Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-12

cry which may be raised with effect in Cuba is not
SO much that Enumeration as ofindependenee. But,
as in the of Texas such independence would be
the nfallible prelude to annexation, and in ceasing
to be Spanish the island becomes American On the
other hand, the planters of Cuba are still indebted
to Spain for the existence and maintenance of we'll
appointed and efficient army, which is absolutely
required at all times to keep the black population
in subsection to their masters and to protect life and
property throughout the island from the periodical
horrors of negro rebellion
"A country in which the slave trade has been
ried to extent till within very recent
period stands in this respect in very different
dtion from the southern States of America where
the whole slave population is born in servitude and
is comparatively tame. This state of things renders
the occurrence of disturbances in Cuba matter of
most critical Importance for if strife arise between
the government and its white in the island
the blacks hardly fail to take advantage of what
ever weakens the dominant race, and may require
no extraordinary from their liberated
countrymen in the ad jacent islands to give most
formidable character to such conflict.
81 Even if it be supposed that the authors of the
present rising have definite or immediate object
but to sever the connexion of the island from Spain
which may Justly be charged with many and grave
faults in the government Of such dependency-it is
not the less certain that if the Spanish domin
ion in Cuba be terminated the social condition of the
island will depend the condition to which the
black population may be reduced, and its political
incorporation would become object of intense de-
sire to large portion of the American people. The
loose and abOrtive expeditions made within the last
few years, disavowed though feeby depressed by the
federal government indications of the direction
easily be given in the United States to that terri
toral ambition which has already absorbed Texas
and invaded Mexico and the occurrence of such an
event as a Cuban struggle for independence would
Immediately become the war-cry of party in the
United States. If we are to witness the return OF
the democratic party to power, is not improbable,
at the next presidential election it is easy to forsee
to what purposes such cry may be turned for al
though we acquit the present cabinet at Washington
of designs inconsistent with its public engagements
to friendly powers it is not less certain that the
nexaton of Cuba has been long favorahly entertain
ed and perseverngly watched by large and aspir-
ing class of American politicians.
It is evident that such change in the condition
of that island would powerfully affect the CONNER
cial and maritime interest of several other States,
and that it could only be effected by violation of
all the rights of Spain 1t would identify the colony
in which slave labor is carried to its utmost extent
with the slave markets and slave owners of the south
ern States of the Union and 1t would assign to the
rising naval power of the United States the most i'm
portant military station in the West Indian seas
Once in possession of Cuba. the principal seat of
its power in that ocean, the government OF the Uni
ted States would encounter comparatively few obsta
Giles in the acquisition of other islands such Porto
Rico and St. Domingo, until we ourselves might be
compelled to defend under the most adverse circum
stances possessions which have belonged for cou-
ple of centuries to the British Crown and in which,
for the first time negro population has been raised
to the level of free peasantry. 1t will never we
trust be in the power any conqueror to restore in
those islands the oppression and inhumanity of a
slaveholding or slave-importing government, which
we have swept at immense sacrifices, from the Brit
ish soil But it cannot be denied that the extern
sion of the United States government to any portion
of the West Indies is identified with the maintenance
of slavery and the extension of saveholding interests,
and that slavery and freedom hardly subsst per-
manently in adjacent territories, side by side
ITO this it may be added that, in common with
France and the other allies of Spain, inter
ested in preventing any occurrence which may con-
tract her pecunary resources and lessen her ayaila-
BILE streng 9Th Cuba and the Philippines the last
remains of her magnificent colonial empire. They
are both of them highly productive dependencies
they both deserve an ADLER and more disinerested
administration But the transfer of those islands to
any other maritime power would only augment the
weakness of one State by rendering the aggressons
of another more successful against any such pro-
jects the government Of this country in conjunction
Nth that Of France and Of Spain herself IS bound to
make an early and efectun stand and from the wis
dom which the cabinet of Washington has sometimes
evinced in avoiding the blind and perilous impulse
of popular feeling for annexation, hope that it
may not be wholly disincned to concur with other
governments in endeavoring to preserve the perma
nent union of Cuba with the Crown of SPAIN