before the storm from drought, and only half or two-
thirds of a crop was anticipated. The storm then set in,
and raged for twelve hours, destroying the crops in
many districts almost entirely. Several parts of Georgia,
Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida have suffered
severely. The effects of the gale in Florida were
especially disastrous. A large amount of property
was destroyed, including nearly the whole of the
tobacco crop, and a number of barns, cotton-sheds, and
other buildings. The corn and cotton crops also
sustained essential damage.
In New Orleans the Cuban expedition projects are
now entirely abandoned, and there are a great many
liberators in that city without the means of returning
to their homes. They demanded money of the Cuban
committee, when some disturbance arose and arrests
were made, but nothing serious has occurred thus far.
The police are out in force in case of any outbreak.
The American papers contain a report of an interview
of the United States Commissioners with the chiefs of
the Sioux Indians, the object of which was to conclude
a treaty for the purchase of their lands. The Indians
struggled hard to obtain the payment of an outstanding
balance of 30,000 dols. before the ratification of the
treaty; but eventually they were contented with an
engagement on the part of the United States
Commissioners, that the matter should be immediately attended
to. The treaty provides that—"There be perpetual
peace between these Indians and the United States;
that they cede all their lands, but have a reservation for
a home; that the United States pay them the sum of
1,410,000 dols.; that the chiefs receive 220,000 dols.
on the ratification of this treaty; that they receive
30,000 dols. for the establishment of school-houses and
other buildings; that the remaining sums remain in
trust with the United States at five per cent. interest,
for forty-two years, and that the principal then revert
to the United States. That they receive the following
annuities:—12,000 dols. agricultural fund; 8,000 dols.
educational fund; 10,000 dols. in goods and provisions;
30,000 dols. in cash. The money left to be expended by
the provisions of a former treaty, at the discretion of
the President, is by this made payable in cash.
The expected Invasion of Cuba by the band of
adventurers, under General Lopez, has taken place, and
terminated in his destruction and that of his followers. The
expedition which left new Orleans, 450 strong, effected
a landing at Cubanos, about forty miles from Havannah;
but four boats, containing 50 of the invaders, were
captured by the Spaniards on the morning of the 16th
of August, taken to Havannah, and shot the same day.
The following is the Spanish official account of this
military execution: "The troops formed a square. They
had on their war uniform—the'blusa' and straw hat.
On the arrival of the troops (the cavalry and the civil
guard) the multitude on foot and on horseback, placed
on the heights, on the plain, on the sea, and a great
distance upon the edifices of Jesus del Monte and el
Cerro, incessantly cheered the Queen and Spain—eternal
idols of that army and of this people so much calumniated
by the United States. Senor Mayor de Plazo read
the usual edict, and the criminals appeared by ten at a
time, and after being shot were taken away from the
place of execution to make room for their companions.
The first chief was shot alone, the two second chiefs were
shot together—all in the midst of incessant cries in
favour of the Queen and Spain. Justice being done, the
Lieutenant Rey, in a speech to the soldiers and the
people, expressed himself in strong and worthy terms,
saying that the punishment inflicted was merited by
these men, who, without a God, without a law, without
a flag, came in order to attack our nationality, our
religion, our Queen, and all other objects dear to our
hearts." An eye-witness of the tragedy, writing to a
New York paper, says: "I never saw men—and could
scarcely have supposed it possible—conduct themselves
at such an awful moment with the fortitude these men
displayed under such trying circumstances. They were
shot six at a time—i.e., twelve were brought to the
place of execution, six made to kneel down and receive
the fire of the soldiers, after which the remaining six
were made to walk round their dead comrades and kneel
opposite to them, when they also were shot. After being
stripped, and their bodies mutilated in the manner I have
described, they were shoved, six or seven together, bound
as they were, into hearses which were used last year for
cholera cases. No coffins were allowed them; and I
think the manner they were put into the hearses was
equally as disgusting as their other acts: the heads of
some were almost dragging on the ground, and it had
more the appearance of a slaughter-cart, on its way to
market from the slaughter-house, than that of a hearse
conveying the dead bodies of human beings. A finer
looking set of young men I never saw; they made not a
single complaint, not a murmur against their sentence;
and decency should have been shown to their dead
bodies, in admiration for the heroism they displayed
when brought out for execution. Not a muscle was seen
to move, and they proved to the miserable rabble
congregated to witness the horrible spectacle that, it being
the fortune of war that they fell into the power of this
Government, they were not afraid to die. It would have
been a great consolation to these poor fellows, as they
repeatedly asked, to see their consul, and through him
to have sent their last adieus, and such little mementos
as they had, to their beloved relations in the State. One
handsome young fellow desired that his watch should be
sent to his sweetheart; but Mr. Owen, the American
Consul, did not even make application to the Captain-
General to see these unfortunate countrymen in
their distress, and their sacred wishes in their last
moments have been unattended to." The main body,
commanded by Lopez himself, were speedily met
by the troops of the Spanish Government, and a
series of desperate engagements took place in which
it appears that the Spaniards were repulsed with the
enormous loss of 1500 men, killed, and 500 wounded.
General Enna, the second in command under Concha,
the Captain-General, was killed while leading a charge
of cavalry. At length, the invaders finding that they
did not meet with the expected sympathy amongst the
people, and were attacked by the very troops whom
they expected to join them, they resolved to resort to
the mountains, and with this object started for Pinar
del Rio, but by the error or treachery of the guide were
conducted to the coffee estate of Frias, where they had
another encounter with the troops, which resulted in
the loss of four or five men, which, with what were
before lost, reduced the force at Frias to 220 men,
including 12 or 14 wounded; with these they passed to
Brujo, and spending the night in union, went to
Martitorenea or Candelaria, where, on the 21st, in number
not exceeding 200 men, when breakfasting, they were
surprised, attacked, and dispersed by the troops of the
Queen. Lopez was taken in the interior, wandering
alone—nearly exhausted from fatigue and hunger. He
asked for something to eat at a farm-house, and
permission to lie down; while asleep he was bound and
made prisoner. Of his followers, 155 are now
imprisoned, and are to be sent to Spain for ten years'
confinement. These men said that their sufferings before
being taken were intense. For several days they lived on
the leaves of trees, and the last food they ate was the
horse of General Lopez. They had no arms when
taken. The remainder of the party have either been
shot or have perished from hunger. Lopez was garroted
on Monday morning, Sept. 1, at 7 o'clock. The scene
of execution was at the "Punta," opposite the "Morro."
There were assembled from 8000 to 10,000 troops, and
as many citizens. A few minutes before 7 o'clock Lopez
was brought forward, and ascended the platform with a
firm and steady step. Facing the multitude, he made
a short speech, and his last words were, "I die for my
beloved Cuba." He then took his seat—the machine
was adjusted; at the first twist of the screw his head
dropped forward—and he was dead. Thus ended the
career of General Lopez, so long the dread and terror
of the Cuban authorities. In no instance (the prisoners
say) have the Creoles of the island manifested the least
disposition to join them. The excitement in Havannah
was fast subsiding since the destruction of Lopez and
his forces.
There has been another Revolution in Nicaragua.—
On the 4th of August, General Munoz, the ex-Minister
of War, at the head of a small body of troops, over
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