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

ing with those who will take their stand on the
principle of divorcing the Federal Government
from Slavery and in support of candidate
fully representing it.
SPAIN, FRANCE, AND ENGLAND.
The Democratic Organ against the gbolition Of
Slavery and The institution Of free Government
IN Cuba.
The National fntelhgeneer 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"
81 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 local Legislature 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 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 -Astai.lishv
Of the ssstcs 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 impertinent
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 ayowed 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-
tingush slavery in one Of her own colonies
/ These remarks are suggested by the attempt
OF the Washington Union to represent the
guaranty mentioned 40 direct violation of
MIR. Monroe's policy, and kind of cas,s beli
1t says:
We 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 en-
our very borders 1t is work. certainly. in
violation of the whole policy of our Government
as embodied in the declaration of Mr. Monroe.
1t is work over which every friend of free
institutions must mourn. 1t is 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 knog anything, about
1t! If not, then has the Administration been
most fatally false to its high trust If on the
contrary, our Government rs may be suspected
favors the scheme or acqussces IN it, let us
know the worst at once, and then the people
will assuredly know how toapply such remedy
in the premises rs may yet be practicable IL
IN the last place, the Administration does not
regard the scheme with fayor--if it has ven
tured to go even to the length of any diplomatic
encouragement or refnonstrance, let the public
mind be relieved without longer delay from its
painful forebodings by AUD small assurance of
duty performed in the premises during the past
summer, rs the habitual absence of the Presi
dent and Cabinet from the Seat of Government
has left it in their power to give"
Were Cuba to continue a. she is, without
guaranty by the allies of Spain against inva-
sion, it is probable that Cuban expeditions from
our shores would be repeated, until such state
of things should he produced in the island MS 70
require the sudden and violent emancipation Of
the slaves, with view to enlisting them in the
service of the Government THIS would be
result to be dreaded, rs a forced emancipation
during a 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 contem-
plated in this guaranty, would be attended by
no such evils and, though it would exert
moral influence unfayorable to the continuance
Of Slavery in the United States would produce
no such fearful shock as might follow a forced
aet Of abolition amidst the horrors of civil war.
The advocates of perpetual slayery-and the
Ua,on seems to belong to this elass-will of
course deprccate abolition in Cuba but they
will not be able to convince the people of the
United States that our Cgssnment should go
to wsr y prevent il ~ppGAlly when with this
conteeelsted establish 1ss1 Of the Law of Per-
sOnai Freedom, Po';Es5 ssdom is also to be
associated for thsyuatas Insludcs two con.
ditions-frst the eslsbliaku - Cuba, of Free |
Labor Iasi'tut,oss assh = FssAil in the more ]