Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-04-10
from the Boston PaTladiiim.

Our Correspondent az NeW Dtu
ford informs MS Of the arrival of the
brig Pdrihian, Captain Nye. in 50
days from Lisbon.
Capt. Nve states that France had
declared war against Spain. This
information he had from MIR. Hutch
lnson, the American Consul and the
general conversation was that shortly
all Europe would he involved.
A Spanish corvette has been taken
by French friga.c, This is war.
There was hu; little resistance on the
part Of the Spaniards. Afterwards
both vessels were drove ashore III
gale of wind.
A fleet OF transports, attempting 10
land troops or the coas, OF Spain, had
been destroyed by storm.
Markets dull at L'sEol. Exchange
had fallen some.
CUBA.-As every kind Of informa-
ton Of the Island Of Cuba, becomes i'm
portant, we have condenccd the following
! ,acts relative to that Island, from let
| ter written BIZ an American gentleman
| residing at that place, to his friend In
this country which have been already
published in the Boston Centinel. The
| population averages about eight hundred
thousand, of which three hundred and
| fifty thousand are whites-two hundred
| and ninety thousand slaves, and one
hundred and sixty thousand free people
OF color--the number Of coffee estates.
exceeds eight hundred-of sugar seven
| Misunderstanding farms twelve hundred
farms cultivated, eight hundred--to-
! bacco fields seven hundred --distil cries
thirty three. There is great influx Of
| foreigners, of which tie United states
have the greatest proportion, who belong
| principally to the,agiio cultural, mercantile
and mechanical class. The United
States have by far the greatest proper
tios of the carrying trade, the number Of
voyages made under the American flag
to different ports in the Island are near
| ly one thousand annually.
"Iheir cargoes outward consist of
boards, scantling, frames, brick, shingles,
nails, mud many kinis Of hardware
boards for sugar boxes, loop poles, casks
for molesses. boilers for sugar works with
iron APPENDICES, mills for coffee, car
| riages, carts, horses, oxen, sheep hogs
machinery of various kinds. nouse furni-
ture, beef, pork, butter, lard, fish, (pick-
led and dried) flour, rice, cider, apples,
potatoes, onions, tobacco, gin whiskey
soap, candles, ploughs and other nipple
ments of husbandry, besides variety
of manufactured goods, domestic and
foreisn.''
The revenue princi pally derived fron,
imports amounts, from five, to five and
an half million of dollars annually
small specific duty is laid on exports
the amount of produce exported may
be fairly estimated at twenty millions,
which is conveyed to every part of Eu-
rope aud America. Singular as it may
seem, the present imbccIle state of the
Spanish monarchy attaches the inhabit-
tants of Cuba, to the royal cause. Fer
dinand incapable of enforcing bis au
thority over the island grants to the
people allthc favours that they ask, and
more they could not have, were they
completely Independent. Perhaps this
state ofthings derives additional strength
from the local situation ofCuba, from its
contiguity to the political volcanoes OF
South America. Such being the state Of
the popular mind, we may venture to sug.
gest that the sovereignty of Cuba viii
not pass to the English sceptre. by grant
from Ferdinand, either with, or without,
the concurrence of his Cortes. This
would be the signal for the inhabitants to
declare the island independent of the
Spanish monarchy, and to place them
selves under the guarantee of the United
States. They like the government of
Ferdinand, because the island under the
mask Of dependence, exercises al the
rights fan independent people-because
in fact it is government all on one side.
The laws on the subject of slavery, are
so admirable, that we cannot resist the
pleasure of extracting them.
'liere every proprietor is obliged TO
register his slave, cost, description, &c
The books are accessible. The slave,
from habits OF industry and fidelity to his
master, is allowed perquisites, Ia custom
ofiong standing) in few yeais, he ten
ders TO his master the amount of his cost
with the addition of five per cent inter-
est. and he is free. If he be far aer,
his children are 10y law appraised, ana
they share his liberty. The slave trade
terminated by law, in the Spanish colo
MES, in the year 1921"
Here is the great and difficult question
OF emancipation disposed Of in sunma-
~ way. The slave acquires habits of