Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-27

A V5e'o Of the Annexation Of Cuba to the United
States.
From the Charleston Mercury
THE EVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS IN
CUBA.
We scarcely remember political question that has
been completely judged by superficial consdera-
TONS and involved in contradictions than this of
the annexation of Cuba to the United States. We
have copied q Washington letter to the New York
Journal OF Commerce the subject and take the &C.
casion to express our own views There is asser-
ton in that letter which we are sure is wholly wrong
that Calhoun was originally opposed TO the annexa-
ton Of Texas. That country was colonzed ftom our
own ; had the same political and municipal laws. and
was in all respects part ofus. We heard Mr.. Cal
houn opinions strongly expressed very after the
establishment OF TeXian independence, and 1t was de-
eldediy IN favor OF her admission into the Union
That, however, has no application to the case Of Cuba
The precise charactet Of the present revolutionary
attempt cannot yet be ascertaned The rising in Ci-
enuegos,a bout which we had many pompous announce
mens, proves 10 have been matter OF no great
quence and has been apparently queled with little diff
hcuy on the part OF the government. The landing Of
Lopez is perhaps different affair. He has band OIL
brave adventures with him, and seems to have fought
his way through the first assaants with complete sue
cess. lie has, as lar Judge, secured foot.
hold in the country, and The result TOR the time being
must depend upon the attachment or disafecton OF the
Cubans to their colonial government. We say for the
time being, BE- cause it nearly certain that England
and France will interfere to prevent Cuba from being
torn from the possession OF Spain. We rather think
they have bound themse Ives to do so. On SIDE a
temporary success would probably hurry army of
adventners to the shores OF Cuba, and that beautiful
garden OF The Antilles would thus be the arena for the
fierce contests OF nations To civil war would be ad-
ded the desolaton of foreign invasion. Out of such
coil we see not how Cuba is to escape short of the
waste OF her wealth, the interruption OF her industry
and probably The disorgan zaon OF her institutions
We in the South ought TO be cautious how forward
disastrous result.
To tIUha indpnpndent 81 slave Stata nur hor.
des, rich in products and free to apply her re-
10 the support OF an effective Government; of
her own,-this would indeed be excellent. But why
should we desire TO dag her into our overloaded and
contentious caravan OF States? Why should the South
for at the moment when South Carolina is preparing
to hight her way out OF the Union, we take for gran
led her people will not waste their blood in the en-
deavor TO force any other country into it, Cuba is a
region already well peopled with manners and laws
fixed by immemorIa usage These differ essentially
from our own. They the manners and laws that
belong to absolute governments, not republics, and
there is no instance on record where the people oil
Spanish and English descent have coalesced harmoni-
ously into one. 1t is the union of elements OF ever.
lasting hostility and dsco.d, and instead of increasing
our strength ii would be adding to troubles 1t ia
indeed urged that by admission into this conederacy
Cuba would speedily be peoped with the Anglo
American race, and thus become of u.s. Some
thing OF this would doubtless take place. but Cuba has
already than The population OF Georgia. on scarce.
ly more than the one half OF the area OF Georgia
By what process to change this great popua-
ton INFO OF different laws, manners and NATIONAL
ity! Are they TO be exterminated brought out? Il
either OF these prooessesis depended on, what
by the high sounding declaration about berating the
oppressed Cubans The enterprise on loot would then
be better characterised as attempts 10 dspossess rob
and exerminate the3Cubans. Oar love for Cuba would
prove to be that affection which a thief has for his
neighbors gold watch rather than that which Chris.
tan has tor his neehbor. 1t we look TO the Union OF the
people OF Cuba with his Con aderacy we have area.
dy inmated think the effects would be deplorable
1t this that Mr. (,alhoun
ed and deprecated the acquisition ofany portion of tht
settled country Of Mexico, and still more strongly OF tn.
Island of Cuba
While we see no good therefore, and abundant evil
to result from the acquisition oil Cuba, must say tina
the leading argument which has recently been pressed
into service against it, is Unmitigated absurdity-
The Washington letter, which we quote, hints at the
argument in the conclusion but has been used boun.
tiiuy in nearly all the discussions of the subject We
have seen.
The argument is, that the annexation of Cuba wouIe
ruin the South, by drawing away its slave population
at any rate that it would depopuae the horde
States, and for slave State acquired there woulc
be three four lost. The danger 10 the South from
| such source is altogether imaginary The island o
Cuba proper exclusive OF the keys and small islauds
around it, has an oil no than 80 900 square
miles, or two-thrds OF the extent OF Florida The Is
land is and must be essentially agricultural and b,
consequence Will never accumulate population ir
towns except Tor the purposes OF commerce. Muct
the greatest part OF its good land are already unde]
culture The extraordinary demand for slaves there
during the present century, has sprung from three eau
SEES l.. In the year 1869, whole system OF depress-
ing restrictions on the trade of the Island with olhe
countries, was broken up, and it underwent vas
change in the range OF its trade and the motives tt
enterprise in cultivation. Thi' cause has had time
pretty nearly to exhaust it's force g The SpanisI
laws allow slaves to buy their freedom by obtaining
valuation from public funconaries, and paying up tht
amount as they Hence there is a constant inroad
upon the sa We population By emancipation, and there
is at this time in Cuba free coered population nearly
the whole of the elias in the TTnef
States g. The slave trade, within The last 80 years
has had peculiar character Denounced as piracy by
the great nations it has necessarily taken much Of The
cruel character OF piracy. The difficulties ia the way
of transporting slaves, have given rise to the dispro
poronate importation OF males, both because they
could best endure the trials OF passage and perform
most labor when introduced. Ia the census OF Cub
for 1927, there were $4,000 male slaves, and 10300(
females We have not seen later census enbodyn!
this item but the disproportion of the sexes has no
been diminished. Slavery has been 10 Cuba rather
industrial speculation than social institution and thu
consequence OF this lncessant emancipation the one
hand and the substitution OF newly imported African
on the other has been that the institution has assumed
peculiarly harsh character, emnently unfavorabe t.
the duration OF lie. We have heard it said that fort
years is the ordinary limit OF the life of slave on tn
sugar plantations, and that Tor considerable portion
the year, they work eighteen hours in the day
Now In regard TO each one of these considerations
we think nearly certain that the release OF Cuba iron
the Spanish dominion would work great change ii
favor oil the permanent character and natural ncleas
OF the save population. The cessation OF the slaV
trade would soon put end to the emancipation sys
tenn. and with it to the still worse system oil working
slaves with an eye to exacting from their sinews tn
greatest amount of labour The institution would be
come as it is with u.s. social kindly and sel-sustanine
In such condition the slave population OF Cuba wou
be sufficient OF itself to meet any demands for the ex
tension OF cultivation.
But taking it as it is, with the enormously wastefr
mode OF supplying the deficit by the slave trade an
the best estimates allow only 80 600 slaves year to
imported Cuba 1t is not believed that the averag
is over 10000. Now the increase of slaves in the Uni
ted States during the last ten years has been
ly 100000, at the rate of nearly 10000 year,
we could accordingly bear the removal of that numbt
annually without diminishing the population at HON
No such demand will or can be made upon the Soutl
and they can populate half dozen Cubas in the mex
thirty years without feeling it except in the sustaine
value o! slave property.
We do not, therefore. fear the annexation of Cubs
because of any fatal drain slave population -
But because its union with the United States-ev even
it could be effected without the process of war; and tn
imminent risk OF entire DISCRIMINATION OF its soci
and industrial system,-Woud be incoppruous and ur