The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-02


from Slavery and in support of a candidate
fully representing it.
SPAIN, FRANCE, AND ENGLAND.
The Democratic Organ against the pbolition Of
Slavery and the institution Of free Government
an Cuba
The National f,,telhgencer publishes, without
comment the following extract of letter from
a gentleman in New York, whose correspond
ence in England it remarks, lis from the most
respectable and well informed sources"
II have letter by the last British steamer,
which states that SPAIN France, and England,
are negotiating a treaty respecting the guaranty
of Cuba The conditions are that Cuba shall
have q local Legislatnre-a representation in
the Cortes at Madrid--and that provision shall
be made for the gradual abolition of slavery in
the island consider the information very re-
liable"
Our Government has always signifed its
willingness that Cuba should remain a colony
of Spain, avowing, simply, hostility to any pro-
ject for transferring it to another Power. This
reported guaranty does not, therefore, interfere
with any position it has taken. Nor can it OBJ
ject to the conditions Of the guaranty-the
gradual abolition of slavery and tina A'i'siis
no right U16tSrfere M(hssent abolition in one
Of the Ssatcs Of this Union, surely it can have
no pretence of right to complain Of abolition by
an independent State, England and France
have put an end to Slavery in colonies close
upon our shores, and noae claimed that we had
right to demonstrate. Spain may do the
same, and remonstrance by our Government
would be simply ridiculous and impairment
We all remember that the British Government
used its influence to induce Texas, while an in
dependent State to abolish Slavery, but Mr.
Calhoun, then Secretary of State though he
made her policy the ground of urging the an
nexation of Texas. did not presume to regard it
as violation of the policy avowed by Mr..
Monroe; and surely, if in that case, there was
no such violation, there can be none in this,
where England and France use their influence,
not with an independent State of America, but
with their European ally, to induce her to ex-
tingunh slavery in one Of her own colonies
! These remarks are suggested by the attempt
'of the Washington Union to represent the
guaranty mentioned as direct violation of
Mr.. Monroe's policy, and kind of cas,.s belh
1t says
ave are openly told by the Wing organs
upon reliable authority, that British and French
diplomacy combined, are Just accomplishing, or
have already accomplished, this double work Of
assured abolition and perpetuated despotism on
our very borders. 1t is work, certainly, in
violation OF the whole policy of our Government
US embodied in the declaration of Mr. Monroe
1t is work over which every friend of free
institutions must mourn. IL is a work which
every Southern State of the Union must look
upon with horror.
Has our Government said anything, or done
anything, or taken care to know anything, about
it! If not, then has the Administration been
most fatally false to its high trust If, on the
contrary, our Government as may be suspected
favors the scheme, or acquissces in it let us
know the worst at once, and then the people
will assuredly know how to-spply such remedy
in the premises rs may yet he practicable. If
in the last place, the Administration does not
regard the scheme with favor--if il has ven
tured to 20 even to the length of any diplomatic
Encouragement or resnonstrancc let the public
mind be relieved without longer delay from its
painful forebodings BY 1hcA small assurance of
duty performed in the premises, during the past
summer, as the habitual absence of the Pres-
dent and Cabinet from the Seat Of Government
has left it in their power TO give"
Were Cuba to continue MS she is without a
guaranty by the allies of Spain against inva-
sion, it is probable that Cuban expeditions from
our shores would be repeated until such a state
of things should DO produced in the island MS 70
require the sudden and violent emancipation of
the slaves, with view to enlsting them in the
service of the Government THIS would be
result to be dreaded, as forced emancipation
during civil war, would almost inevitably be
attended with great evils No Southern State
of the Union could regard this Without hor-
ror." But legal provision for the peaceful abo-
lition of slavery in Cuba, such as is conten,-
plated in this guaranty, would be attended by
no such evils, and, though it would exert a
moral influence unfavorable to the continuance
of Slavery in the United States would produce
no such fearful shock a. might follow forced
ast Of abolition amidst the horrors Of civil war
The advocates Of perpetual slavery-and the
Uaon seems to belong to this elass-will of
course depreoats abolition in Cuba, but they
will not Be able 10 cor{nce the people of the
United States thas os( Cvsunent should go
IN vrar IN vraverk n - ~ when with this