some of these immigrants I afterwards encountered on my wi through the country, being conveyed under LS ‘d to the plantations to which they belonged. ‘here was no pretence on the part of any one whom I met with to regard them in any other light than as slaves, the only difference being that after the lapse of eight years they would be entitled to their liberty, should they have the good or bad fortune to survive the hardships and cruelties to which carne that period they were certain to be exposed, Kept to work for an eyeregl of fourteen hours a day, with the necessity of working for them- selves on the holidays if they wished to have the means of procuring even the most ordinary luxu- ries in which the poor indulge; exposed to a trying climate, without proper food or proper care, it not to wondered at that within the time of contract seventy-five per cent of the immigrants perish, though for the most part they come to the country in the prime of manhood. Such is the demand for labor that the planters willingly give something over five hun- dred dollars for the use of an able-bodied Chinese during eight years. The profits of the traMic can, thereiore, easily be calculated. The NINE HUNDRED HUMAN BEINGS BROUGHT TO MAR- KET in the shipI visited were worth some $450,000 to the importers, and, as they had cost originally less than fifty thousand, the anonymous society had some fopr hundred thousand dollars as the result of the voyage to meet contingent expenses, Never in the palmiest days of the African slave trade wefe such tremendous profits realized, and it is needless: to say that so long as the !aw permits this infamy it vt flourish with the proverbial rankness of ill weeds, . THE PROJECTED REFORMS, looking to the immediate abolition of slavery in Porto Rico, have caused the greatest consterna- tion here. Every effort 1s being made by the slaveocracy to prevent the Governor carrying out the instructions from Madrid. Assurances have even been given me by very well informed parties that a million of dollars have been sent to the sister island, with the object of convincing the Governor and other officials of the dan- ferous nature of the proposed reforms, Vhether this argument will be convincing or not cannot yet be known, but it is said that the orders from Madrid are peremptory. The growing power of the republican party in Spain and the noble efforts of Castelar in the cause of justice and humanity are exercising a heaithfal infuence on the cause of universal liberty. The slaveocracy here look on America as the chief cause of all their misfortunes, Fortunately they do not dare to ex- hibit openly their hatred, as, with all their loud talk, they are a class remarkably prudent. At every step one hears THE OLD PLEA OF THE INADVISABILITY of inaugurating hasty referms. If the freedom of the slaves would only be decreed two years hence | all would be well, but to give the blacks liberty now would be to reduce the country to anarchy. ‘Then we are assured that the blacks are a hope- lessly lazy race, whe will not work unless from fear of the overseer’s whip. I ask them why they did not begin tne gradual emancipation ten years ago, or twenty, by which all the ‘trou- ble could have been avoided. They do not seem to be able to understand the philosophy of the question, the fact being that il no one inter- fered slavery would be maintained here to the day of judgment, so far as the will of the slave masters isconcerned. Their cry, therefore, about the “in- ca of the abolition movement is only an “effort to gain more time, and would be repeated with the same insistance ten er twenty years hence. If these ed are sO anxious that the fields should e cultivated at any cost of human — suffering let them cultivate themselves. For myself, I do not see why the blacks should not have a turn at driving as well as the whites, and since these latter are so anxious for the interest of sugar-eating humanity it ought to be a labor of love for them to cultivate the cane, When it has been watered with the sweat of their brows it will taste to them sweeter than ever. Of course I know they will be awfully indignant that such @ proposition should be made, for when they preach the necessity of industry they mean that others should toil and sweat while they enjoy the fruits of the labor. Just now the slave owners are in a state of terrible uncertainty. The purchase of slaves has been alimost wholly discontinued since the appearance of tue article in the HERALD insist- ing that slavery should be abolished im Cuba as well as in Porto Rico. THE FULL FOXCE OF THE HERALD LOGIC is felt here, and if the reforms should be carried out in good faith in Porto Rico there will be a general stampede among the slavers here. The sentiment among the native population is very much in favor of the abolition of slavery, but the Spanish immigrants feel that it would weaken their hold on the isiand considerably, and therefore are almost to a man opposed to the proposed change, It is almost !mpossitie to arrive at the opinion of the coored population. For the most part they are sunk in the deepest rance, but many among them are people of education and refine- ment, It is, however, dangerous for them, or they think it is, to be seen speaking to me, for, some- how or other, everywhere | go the people think that there is something very important in my mis- sion that does not meet the eye. The government of the United States is supposed to be very deeply interested in the state of the island, and public opinion does me the honor of thinking that I repre- sent not alone the HERALD, but am also A COMMISSIONER OF THE UNITED STATES government. My efforts to enlighten people in the few instances in which I undertook it seemed only to have the effect of deepening this impres- sion. So I leave the people now to form what con- jectures they please, it is jet that I am very closely watched by the autiforities, but whether “this is true or pot 1 have no means of knowing, not being acquainted with the secret police, Ast have told them exactly what I wanted and what } meant to do, I don’t think that they will be much wiser for their attentions, from which I do not ex- perience the slightest inconvenience, IN RELATION TO THE INSURRECTION robably there is more kunownin New York than nere. Since leaving Havana I have heard nothing but rmors. The iact is, the government only tells as much of the truth as wt thinks absolutel necessary, An important ramor has reache bere from Puerto Principe of tne seizure of Agramonte by an act of treachery || on the part of a Spanish colonel, who made him @ prisoner during a@ conferenge heid under a flag of truce, at the request of the Span- jards, The most tempting offers were made to Agramonte to surrender, all of which he refused, alleging that he was dyhting tor pee not for money. The Colonel had promised to bring bim in, dead or alive, and, on hig reiusal to accept the proffered conditions, informed bim that he was surrounded and was now Pp um Agramonte, seeing that resistance was hopeless suffered him- seif to be taken, but his captors, were next day at- tacked by A COLUMN OF SIX HUNDRED CUBANS, and destroyed, with the exception of three soldiers. Such is the Cuban story, and fn its main details it has been admitted tobe true by people high in command here; but tt has not been allowed to see the lught, except short paragraph in the just Od tgr| oat circumstances ht the military close, and left ‘way of trophies. I ould make the most seh addition woul ce the most gel museum of curiosities, w! eee aes, hen spoilea and brought to naught eneral Morales ordering oy eae bac! every one in the column pretended complete jorance of the causes of our sudden return, and it is but Justice to the officers and men to say that they Were more annoyed even than I was. They have been fighting in the dark for four years and several months, and, like intelli- mt fellows, as they are, they welcomed a istorian ainong them with warm and appreciative courtesy. However, my cam) under the Span- ish fag will form a chapter by itself, There will be some things to be said which will pinch some- pearls corns, Some of the officials here, being anxious to know what I thought about the troops, T rather surprised them py saying that “I thought a little more bread would do them a good deal of good.” The official shook his head and assured me ‘1? WAS DIFFICULT,” and, in view of the enormous fortunes made in the Commissary Department, I am not at ali surprised at the apealy of giving the unfortunate men a ration of bread within an hour’ ‘avel by rail of this important seaport. There have been SEVERAL UNIMPORTANT SKIRMISHES at diferent points within the past week, as I have learned from Spanish oficers, but it is um ‘ible to obtain details. The last one has been at Cerra- dero, the southern termination of the new (rocha, if we can trust the Cuban accounts, TWO EXPEDITIONS WERE LATELY LANDED successfully—one between Manzanillo and Ca} Cruz, and the second on the north coast, brought by the Virginia, I give you these rumors for what they are worth. By and by you shall have more reliable information, THE REBEL EXPEDITIONS. The Reports in Havana of Landing Arms and Munitions of War in the Island. HAVANA, Jan, 21, 1873, AS usual we are in the dark with respect to the landing of filibuster expeditions on this island. The only reliabié information, received here through the underground railroad, states that two of these have successfully accomplished their mission in landing & few men and a large cargo of arms and munitions within the past few weeks. The first expedition is reported to have effected its landing ut. Zaza de Tunas, on the south coast, and the second was landed a short distance to the westward of Baracoa, On the 10th inst. the Spanish war steamer Tornado sighted a suspicious-looking steamer, carrying two smoke stacks, standing off the coast toward Jamaica. The war vessel gave an unsuccessful chase, The filibuster distanced her, and escaped under cover of the darkness, Private reports have reached here of an en- gagement between the contending parties, Spaniards and patriots. The fight took place on the 13th instant, twenty leagues to the westward of Santiago de Cuba, near the coast, ‘The insur- gents are reported as the victors. The rebels are reported to be very active in the eastern and cen- tral departments. Numbers of small bands are roving in every direction, and keep the defenders of “national integrity” on the qut vive. THE RUMORED CAPTURE OF AGRAMONTE. There is no truth in the report that General Ignacio Agramonte had been captured by the Spaniards. Itisone of the thousands of canards and fancies daily circulated and upon which the Spaniards count the prompt and happy conclusion of the insurrection, which at present appears as strong as ever. AN INSURGENT EXECUTED. The insurgent chief, Chicho Gomez, whose cap- ture was duly chronicled, was executed on the 1dth instant, in the village of Banao, jurisdiction of the Cinco Villas, after the customary drum-head court martial, CORDOVA AND THE CAPTAIN GENERALSHIP. The Liario this morning has the following:—“A letter, written by a well informed person, states that the President of the Council of Ministers de- sires General Cordova to accept the Captaincy General of this island 80 soon as the Cortes reas- sume their sessions, but that the mentioned Gen- eral-would never accept the charge without the assurance that he could rely upon the efficacious co-operation of the loyal inhabitants of this isiand.”” MORE SPANISH RECRUITS. The Spanish mail steamer Antonio Lopez arrived at this port yesterday, and brought 937 recruits for the front. This is the largest remittance received for some months past. Colonel Agucro’s Report of His Opera- tions in the Edgar Stuart—Manage- ment of the Insurrectionist Supplies— Landing of the Cargo and Inventory of the Commissariat. 2 PHILADELPHIA, Jan, 30, 1873. The Key West Republican of the 17th instant gives a diary of the operations of Colonel Aguero, commanding the expediton recently landed on the coast of Cuba from the steamer Edgar Stuart, of which the following is a translated ABSTRACT, DECEMRER 11.—Sailed trom New York for Colon With twenty-two men, in the steamer Heury Chauncey. 1orH—6 P. M.—Arrived at Colon. 25TH—6 A. M.—Sailed from colon on the Edgar Stuart, with forty men and a large cargo of arms, ammunition, &c. JANUARY 1 TO 3,—Engaged in landing the cargo at Porto Aquero and Rorto Lono, by means of small vessels that came off for the purpose while the steamer was lying some distance from the shore; cargo safely landed and conveyed into the interior. 6TH.—Saw many steam and sailing vessels, which kept at adistance; at midnight, when 190 miles from Key West and 22 from the coast of Cuba, broke machinery and proceeded under sail. 12TH.—Anchored in the harbor of Boca Grande, 20 miles from Key West. THE COMMISSARIAT SUPPLY CARGOES, The cargo landed at Porto Aquero consisted of 600 Remington rifles, 500 Springfield rifles, 5,000 Spencer percussion caps, 3,000 Kemington percus- sion caps, 500 hand grenades, 2% tons of powder, 200 machetas, 3 medicine chests, 6 cases surgical instruments, 6 bales of lint, 15 barrels of provi- sions and a large quantity of small articles. A similar cargo was laided-at Porto Lono. OUTRAGE ON AMERICAN CITIZENS, —-_— The Spanish Government About to Pass Sentence of Death on United States Cit- izenseThey are Ordered to Present Themselves at the Jail at Havana— Secretary Kish Called Upon to Inter= fere. Spanish insolence toward the United States is daily becoming more aggressive, as the following edict lately published in Havana willshow. Three of the names mentioned are those of American citizens resident in this city, who long ago elected to become subjects of the United States, in prefer- ence to longer enduring Spanish tyranny. The following are the names of the gentlemen who have SWORN FRALTY TO THIS GOVERNMENT, and the property they own in Cuba, although now embargoed by the Spanish, may be roughly mated at from five hundred thousand dollars to seven hundred and@ fifty thousand dollars:—Pedro Bombarler, Miguel Barbarossa and José Portuondo. The two Angaricas mentioned, now fighting in Cuba, are nephews of the wealthy Cuban resident in this city of that name, who @ short time back manumitted all his slaves resident on his various plantations. The following is the proclamation in question :— PROCLAMATION, Don Lis VILLALONGA ¥ AGUIRRB, Military Com- mandgnt of the City of Havana :— Wheréas it hay come to my Knowledge that the following individuais, named respectively Miguel Barbarossa, José Portundo, Pedro Bombarlier, Jos¢ Navarete, Miguel Angarica, Manuel Angarica, and who are accused of disloyalty to Spain, have absented themselves trom the fisland of Cuba: Now, therefore, I, 1m virtue of the powers invested in me by the King our sovereign, and by his royal ordinances addressed to the oficiais of of the Iaiand of Cuba, ordain as follows, by these presents: That the before-mentioned imdividuals are cited and ordered to pupese in person at the common jail of the city of Havana within the de- lay of thirty days trom the present upon their surrendering themselves the ¥ jon of their imprisonment or being put at liberty will be argued. Showia the before indicated men not putin an appearance, a8 hereby ordained, they will be sen- tenced as rebels by the Council of Wi if Havana, and sentenced to the gravest nt at the id that a | hands seid, 8 Of the King of Spain, without further notif- This notice has Bean duly aMixed and pebiicty displayed law. LUIS VILLALONGA. FRANOISCO VivERo, Secre! HAVANA, Jan. 10, 1873, tary. Naturally, none of the imdividuals cited to appear by the 9th of February will put in an appearance, ‘and, a8 a matter of course, they will be sentenced te DEATH BY THE by order of the military court, which will be soon held. It was reported yesterday in New York that remonstrances will be sent to Secretary Fish by the American subjects whose names are mentioned, also asking for the protection of the United States, The amount of property alluded te in the proclamation is estimated at $1,500,008, belonging to Cubans and citizens of this country. Several Cubans in this city, by way of a reprisal, intend to indicate to the local government the names of many Spanish merchants doing business in this city and large holders of real estate, whe have failed to become United States citizens or te declare their intentions so to do. The following is a copy of the original document, Published in the Diarto de la Marina on the 18th of this month:— TRIBUNALES. Don LUIS VILLALONGA ¥ AGUIRRE, Coronel Sas- Ent Mayor de esta plaza. labiéndose ausentado de esta isla los paisanos D. Miguel Barbarrosa, D. ‘tuondo, D. Pedre Bombalier, D. José Navarrete, D. 1 y D. Mannel Angarica, 4 quienes gator procseando el delito de infidencia, usa-ndo de la jurisdi que el Rey Nuestro Sefor tleno concedida en estos casos porsus Reales ordenanzas 4 los oficiales del jército, por el presente, cito, Namo y emplazo, por este mi primer edicto y pre- gon a dichos individuos, senalandoies la carcel na- cional de plaza donde deberan ntarse personalmente dentro del terminode inva dias que se cuentan desde el de lafechaa dar sus dea paneoy & dompanaay, de no comparecer en el re- forido plazo, se seguira la causa y se sentenciara en rebeldia por el Consejo ay everes de la plaza Hid el delito que merezca pervs mae grave, sin mas iamarles ni emplazaries, por ser esta la voluntad de S.M. Fijese y pregonese este edicto para que venga a noticia de todos. Ha’ ane, 19 de’ enero de. IS VILLALONGA. 1873, LU Lor su mandato, Francisco Vivero, Secretario. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. THE THIRD VOLUME of Hon, W. Beach Lawrence'a “Commentaire sur les Eléments du Droit Interna, tional” is just published by Brockhaus, of Letpsio, and contains much important matter on the quea- tions of naturalization, expatriation, domicile, conflict of laws and the rights of married women under the laws of various nations, MR, GLADSTONE deciares that the story of his be- ginning every day with Homer conveys a very un- true impression of the demands of his present office, and that, in truth, he has not read Homer for a quarter of an hour consecutively for the last four years. Tue Four HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY Of the birth of Copernicus will be celebrated on the 19th of Feb- ruary, 1873, and will be signalized by the publica- tion of a centenary edition of his great work, “De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestiam.” ONE OF THE NUMEROUS FAMILY of Macdonalds (Duncan G. F.) has written a very good book on “Cattle, Sheep and Deer,” which all lovers of mutton, venison or beef would find toothsome reading. CLAXTON & Co., Philadelphia, announce for early publication “The Hemlock Swamp” and “A Sum- mer at the White Sulphur Springs,” a novel, by Elsie Leigh Whittlesey. ProressoR Henry Moriey’s short “History of English Literature” is expected to be ready in Jan- uary. Swirr said the reason a certain university was @ learned place was that most persons took some learning there and few brought any away with them, so it accumulated. Dr. HAVILAND has published a very. interesting work on the “Geographical Distribution of Dis- eases in England,” in which it is shown that scrofula and other maladies have an intimate rela- tion to subsoil drainage. ONE OF THE ECCENTRICITIES of the late Théoptile Gautier was to dress in red velvet pour-points. He was an Orientalist, born in Gascony—the most brilliant Frenchman in modern literature. ‘ JONCKBLOET’S “History of Netherlandish .itera- ture” has been translated into German by W. Berg and E. Martin. The German edition contains a full list of Netherlandish authors and their works. THE Animal Kingdom, a new paper, is to be con- ducted in the interest of the dumb animais. James R. Osaoop & Co. have undertaken the publication of an American edition of a new Eng- lish periodical, entitled The Practical Magazine, THE ONLY Books in the English tongue yet honored with aconcordance are the Bible, Shak- sSpeare, Milton, Tennyson, ‘Keble’s Christian Year” and the “Constitution of the United States,” “A SCAMPER TO SEBASTOPOL AND JERUSALEM,” by James Creagh, is avery tedious performance, by an egotistic Englishman, Epwin Forrest’s Shakspearian library, which had taken years to collect, was entirely destroyed by fire, with the exception of a single volume of Halliwell’s edition. A fine copy of the first folio Shakspeare of 1623 was consumed, all but a few inches of the centre. The copy was worth between $1,500 and $2,000. It was bought some years ago at the sale in this city of the library of William E. Burton, the actor, for $600. It may be curious to note that by the loss of this volume the number of copies of the first folio known to exist is reduced 1° thirty-nine, PROPOSED ANN STREET WIDENING. i esstnnieghenisslasitad, The Plans of the Improvement. {From the Commercial Advertiser, Jan. 29.] The projectors of the plan for widening Ann street, which, unsutcessful four years ago, has of late assumed definite shape and probability, will soon apply to the Legislature for the passage of @ special law authorizing the intended improve- ments, Several prominent railway men and a number of property owners of Ann and Beekman streets comprise the persons especially interested, and it seems probable that the proposed measure will be successful. The question of costs, compensa- tions, condemnation of property and the like, are provided for by existing laws, ana will be settled accordingly. The design is to give a width of 125 feet to Ann street, at Broadway. The ground heeded will be taken trom the north side of the street, which will then run eastward for abou twenty-five feet; the north side at @ right angle to B roadway, and at an obtuse angle to Ann street as now located, It will thus be caused to gradually lessen in width until 100 feet will be attained on an . From the north side of the street as far awdold street all the new ground needed is to be Ne old street, Ann and Beekman streets, to- ether with some intervening ground, will blend nto an open place, which at this point will be 160 feet wide, ana will atford ample accommodation for horse cars. The street will gradaally lessen in width from this point to 100 feet at Cliff street, Beekman street will continue of the same wicth down to the East River. The necessary ground is to be taken on both sides of the street, between Cliff and Water bat from Water street to the river only om the north side, The necessity, of appropriating eny- thing on the seuth side is, of course, obviated by the twenty feet “ofteet” which exists below Water street yIhe -only building of any considerable value which the widening of the streets will oblige to be pulled down is the Market National Bank, at Pearl and Beekman streets, the other buildings affected both en Ann and Beekman streets being old and poor. ‘The projettors of this movement have also the Monabiag She present suructure, erecting 1s Is mol the present si a lace an extensive street car depot for the an yourth and Lexington avenue, East Broadway ani Avenue © car companies. It will also be used tor the cars of the Sixth and Eighth avenye companies should they succeed in obtaining permission to rup their cars across Breadway. Additional featares are contemplated in the way of establishing two new lines of steam ferries across the Kast River at the foot of Beekman street, one to ron to Bridge street, Brooklyn, and to Williamsburg. vantages that would accrue from this project are unquestionable, not the least being the amelioration of the present condition of the june. tion of Broadway with Ann street and lower Park row, by the abolishing of the accumulation of street cars which naturally exists at the termini of so many different routes. Tracks will be Imid on widened Ann street through the plaza ta the depot, and the present starting point will thus be kept unimpeded, Broadway will be none too wide, even When Ann street will be made an outlet, ag contemplated. As tt Hy the interruption to travel by blockades at this point has become an intoler: able nuisance, and any measure tending to afford relief will be sure to meet with favor