The Express.
London, England, 1849-09-25 00:00:00

bow mach the name and the regime of mooarchy
must be abused, in order to be so unfavourably eon-
treated with a republic. The fault is not in the
monarchy, bat in those who administer it, who mo-
nopolise all authority and influence in it, and would
exclude the public from all participation and in-
flaence. They say, that to let the people
so participate would beget all the disorder,
witnessed in the old broken-up monarchies of Eu-
rope. Yet, on turning to the New Woil4, we find
content, and tranquillity, and free government there,
where popular influence prevails; whilst we fled dis-
content, disaffection, and rebellion, threatened or
overt, where the people go for nothing, and where
the struggle lies betwixt the old aristocracy or go-
vernment party. and the offirnals of the present time.
Tele voice of disaffection, this threat of annexation,
we hear from on all sides—from Canada, from
Jamaica, from Guiana. And we shill, no doubt, hear
it soon echoed from the Cape, and New Zealand, and
Australia. What would not India say, had it a
tongue? No doubt we have excuser. Same of the
causes of grievance, which rankle deep in the bosom
of our colonies, were to as, who gave them, sacred
causes. Liberal principles, which prevail at home,
often come like oppression when enforced
abroad. A riot at Montreal rewards the
popular leanings of Lord ELGIN ; whilst
the members of the Jamaica Assembly have turned
EAMPDENSI rather than vote taxes for a government,
wh!cb insists on giving the English a fair and a cheap
supply of sugar.
Singular it should be that the chief accusation made
ogainst the policy of the monarchy should be its un-
certain and wavering. nature, its proceeding by fits
and starts, its resolving passionately and enforcing
precipitately. On the contrary the policy of the repub-
lic, where popular influence prevails, has been steady,
unswerving, patient You may reckon on the policy of
the government of the United States : on the monar-
chic government of Great Britain no one can reckon.
For never was the earium et mutabile so applicable
to a government as it is to that of England dating
the last qusr:er of a century. So much for the sta-
bility of a monarchic policy:
We need not, however, in being thus bat justly
severe upon our constitutional system, admit the
conclusion, that absolute monarchy is either more
felicitous or more stable in its colonial administration.
If ever there was a colony with the elements of great-
ness, it is Cuba. As the colony of a tropical climate,
its wealth produced by the labour of the negro slave,
it stands alone in that great condition both of civilisa-
tion and security :—its white population exceeds its
black. Of the million souls in Cuba more than one-
half are of Spanish origin, which shows that it con-
tains not merely a caste of proprietors, but a middle
class of industrious men of European dement,
and even of labourers. This great mass of popula-
tion has sprung up, too, within little more than half
a century; and in consequence of the commercial
freedom which the political convulsions of Europe
procured for Cuba, in despite of the ignorant
tyranny of the mother country, the extensive fertility
of the island, its position, its requirements, its pro-
duce, the facilities of communication, by sea and land,
which it possesses, have all contributed to render it
the true Eldorado, sought by so many adventurers,
and found by none.
The most magnificent dependency that could have
been given to a European country was Cuba. And
Spain has more facilities for keeping it,than any other
country can have for its western colonies. Its half-
million of the Spanish race in the midst of a negro
population nearly equal in amount, would alone have
been a strong link to bind it to the mother-
country. Menaced by the ambition of the
people of the United States!, it might, as
portion of an old European monarchy, and of the old
European "Totem, claim the protection not only of
Spain, but of other countries allied with Spain, and
interested in the independenue of these western
islands.

But, with all this, Cuba is an important, and more
than a self-subziatent land. It is no little barque, to
be towed after a crazy old vesseL It has wider
necessities and facilities of trade: and as to Spain
imposing a bead tax upon it, as it has
had the folly to do, the very idea is
intolerable and preposterous. The half-million of the
Spanish race in Cuba, toe, must have some show of
self-government. To suppose that an island situated
between Jamaica, San Domingo, and Florida, should
rest contented with the stupid tyranny of a military
viceroy, responsible to no one, is insanity. But the
moderado generals and statesmen, who govern Spain,
have no idea of conceding to popular Deem ties. ,
Repression, resistance, martial law, executions,
these form their sole maxim of politics. We know not
how long they may rule Spain with such a rod, but
Cuba they will decidedly lose, if they go on with
their stupid conservatism.
It is difficult to say whether the rule of such men
as RONCALI, O'DoNNELL, and TACON, is more die-
gusting to the Spanish population of Cuba or to the
black population. The worst form of slavery exists
in the farms of Cuba; the most miserable and pane-
t Hoes tyranny disgusts the European race of the
Havannsh. Unless some politicians, liberal and nise,
attain to power in Madrid, and ap?lv themselves
to changA the entire administration of Cuba, it is de-
cidedly lost to Spain.
It does not, however, follow, that because it shakes
off the yoke of Spain, it is to put on that of the Anglo-
Saxon race of the United States. The whites of Cuba
have no need of the Federation to protect them
against the negroes. Nor have they need
of any such aid to protect them from too sudden
emancipation. They form a powerful body, wealthy
enough to support a large army. They have every
material of self-government and self-defence. Cuba
is not, like other islands in the same latitude, explode
by speculative foreigners or sojourners on the island.
Its proprietors live on it, increase in it, and have their
progeny to provide for in connexion with the island,
not in connexion with such sutra as may be extracted
from it. Such a body, with such interests and views,
would soon see the necessity of stopping the influx of
any more savages from Africa. And with the prohi-
o bition of that trade would commence a very different
treatment of the slaves, and steps towards their final
t emancipation.

Or all the cases of public defalcation and officio;
neeigence that ever chanced to be discovered, pro
bably the most astounding is the ease of Salctir
Forest, of which we gave the details in the Ex-
press of
.yesterday. The most extraordinary ex-
posure raises questions of the most vital public inte-
rest. The abuse of government patronage—the
ignorance of public departments—the utter neglect
of responsible ministers of the crown of the
very interests immediately committed to their
cue the necessity of constant parliamentary
supervision of public offices the system
of keeping government accounts, the desirability of
constant checks and audits, the prosecution of offend-
ers, the payment of rewards for their apprehension,
the mode of putting them on trial, the admisskn of the
plea of " guilty"—the whole system of trial by jury,—
these are only a portion of the questions which are
raised by the series of remarkable disclosures which,
after the lapse of 15 years, the public are indebted to
Lord DoNcate for eliciting.
" Murder will oat." There was no set of facts con-
nected with their maladministration which the Com-
missioners of Woods and Forests probably felt more
secure about than these very facts connected with
the disforesting of Salcey. In fancied security they
had shelved the subject. Every precaution had been
taken to make the case a blank. The man who was
the principal agent in the offence had died a con-
vict in a penal settlement. The officer who discovered
his guilt was dead and buried also. The futr, bad
been smothered up in the court of criminal :justice.
A proposal, we " will not say a barge in," had
been made that the criminal wor,td plead
guilty, to avoid the exposure of the facts,
provided he was subjected to a light and friendly
sentence. Out of the office of the rrjds and Forests
those facts could scarcely be expecte d to be known.
In Salcey Forest, the scene of the orience, the extent
iemupnosdaeirble _envies was unascer-
of WILLIAM KING KENT'S defie
bhadltadwad there to distinguish
ifoTPrnment authority from
doneson in the wr y of spoliation, robbery,
and plunder. No dor, therefore, was left to
the offence. With -geß'w.d
"wwhainhaeltt he
ee
to KENT himself,
every trace of tk‘j history and con-
nexion with the government wu " MISSING."
The very min'.its books" of the department,
which might har.e told the tale of his connexion with
Mr. Mann. %were "nowhere to be found!" The
Woods and Forests, like the MANNINGB, had de-
stroyed every trace of the offence. They had buried
every "Article of evidence in a quick-limed grave.