The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-27

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now iar the same Government ought now to in
| terfere, again to preserve things from change or
how tar 1t ought to forward the change, it is not
| necessary to discuss here
Spain Is too weak much longer to hold her Gu
| pan possessions. 1t needs but to strike the bIou
and Independence is achieved to the Island In tbis
instance, the first step is empiatiealIy half the
journey, and that step is already taken.
Cuba has the power well as the will and wis.
| dom to be free. She cannot be kept forever in
bonds, endowed she is with a population Of
l,2OO,OOO; with revenue of so, 600 900; with the
intercourse and light attending $50, 1000 600 Of
outward and inward trade; with Territory
equal to that of the larger states; with a soil
teeming whit the choicest productions with forests
| OF the most precious woods; with magnificent and
commanding harbors; with an unmatched position
| as the warder Of the Mexican Gulf and the guard
ian OF the communication with the Pacific; Cuba,
.ne queen OF the American Islands, will not con-
| sent always to remain manacIed slave, and when
the chains are to break, the United States can no
more say, Cuba is naught to us, % than Cuba can
detaen neesef from her anchorage in the portals Of
.ne american sea- or her sentineIship over against
the entrance OF the thousand-armed Mississippi
That Cuba shall ever fall under the poyTer ar
| influence of England, il thing simply out Of the
| question The United States cannot permit apy
| european power to erect Gibraltar which shall
command both north and sonth and which can at
| any moment cut in two the trade between the gulf
ana Atlantic states, and break up at pleasure the
sea communication between New Orleans and New
YORK. In a military point of view, Cuba locks up
N N closed ring, the whole sweep of the Mexican
1aii. ls seven hundred miles Of coast is enc
| mighty fortress; each one of its hundred hill
crowned bays is haven of shelter to an entire ma
Wy, and an outpost to sentinel every movement of
onence, and TO bar out every act Of hostile import
Standing like warder in the entrance Of the Gulf
oil Mexico yet stretching far to the east so as 10
overlook and intercept any unfriendly demonstration
upon either of the great fhoroughfares to South
AiheI,ea or the Pacific, it Is in position to
ave the adjacent islands, and watch and defend all
tne outside approaches to the Isthmus routes TO the
racine, while it guards the portals of the vast in
land sea- the reservoir OF the Mississippi and Mexi-
can trade, the rendezvous of California transit and
wnat mas not yet been duly heeded the outlet Of
| immense though newborn mineral wealth. which
Is vet to control the metal markets of Chrsiendom
| In short, Cuba makes the complete bulwark of
the Mexican Gull, and only leaves to il two gates-
| one between Cape Antonio, the western extremity
/ OF the Island, and Cape Catoche, which advances
from the coast OF Yucatan to meet it, and forms
strait less than 100 miles wide and the other be-
tween Hleacos, the most northern point of Cuba,
ana Cape Sable, the southern extremity of Florida
| but little more than 100 miles apart and between
winch passes the Old Channel" of the Bahamas.
Hall dozen steamers would bridge with their
cannon the narrow straits between Yucatan and
| the west point OF Cuba, and between Florida and
matanzas on the north, and seal hermetricaIly to
every aggressive stranger the entire coastcrcie of
the American Mediterranean. This simple geo
gf9Phlca TACT constitutes Cuba the key of the Gulf
In view OF these facts, Cuba freed from SPAIN
can never be subject to England or any foreign
power: As well might England give up to the
United States the command Of the entrance to the
| English Channel and the Irish Sea. The present
effort aims simply at the Independence Of the
Island, that established by the Cubans, they will
consult circumstances as to its future destiny
With freedom and free trade with the United
States, we shall derive from Cuba every advantage
desired.
Ioo Il
or twenty-two millions of dollars of annual expor.
taton into Cuba, fifteen millions are IN provisions
fabrics, lumber, and materials which one or the
other Of the United States could better supply than
any other country, but through the multitude of
taxes and restrictions imposed by European policy
not more than third of it comes from the fields
and factories Of this country. The industrial
classes here lose by this system the stimulus OF ten
mhhonsa a year-sutficient to employ and support
iorty thousand laborers--while the Cubans only
obtain, under these exoFbitant nposts about one
hall as much for their money as they would get in
| "a free, fair market
PROVISIONS, for example, such as flour, salted
meats, butter, and all the etceteras of American
| abundance, are imported into Cuba to the amount
| OF nine millions Of dollars annually, and are an
loaded with duties that average "a per cent, and
what with delays high appraisals, tonnage duties,
local exactions, and retail taxes cost more than
double the just market price by the time thew reach
the table OF the consumer. American -four from
Amerlcan ships pays duty Of $40 so barrel to
protect the Inferior article from Spain and in
consequence, none but the rich in Cuba can afford
to eat good wheat bread while in open family re-
ciprocity, American agriculture would yearly be
called upon to supply million barrels Of flour to
its 100000 inhabitants.
New England is not less concerned in unhind-
ing this trade, for besides the nine millions
which should be made to the farmers of this
country, and the two millions in metals, i'm.
plements, and machinery, which of right should
hoat 70 her tromdown the Ohio and Missis-
slpp!, Cnba annually requires cotton and WOOL |
en- fabrics and readymade furniture and apparel
to the invoice value of three millions more. ali
oil which NewEngland looms and me haaics should
create Sl5 .OOO, 600 therefore imported 10 Cuba
"hich the citizens oi the mining, manufacturing
and agricultural States should supply and which
the ships of the commercial section should convey
and this mass of needful food, furniture raiment
and implements for house and land when broken
up IN detail, and overwhelmed at each step with
ifesh mp3sltons, do not cost the Cubans less than
thirty millions of dollars.
AS between Spain and Cuba, the former has for
telted every right 10 her supremacy over the latter
ms however, does not justify an unlawful inter
ference on the part of the United States But this
country must look to it, when the island shHll be
come free from Spanish dominion--an event TO
take place speedily-that in the words of the late
distinguished ex-President, John Quincy Adams
" Cuba does not fall into the hands of anv other
European power" 1t is the natural right--it is
the solemn duty Of the United States to watch over
the interests of Cuba. the present Captain Cen
erai has threatened TO emancpate and arm the
African slaves in case of the least movement on
the part OF the Cubans. Who can regard with
any thing but horror this most outrageous most
fiendish avowal! Would the United States per. |
init this Can the United States permit this T! |
Who can look back to the enomises and awful |
excesses of St Domingo, and hesitate for an |
answeri |
INFORMATION WAHTED-of Mr.. JOHN BEN !