Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-11-23
THE CUBAN QUt STlON.
IL LnrnIIn IL NJ lhri1 |


of the famous eYpediion for The invasion 81 me
s.aud OF Cuba, conceived By certain adventures
and persons OF bad reputation IN Inc u Ola Is Vi
America. AS much in consideration oil Inc dam
ee.-mure apprehended than real-which me
Queen OF The Antilles has jas! incurred, as oe-
cause II has become the fashion 10 Ie!otin 'he
world. there have not been waiting persons ~
GepIore the def cis in the administration oil lnas
rch colony, and 10 clanor Tor a remedy, as d
,hpv had 10 deal with country whose laws and
GOVERNMENT were incompatible with modern CIVIL
liZalion.
Experience, aud abGye ALL contemporary ms,
tory leach that The best Of governments Is not
that which adapts ineli with u.ore exac!hess 10
a lh,ory-hoH good and how excellent soeVei
that theory may but that which Is best sfiseu
To the nature, habits, and disposition OF me peo-
pie 10 whom il is to be applied; and 1t IS no' less
certain lha! The prosperity or decline oil nations
are the rule AMI The criterion by which we must
Judge OF the goodness or deirc;s OF political forms
| Now, Cuba is advancing with ptedlslous strides
! in all branches Of public and private wealth. II
epjoys an enviablc rai qnility; aud It's inhao'>
| lanis nave not The slisnest ground Tor making
any complaint against The mother country.-
What are The benefits which The rcformers think
| 10 set of against these advantages
We do not hesitate u say that The ideas which
are called Humanitarian" if applied 10 Cuba
would wreck It's present prosperity; and The re-
suit OF The adoption u the ideas II philan>
thropy-ptoblematc enough would be 10
snpeIsede The white race entirely, and !C leave
the island in he hands If Ihe neg ioes; or, what
is nearly The same 10 destroy IN oae moinen! the
magnificent edice which nov eYciies The admi'
ration OF the natives and the envy Of Inc ioreisn>
ers. Some reforms might perhaps De useful, and
We do not deem i! e&Frdienlto neglect ihe carry
,u rI,rS co lnI hu
dence: but between his moderate course aid
sudden and tuta transformation OF The existing
order Of things, there is All immense distance,
which only the enemies OF Spanish glory would
desire 10 annihae, By the sinister ends that ale
10 be detected in their designs; aid III o:der 10
pioceed with discretion in lDis matter, we ought
10 commence by fixing our IDEAS concerning the
real STATE OF things iu The island, since that IS the
! most convenient means OF imposing silence Oh
the lal,e enemies of humanity.
Without having made profession OF negro
| phii.ts our ancestors were distinguished by she
soltcllude aud lie zeal which they employed iof
the purpose o! alieviaiGg Tie concl ion o! The men
Of color. The laws OF lndlas, superior IN this re-
speol 10 all that foreigners have done Tor The
legislation OF their colonies, will ever serve as
monument Of The wisdom and truly pIlanlhfopic
sentiments OF those men whom We are now
peased with supeIhuou> ieriy, 10 sheer al as is-
norant and pr, JUDGED individuals.
In The United Slates-the bulwark Of liberty
and progress the negroes cannot learn 10 read;
he white man who consents 10 allow his slave
10 have book risks his very existence and no
tone-not even negro without master-is al
lowed 10 hold intercourse with whites. Now IN
Cuba on The contrary, Ihere is an INFINITE NUMBER
of negroes who have contryed, by industry, TO
attain position of comfort and even laxury
and who hold free intercourse with the WIRES
without being stigmalized for the col-r Of their
skin; and the authorities efford hem decided
protection and prevent their masters from NAL
treating them by anneSing severe penalties to
tina, offence. This matter has been admirably
discussed in the columns Of our cotempora'y
FL Pals. and we earnestly recommend pe:usal
uf tho article 10 those enthusiasts who make it
their sport TO speak i'll Of the institutions Of their
couutrY, imagl1ing that BY making themselves
the echo of The DISCLAIMERS pt other countries,
they acquire the reputation Of enlightened mcn
We dwell on this particular a. some leng h,
because the intellectual and moral anarchy
which unfortunately prevails at the present
time very tfectualIy contributes to tbs pE"poga'
ton Of errors Of fatal in0 ience on nations by
the superficial lusira Of science acquired at
trifing cost.
Even The English, after iacnrribg The notori-
Gus Inconsistency OF seeking 10 gel fid o. slave.
ry, and at The same tine buying produce wo: ked
by slave labor, are inclined 10 abandon The in.
, lention Of putting an end 10 The liadc-convin.
ced lha. the means al their command are utter
" i'm potent to effect the otject IN view; and in
+, order 10 cover their deea, they imagine soTl oil
anomalous and impracicable Ievcrsion. We
firmly believe that the greatest misfortune that
could happen, not 10 The Cubans, but to the me-
gro races which labor in The manufactures Of
; the island, would be lo fall into the hands of the
.afickers in philanthropy, who haze uIdsrla-
, ken 10 defend them.
The grievances that derive their origin from
The traditions and The habits OIL centuries are
not 10 be cured in a day; nor 10 it prud.n, 10
venture in The path OF changes. when That whlca
exists produces good results, and when The ben
efi,s ey pected from The new experiments are, 10
say the least, exceedingly probl ema!ical.
We shall enter into The important questions
above indicated on future occasion.
GAS.-At the meeting oil the Common Coun-
ell last evening" after much discussion, resolu
ton q MIR. Conway Robin'ou was unanimous, y
> adopted, recomniuinG the subject 10 the commit.
: Tee ITO be enlarged by the addition cl Two men:
bers with instructions 10 report an ordinance
for lighting The city with gas, 1.-THE committee &c
reporl the streets The Council will meet again
TO. NIGHT, when we hope 10 see The subject fully
; fayorably and tremendously disposed Of
CORRESPONDENCE OF The Baltimore Sun.
WAsu;Nor. N. Nov 81, lS49
Th. French diFcupu settled Reception of Mr.