Cuba Part 2

May this experience of our forefathers in the last century not be repeated in the persons of our brothers of the present!

The defense of Havana was excessively obstinate, and the Cuban volunteers covered themselves with glory.

But, in spite of the superior force of the Spanish, the English were finally successful.

Taking all things into consideration, it was a wonderful feat of arms, one of which only the Anglo-Saxon race is capable.

Nevertheless, it was only after a prolonged struggle that the victory was complete.

At last, on the 30th of July, Morro Castle surrendered, and about two weeks afterward, the city of Havana capitulated.

The spoil divided among the captors amounted to about four million seven hundred thousand dollars.

The English remained in possession of Cuba for something like six mouths, and during that time inst.i.tuted many important and far-reaching reforms, so much so in fact that when the Spaniards regained possession, they found it very difficult to re-establish their former restrictive and tyrannous system.

For instance, the sanitary condition of Havana, which was atrocious even in those comparatively primitive days of hygiene, was vastly improved.

All over the island, roads were opened. During the time of the English occupation, over nine hundred loaded vessels entered the port of Havana, more than in all the previous entries since the discovery.

The commerce of the island improved to a remarkable extent, and for the first time the sugar industry began to be productive.

If the British had remained in possession of Cuba, it is probable that that unhappy island would have been spared much of its misery and would have been as contented, prosperous and loyal as Canada is to-day.

It really seemed as if an era of prosperity had begun, when by the treaty of Paris, in February, 1763, most of the conquests made during the Seven Years' War were restored to their original owners, and among them unfortunately in the light of both past and future events, Cuba to the misrule of the Spaniards.

England, however, was eminently the gainer by this treaty, as she received from France all the territory formerly claimed by the latter east of the Mississippi, together with Prince Edward's Island, Cape Breton, St. Vincent, Dominica, Minorca and Tobago. In return for Cuba, Spain ceded to England Florida, while the Spanish government received Louisiana from France. On the other hand, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Pondicherry and Goree were returned to France.

It was impossible for the Spanish to undo in a day all the good that the English rule, short though it was, had accomplished.

Moreover, it was more than fortunate for Cuba that there followed not long after two governors of more than ordinary ability and humanity, both of whom had her interests at heart, and they caused a period of unwonted prosperity, most grateful to the Cubans, to follow.

The first of these governors, or to give them their rightful t.i.tle, captain-generals, was Luis de Las Casas, who was appointed in 1790.

Now, for the first time in her history, Cuba really made rapid progress in commercial prosperity as well as in public improvements. Las Casas developed all branches of industry, allowed the establishment of newspapers, and gave his aid to the patriotic societies.

He also introduced the culture of indigo, removed as far as his powers permitted the old trammels, which an iniquitous system had placed upon trade, and made n.o.ble efforts to bring about the emanc.i.p.ation of the enslaved Indian natives.

His att.i.tude toward the newly established republic of the United States was most generous, and this helped largely to develop the industry of the island.

By his judicious administration, the tranquillity of Cuba remained undisturbed during the time of the rebellion in Hayti, and this in face of the fact that strenuous efforts were made by the French, to form a conspiracy and bring about an uprising among the free people of color in Cuba.

Another thing that will redound forever to the credit of Las Casas and which should make his memory beloved by all Americans--it was through his efforts that the body of Columbus was removed from Hayti where it had been entombed and deposited in its present resting-place in the Cathedral of Havana.

In 1796, Las Casas was succeeded by another just and philanthropic governor, the Count of Santa Clara. The latter greatly improved the fortifications which then guarded the island and constructed a large number of others, among them the Bateria de Santa Clara, just outside Havana, and named in his honor.

It was undoubtedly due in a very great measure to the kindly policies of these two n.o.ble and far seeing men that Cuba at that time became confirmed in her allegiance to the mother country; and had they been followed by men of equal calibre of both mind and heart, it is more than probable that the history of Cuba would have been devoid of stirring events. For, as the old saying has it: "Happy nations have no history."

In 1795 a number of French emigrants arrived from San Domingo, and proved a valuable acquisition.

In 1802, a disastrous fire occurred in a suburb of Havana, called Jesu Maria, and over eleven thousand four hundred people were rendered dest.i.tute and homeless.

About this time, the star of Napoleon Bonaparte, the greatest of heroes or the greatest of adventurers, according to the point of view, was in the ascendant. Almost without exception there was not a country in Europe that had not felt the weight of his heavy hand, and, to all intents and purposes, he was the master of the continent.

Spain was by no means to escape his greed for conquest and power.

Her country was overrun and ravaged by his victorious armies. Her reigning family was driven away. Napoleon deposed the descendant of a long line of Bourbons, Ferdinand VII., and placed his own brother, Joseph Bonaparte, upon the throne.

Then the att.i.tude and the action of Cuba were superb. Her loyalty was unwavering. Every member of the provincial council declared his fidelity to the old dynasty, and took an oath to defend and preserve the island for its legitimate sovereign.

More than this--the Cubans followed this declaration up by deeds, which ever speak louder than mere words. They made numerous voluntary subscriptions, they published vehement pamphlets, and they sent their sons to fight and shed their blood for the agonized mother country.

For this, Cuba received the t.i.tle of "The Ever Faithful Isle," by which it has been known ever since.

A very pretty compliment truly! But let us see in what other and more substantial ways was Cuba's magnificent fidelity rewarded.

The answer is as brief as it is true. In no way whatever.

Many promises were made at the time by the Provisional Government at Seville, chief among them being that all Spanish subjects everywhere should have equal rights. But not one of these promises was ever kept.

On the contrary, it was not long before the oppression became greater than ever. There were deprivation of political, civil and religious liberty, an exclusion of the islanders from all public offices, and a heavy and iniquitous taxation to maintain the standing army and navy.

Clothed as they were with the powers of an Oriental despot, most of the captain-generals from Spain covered themselves with infamy, the office as a rule having been sought (and this was distinctly realized by the Spanish government) only as an end and means to acquire a personal fortune.

To realize the practically absolute authority given to the captain-generals, it is only necessary to read the royal decree promulgated after Joseph Bonaparte had been deposed and the Bourbon king, Ferdinand, restored to the throne.

A portion of this amazing doc.u.ment is as follows:

"His majesty, the king our Lord, desiring to obviate the inconveniences that might, in extraordinary cases, result from a division of command, and from the interferences and prerogatives of the respective officers: for the important end of preserving in that precious island his legitimate sovereign authority and the public tranquility, through proper means, has resolved, in accordance with the opinion of his council of ministers, to give to your excellency the fullest authority, bestowing upon you all the powers which by the royal ordinances are granted to the governors of besieged cities. In consequence of this his majesty gives to your excellency the most ample and unbounded power, not only to send away from the island any persons in office, whatever their occupation, rank, cla.s.s or condition, whose continuance therein your excellency may deem injurious, or whose conduct, public or private, may alarm you, replacing them with persons faithful to his majesty, and deserving of all the confidence of your excellency; but also to suspend the execution of any order whatsoever, or any general provision made concerning any branch of the administration as your excellency may think most suitable to the royal service."

For over one hundred and seventy years these orders have received little or no change, and they still remain practically the supreme law of Cuba.

This was the way that magnanimous, grateful, chivalrous Spain began to reward "The Ever Faithful Isle" for its unparalleled loyalty and devotion.

And Heaven save the mark! this was only the beginning.

"That precious island," says the royal decree. Precious! There was never a truer word spoken. For Spain has always loved Cuba with a fanatical, gloating pa.s.sion, as the fox loves the goose, as Midas loved gold, and as in the case of Midas, this love has eventually led to her destruction.

CHAPTER III.

CUBA'S EARLY STRUGGLES FOR LIBERTY.

It was in 1813 that the Bonapartist regime came to an end in Spain, and Ferdinand VII. reascended the throne. In the very beginning he paid no attention to the Const.i.tution; he dissolved the Cortes and did his best to make his monarchy an absolute one.

Again, as has been said, Cuba felt the yoke of his despotism, all previous promises, when the aid of the island was to his advantage, being as completely ignored as if they had never been made.

In Spanish America, revolutionary movements had been begun some three years before, and after stubborn warfare, Buenos Ayres, Venezuela and Peru finally succeeded in obtaining complete independence from Spanish authority.