The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-04
Canada and Cuba
From tho WssoipRton UD,oa, April IL

/
The whole county, and doubtless the whole Of
Christendom, understands the importance OF the
Island Of Cuba to The trade and commerce of the
United States. Leaving out OF view the great
fertility and vast producuveaess OF that island,
and considering its geographical position alone,
NO one can fail 10 perceive that the government OF
the United States 10 compelled to- look with
| wstcbtu eye upon the possession of that colony
II is the key Of the Gull of Mexico 1t is the key
Of the mouth OF the Mississippi. 1t is the key Of
the immense valley which now contains more
| by the Mississippi and its tributaries. 1t is the
most fertile portion of the globe. Its resources
exhsus,less. Not only cities, but States. spring up
and The day is not far distant when it will contain
population greater than the population of the
whole continent at the present time. The con-
meIce of this vast and fertile region, stretching
from the Allegheny to the Rocky mountains, and
from the northern LAX es TO the confines of Mexico,
must empty itself into the Cult But then it has
not reached the markets Of the world. Even then
1t may be said to be landlOcked and confined.
The broad ocean must be reached before It Is free
tOepread Its ga lis and direct its course without
stralnt. In this point OF view, the channel be-
tween the Florida rect and the coast of CUBA may
be termed the key, nay, the mouth OF the Misss-
| sippl. And commanding that "moutS OF the Mis-
si.sippi' Is The island OF Cuba, one OF the most
ternle countries on the globe; The nation that
holds that island at peace with the United States,
and our vessels pass it freely and without tear.
But this may not be always the case. Transfer
| that island to some great maritime power, and IN
case OF war she will hold, to great extent, the
| Keys OF the Mississippi.
| Spain has SUITE red from faction aud intrigue
Sh: Is now comparatively poor and impoverished.
and her government IS weighed down with lndebt-
| acTOts the waters that other nations had fixed
their eyes upon Cuba Even in the English Par
lament the idea was broached OF seizlng upon the
northern coast OF Cuba, aud holding it AS an in
DE- mnity for the heavy deb:s which are alleged to
be due from Spain to the subjects OF Great Britain.
THIS question was deemed to be matter Of vast
vital interest 10 the people o. the United States.
The attention of the late administration was ma
| turally aroused to such movements; and it would
have been crlminally indifferent to every call of
duty and OF patriotism, had it folded its arms and
US OF GreHt Britain wrestling from Spain the only
sufficient outlet OF all the commerce, too great tor
human calculation, which must soon float upon the
Cult of Mexico, and aiong the Cult stream to the
markets of the world. The American people
" Ould have said with one voice that this consum-
nation should never be effected, and that war
II 1t were The only means Of warding off the I'm.
pending blow. We do not profess to know what
were the instructions that were given to our MI
MISTER at Madrid. But we can very easily con:
ceive a situation OF thlDgs in which 1t would
have become the duty OF the United States to say
TO HIM that, though we are perfectly content
| to leave Cuba in the possession of Spaln-though
have tile s ehte desire to interfere with her
rights though We should prefer it should remain
| in her hande, as It has hitherto dOne-yet, If her
nece ssies or her policy should prompt her to part
WIN 1t to any other there Be any danger
any great maritime power, Of Great Britain, for
| example, whose powerful squsdrons might control
our western commerce through this lsand-we
| what terms we could obtain the island Had II
then been asceralned that there was any danger of
| the Spanish government intending to cede that
ef ,e S OF f Sa
| British government, to British subjects, or even
j to exchange Cuba for Gibraltar, there can be no
doubt but that the late administration should have
made every effort to forestall Great Britain, and
| sound Spain about the purchase OF Cuba. This ID
certainly no new course tor us to adopt 1t may
be considered aethe standing policy Of our peoples
instructions which were given by Mr.. Forsyth in
$780, as referred to by General Cass in his speech
on Yucatan. There was then supposition that
England was attempting to obtain the island, and
| II was then that the Secretary of State addressed
his instructions to our minister. similar rumor
re ached us last year; and without protesting to
know what passed, we can very easily conceive
IN sns Of e ate
determined to part with the island, upon what
terms we could obtain It. The administration
could scarcely have done less under the eircum.
stances.
And We have all seen from the late official dis
CLEANERS OF the Spanish minister that they never
considered a negotiation had taken place at all
II our administration had failed that duty, then
would not the American people have arisen like
one man, to prevent England from obtaining
a controlling influence over the destinies OF this
continent! 1t has not only been the policy of
OF our people, up to the present moment, to
prevent, at every hazard, any foreign nation
fem gaining such footing In America as
S WdIS EnsUps and Asa
our government will never interfere. But then
the United States claims the right to guard Its
own dettlnles; and while avoiding entangling al.
liances with foreign nations, they will never, but
in evil hour, fail to exclude foreign powers from
obtaining such positions on our continent, in
It's immediate neehborhoOd, as will enable them
our future history. That the, British Cover ment
has entertained the desire to bring Cuba under her
dominion Is sufficiently proved by the debates In
the British Parliament on the Spanish debt. Even
does not deny it. On the contrary, he informs the
country that after examining, in person, the for
tresses OF Cussta and Gibraltar, and after obtain
| ing ether rare and valuable intorma'ion-even he
thought that the rumOrs OF an exchange OF Gibra-
tar for Cuba should receive particular attention.
TIE STATE OF THE rRovINcE-rrs PAST AND PRESENT
CONDITION, AND FUTURE PROSPECTS.
From the Hamilton lCaDsds) Spectator, March ISL
HAMrLroN, 2sth March, lS49.
SIR-The Montreal Courier has taken the lead
la opening Its C, umns to the free discussion OF the
propriety OF our Immediately asking England to
release us from our allegiance, IN order that we
may treat with the United States Tor admission
into the Union. rejolce at this circum stance,
and trust that the press Of Upper Canada will show
an equal degree Of lberahty, in aiording to those
entertaining conflicting views on this subject, the
opportunity OF calmly and consututlonally dis.
cussing its merits. A writer in the Cox~ier, over
the signature OF "X. Y. H." recommends the
calling Of conventlo to bring about peaceabe
separation from England, and annexation to the
States, and alleges that the public mind, both In
England and here, is rapidly preparing itself for
such change. And the Cowrrer thinks that
that which men talk at the corner Of the streets,
may Just as well appear In a newspaper as not"
| Cd Txars1 tut avl sl,,t
that subject OF such vital importance to the pre-
sent and future prosperity OF Canada, has become
one OF public discussion, itmay be deal whit IN
manner becoming its gravity All empty decla-
nation about abstract principles sheuld be avoided
and discountenaneed by the press, as we'll as
every thing OF a personal nature. We live in an