The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-29

mart If ,hr American continent indicate u separa-
ton from the mother country, and the establish
ment of an independent nation, or the annexation
of those provinces to the United States Public
opinion there is divided as TO which alternative
will be taken ; but there is no doubt that one or the
other will be adopted before very long We do not
see how it can be avoided II the rebellion bill,
II is called be vetoed by the Queen, the whole Of
Lower Canada will assume the position which the
upper province now holds and if it be allowed,
the upper province WILL all probability, seek TO
dissolve the union at present existing between the
two provinces, and carry their repeated threats to
that effect into force In either event, it is clear
10 us that the annexation of the Canadas to the
United States is inevitable-is only question Of
time-and must take place, veal or for WI, be-
fore many years shall have elapsed II may not
occur for many years yet, and it may long before
the year 1862 Now, if such n proposition were
made TO The people of the United States, il is easy
TO perceive that it would not be acceptable to the
Southern States, unless the increased nti-slavery
influence which such annexation would bring into
the councils Of the nation, were counteracted, or
at least counter-balanced, by pro-slavery influ.
ence from some other quarter Nor would it be
just or proper owards our Southern brethren to
consideration. The Northern States abolished
slavery. simply for the that slave labor was
Improbable, and could not profitaby compete at
home with free white labor. Motives Of humanity,
except in rare instances, had nothing to do
with the abolition of slavery in the North.
We do not believe that the people of the
Southern States are whit less humane than
those of the Northern; but we do believe,
that slavery becomes unpro-
ftable in the South it became in the North,
IN former times, it Will be abolished there, too,
as il has been in the North. But as this will not
occur for some time yet, and in the meantime
there is every probability that the annexation OF the
Canadas will be agtated, and become an open
question, must look around us and see whence
we can get the pro-slavery influence in our legis-
lature at Washington, as to preserve the balance
of power, well as the harmony OF our political
system. To no place can we look but Cuba for it.
Agan it must be borne In mind that the demo-
cratic party, although defeated and broken up in
the last presidential election, will in all probability
be reunited, and form a compact, solid, and inn
posing force, before the next presidential canvass
shall have come round. Efforts being made
to reunite thar party, and the probability Is that
they will be attended with success. If that party
should be reunited, and should take up the ques-
ton Of the annexation of the island of Cuba, and
should the Cubans remain disposed to form such a
connexIon, and in the meantime render themselves
independent of the Spanish nation, an issue of
equal importance, and attended with equal results
to that of the annexation of Texas, would be sub
nltted TO the people Of the United States. The
accession of that island would be grasped at not only
for the acquisition which it would be, possessing,
as 1t does, a soil and climate unexcelled in any
part Of either hemisphere, but from the safety and
security it would give us in times Of difficulty and
danger. The idea has become fixed in the Anne
rican mind, that, at some time or other, Cuba
must, in the nature of things, become part and
parcel of this confederacy; and of late years.
catenation ofevents to indicate that that
is now not very long off, If such should be the
course of the democratic party, then Canada will
be tax en- in, il it be not before that time annexed
to the United States.
Under this state Of things, therefore, and as
long as we cannot control cirsum Stances we think
that the policy which has been determined upon in
regard to Cuba, by the administration, will not
tend in the slightest degree to defer the annexation
Of that island to the United States. 1t will have
no effect all on the great question. The island
of Cuba will be annexed in time, and it depends
upon contingencies, very likely to occur at any
moment, whether such annexation will take place
before the present administration shall have ended
its career, or General Tayer reelected to the
presidency. 1t may or it may not take place
within that time; but whatever pslicy the admins
tration may adopt will have no effect, one way or
the other, on the subject.
TRIAL oP WALKER.-Tne trial of Thomas A
Walker, for the alleged murder of his wife, com
menced yesterday, and attracts great attention, as
much, perhaps, from the array of counsel on both
sides as fiom the intrinsic interest of the ca se