The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-10

Tho SPanish Colonial System.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
| Feeling deep interest In the island of Cuba,
have closely watched every indication tending 10
cast any light the question of its future destiny
and nothing that has came before the public has
more seriously engaged my attention than the arti-
cles which have lately appeared in your extensive
| ~ circulated and very Influential journal From
the special opportunities for information, and the
general sagacity OF Judgment possessed by the
editor of the Herald, have been anxious to
learn lis views and opinions, and esrecisy TO know
whether the Herald really expected any political
guarantees TO be included in the changes you have
announced, in the policy Of Spain respecting Cuba,
and by this mean institutions affording 10 the peo-
pie OF the island some power which may act as a
check upon their government, or whe Their your pa
per intended TO maintain that simple administration
reforms were sufficient and possible wHhou! any
such guarantees. In your paper OF the 2fh there
appears an interesting letter from Havana cores
pOndent, which, though some of its passages are
calculated TO leave the mind IN doubt, on the
whole, by its illusions 10 representation and taxa
ton, and TO an anticipated variation in the course
of the Chyonica, would seem 10 indicate that some
kind or degree of political guarantees may be anti
cpated Indeed on the one hand, the very mild
course OF the present Captain General, Concha in
" hose praise your columns have been liberal, and
trust also, just tend to confirm such hopes but,
on the Other hand, the latest indications from
fading articles of the official journals, certain
ly, not very encouraging As late as the 18th Of
January, in the Spanish Q ortes, the motion OF the
count of the public expenditures in Cuba, to an ex.
animation, was rel ected by vote of l47 10 3D. and
the ministerial views on the subject uneluipocally
expsun1 led in the speeches Of the President of the
Cabinet, Bravo Murillo, and in the columns of the
Madrid Hcrdido seem 10 showat once and decidedly,
that not even the first elements OF political reform
are to be expected. suholn a translation of the
editorial of that journal, Che Official organ Of the
government) of the 3lst ut, which ! trust, from
your lberality and impariality, you will publish, as
having an importent bearing the interesting
question of the condition and prospects OF Cuba.
February %, 1851. Respectfully.
From the Madrid Herald, Jan. 81
There Is one point in which all parties have agreed
IN spain, and that i, that TIE COLONEL possessions
shsd in the constitution Of 1887 so In that Of 1885,
and II it not so in that Of 1872 the authors Of the
must have found many occasions for remorse 1t
is unnecessary to examine tho causes which have
made this general opinion and fixed 1t was - an
them and It is only class OF philanthropists
reiormers, ignorant OF the art OF government-who
rum ored that the British government was intent on
carrying the system to her colonies and
ssnst that dea which tS We may call
in consideration OF the influence which 1t might have
beyond the seas belonging to other ooun-
tries Well, then, If this Is not expedient-f such
thought would be reasonable not only to tho great
interest OF the Peninsula but to that Of the colonies
themselves, how comes 1t to be desired that In what
appsr aims to their financial administration the fun
damentsl laws OF the metropolis shoad be applied.
away BY mistaken feeling Of philanthropy and ibsr-
ty, Who can demand for the whole huma race with
the exclusion Of the savage A;ricsns liberal nstitu-
tions destined to give to each individual share in
fuepce in the supreme power. But yet Va can ina
CINE this, can imagine sensible persons to exist
who, when the subject OF political ~ stem Is discuss
ed. spa q difference between psople who are near
and those who are at an immense distance from the
action of government. What we cannot understand
H. that men who have themselves asserted in their
writings that the provinces beyond the seas should be
ruled by especial laws should pretend to make an
| IL this were matter OF no inportsnce-as II the
presenting Of budgets and accounts TO the Cortss were
not the great basis OF our political system rs OF the
Of s countries whore the people interfere in
the government Of the State Now then, should that
be granted to the colonies which, among US, Is called
GUARANTEE Ifpot then we cannot see the motive for
especial laws the reason why other guarantees
may not be equally refused which important
They phould be excluded from the political rights Of
the mother country; and, therefore It would NOT be
QogicaD consistent to give them the right Of publicity
nd OF the examination OF their budgets and accounts
uhe American public must bear in mind that this
nination so dreaded is only asked for By the Pen
sular putissJ which, se have eaid IL the great
| tight Of countries con.ttutionally governed.
1t will be alleged that IL Is very different matter to
have the sccounts examineu m hscsi cnecS
by the Spanish Cortes ON the or to allow the
colonies examine them, which Is what would cons-
tute the political right which, Tor the Peninsula has
b. con secrated in the constitution. But those go
| speaking are not that from one thing to the
ether there is but step, and that the duty once
being Acknowledged. the part OF the executive OF
preventing for the examination and approval OF the
Cotes the budgets and accounts OF our colonies there
IL pothr more natural md reasonable than to the
latter dem nding participate in this very exsmna
nation for after all IL was the discussion Of their
| aTsirs-thsir own ipterssts-and there would be no
| undue exigepcy in wishing to take part In al the
questions which arose from those interests And what
| sould result nom this. One Of two things the go
vernment would weud not grant the pretension. IL
| granted 1t would be carrying to the colonies the
political strfes the painful effects OF which We expe-
rsneed ~ the early part otnn ns :, an,
| cord and discomfort which would tern mate In
interrupting the inerchange of dfsrence and symp.
tly which now sxists between the possessions which
have been lett TO on the other side OF the waters
However much We may admit the good will good
intention and good faith OF those who declare them.
selves champions OF the colonies bound to tell
them that they walk In mistaken peth aud that once
In IT, they can but serve interests which Span
ish And let not the example OF other countries be
cited to us bscause we have had every Kind OF expsri
epce, sns we know what is behttingu US We have al
resdy alluded to the time when political rights were
granted to colonies and there is no one who does
not remember. with sorrow the effect produced by
senior Bravo Muriilo. President Of the Council Of
Ministers. in the deSstt on the tribunal Of accouAts
while expressing the view Of the moderate In contrast
with those Of the opposite party who through sxces'
coed sith always In political questions throw aside
the Lessons OF experience established this position q
bscor,ing prudent and foreseeiDg government. Lot
the debate refer " you please 70 the opportunity Of
framing tie especial lawr promised our soonies al
though The progressoniss have lost all ground for
making an urgent demand for them yet ns long ~
those laws do not exist - would be anomalous aud
ridiculous beside and gerous apply
to colonial affair. Isw, exclusively made for the PEN
insula and Shieh not the especial Laws OF which
the constitution speaks In the work OF looking after
The interests Of the colonies We go a. far any one
but " the Interests Of those colonies we're sd
vspced thereby admitting the prozressionist views
which are more than doubtful believe that hghei
than tho interest Of the colonies and the colonial do
mraton stands greater interest common TO all par
ties and all spsniards IN toth nemlspneres-tns ms
tobal interest Of our prosperity and ou
future,
Tux LATE TORNADO Ar FAYErrEyILLg. TENN.-
A correspondent of the Louisville (ky.) Journal
writing from Fayetteville, under date OF the 2jti
ult says-A few minutes pa Il four o'clock yestt
day morning, great poruun Of our town was lai,
in ruins, by sstorm which swepieveryihing before Il
Webb Il Smiths, Goodrich's and John McPhall'
stores were blown down TO the second floor. Boil
hotels were badly injured Hines new building
wac riddled Bagley's, lsaae's, Mrs Y. Mckin