nds when it was learned that the ill-mannered Duke of
Tetuan was also to keep his place.
Spain is very much excited about the recall of Senor Canovas, and it is
thought that the Queen has made matters much worse by retaining him in
office.
The Cortes has adjourned, and will not meet again for some time, but it
is said that the opposition will not forgive the Duke of Tetuan's
insult, and that when the Cortes reassembles, they will clog the wheels
of Government just as they did before.
It was supposed that the Queen would be glad to change her Ministers,
and have the Government in the hands of men who would try to make
friends with Cuba, and end the war, but she does not appear to wish to
make friends with them. She has arranged to saddle Cuba with a new debt
of twenty million dollars and extra custom-house duties.
The twenty millions is to make good the paper money we were speaking
about in No. 30, but as the twenty millions is only to be in bonds, and
not in money, people who understand such matters declare that it will
not help at all; the people will not have any more faith in one piece of
paper than in the other. The extra burden will therefore be in vain.
There has meanwhile been some excitement in Havana over the escape of a
Spaniard named Santiago Barroeta.
He has been holding official positions in Cuba for years, and is besides
the editor and owner of a Havana newspaper. When the war broke out he
joined the Spanish forces and fought to suppress the insurrection.
He was very friendly with Weyler until the Marquis de Apezteguia went to
Madrid, to tell the Spanish Government of Weyler's cruelties.
The General then sought out Mr. Barroeta and asked him to abuse the
Marquis in his newspaper.
This Mr. Barroeta refused to do. For one reason the Marquis was a friend
of his, and for another, he knew that the facts laid before the
Government by Apezteguia were strictly true.
When General Weyler found that he could not make Mr. Barroeta do as he
wished, he began to persecute him, and at last made a charge against him
of stealing public money, and ordered his arrest.
Mr. Barroeta's friends warned him of his danger, and he was able to
escape, and keep in hiding until he could get passage on an American
ship.
Once safely in this country, he set about writing a full account of the
doings of General Weyler. This he is publishing, and as soon as it is
quite ready he will set out for Spain to lay the matt
|