The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-14
ANNEXATION.

Ifanybody is astOnished at the undsguised anx-
iety of the shareholders to annex Cuba to the
United States we judge that their astonishmcnt
will cease on a perusal of the following article,
which lays bare the hidden motives for this pro-
iect Let the country read and he convinced
We copy from the Hartford Republican.
at is well known that the institution of
slavery was re-invigorated in this country by the
rise and growth Of the cotton culture. There are
indications that the cotton planters long to restore
the foreign slave trade.
awe find in the Southern Press communication
from A Cotton Planter of Georgia. showing that
il is impossible for the cotton growers to prepare
three million bales of cotton for market, annually
He says they have not slaves enough 10 pick more
than 2 400 900 bales, at the utmost, however many
millions may be planted The Press copies this
communication from the National IateliigAcey,
and appends remarks as follows:
ga writer in the Westminster Repie,c, in ls49,
when the cotton crop was short, and the price rose
nearly 100 per cent, simply on account Of the de-
fcienoy Of per cent. of quantity advised that
the best policy for the British Government would
he, il she was friendly to her own national manu-
featuring supremacy -partculsriy her 500 mil
lions involved in cotton mills, and labor connected
therewithtO take of all restrictions the slave
trade. Then the poor negroes could be brought
again freely to America and the West Indies, and
would fall in value 10 100 dollars and they would
also escape the murders to which they are at pres
ent subjected, by thousands yearly, under their
own cruel rulers, in Ashantee and negro Africa
a fact proved by the accounts of English and
Dutch Government agents, sent to examine the
nature Of the negro Government, and their social
position in Africa, ~ recently as $780, ~
% al Il. l. Al.
heart Of the Slave Power IL sufficiently intimates
what il would do IL It could II the continuanoe
Of the slave trade had been limited to 1852 in
stead OF 1905 We have no doubt that our modern
Shareholders would now be found declaring its
prohibition unconstitutional. They have perpe-
traed quite AZ great outrsges on the Constitution.
" One reason why the slsveholders are 30 eager
to annex Cuba is, that they hope by means of
Cuba to annex the African slave trade They
desire TO have Cuba rs great reservoir from
which 20 feed the system in the planting States.
They object TO introducing slaves from the North
ern border slave States because they fear to hasten
emancipation in these States Their policy is to
check this tendency TO draw the slave population
from The Northward into the more Southern
Slave States. They aim TO keep the area of slave
ry az large as possible. Therefore Cuba, with its
slave-trading habits and facilities, must be annex
cd, in order TO be used as bountiful source from
which supply of slaves may flow In TO stock the
plantations and check the slave trade with Mary
land Virginia, and Kentucky. In this way the
planters mean TO avail themselves Of the African
slave trade, to strengthen and spread their in
stituti0ni
"' But our laws forbid the foreign slave trade!
The Constitution itself forbidsit The Spanish
Government forbids the African slave trade !;
England, the United States, and others, have uni
TED 70 make 1t impossible yet the slave traders
continue their business, and Cuba liz constantly
snppheu WIN fresh cargoes Of slaves from the AZ
rican coast. The annexation Of Cuba To the IJni.
ted States would effect no change in this piratical
commerce This slave trade would continue to be
carried on clandestiDely, ~ It Is now. Probably
annexation would give IL fresh vigor, for the
Slave Power In the States would do It's utmost 10
Increase it's facilities and give II security Ifcu-
! ba were annexed 10 the Union, any number OF