GO CUBA AND PORTO RICO 



The lvsult was an end fco domestic peace, and the initia- 

 tion of uprisings which have continued at intervals since 



the conspiracy of the " Black K;i.de" in 1829. The insur- 

 rection of the Mack population in 1S44, the conspiracy of 

 Narciso Lopez, and his three landings from the Unite! 

 States in 1849, 1850, and 1851, respectively, and the revolu- 

 tions of 1868 and 1895, have all resulted from wrongs in- 

 flicted by an ungrateful mother-country upon a colony 

 that had proved in a time of general revolution the most 

 loyal of all her dependencies. 



The period of prosperity initiated by Las Casas com- 

 pletely ended upon the appearance, in 1836, of Captain- 

 General Ta^on, one of the Spanish officers who survived 

 defeat in the wars of the South and Central American 

 colonies for independence. Soured by previous defeats, 

 he inaugurated a system of greed and violence. He has 

 been described as "a true type of the Spanish oppressor, 

 born with a contempt for everything but force, and hard- 

 ened by the omnipotence of his Spanish commission." 



During his term of office he was as severe with native 

 Cubans as he was lenient with old Spaniards, who alone 

 were appointed to offices of profit or honor. 1 This policy 

 created the breach between Cubans and Spaniards, which 

 has increased with years. 



While this soldier was in full power, news of the con- 

 stitution proclaimed in Spain reached Cuba (September 27, 

 1836). A move was made by the Cubans to secure their 

 just share of the liberties accorded to Spaniards ; but Tacon 

 decreed that no change should be made without his express 



1 Notwithstanding the severity of Tacon's administration, he was the only 

 captain-general of this century who made public improvements. An English 

 writer says that, under the governorship of the celebrated Tacon, Havana soon 

 resumed its foremost position, and was almost entirely rebuilt in stone and 

 masonry, whereas hitherto most of the houses had been of wood, thatched with 

 straw. If you ask, " Who built that fine edifice?" the answer is invariably, 

 "Tacon." " Yon theater ? " "Tacon." It is literally a case of Tagon qui, su 

 e Tagon giu. He is the benevolent Figaro of the place. The wonders which 

 he performed in a short time prove clearly that when the island is energetically 

 governed it flourishes marvelously. 



