Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-27

the increase Of its population and the dew opent Of its
resources and all portions of the Union would be benefit
cd by the trade.
Desirable, however, the poss esson Of this island
may be to the United States woud not ACQUIRE it ex
cept oy tie ifee~i OF SPAIN any acquisition not sane
TONED by justice and honor a be too dearly prchas
ed While such is the dee, ninaton Of the President it
is supposed that the relations between Cuba and
Spain might incline the Spanish oycrnn.cnt to cede the
saha ' 70 inc 0ea oates upon the payment Of FAR
ana null consideration We have received information
from various sources both Off al and unofficial that
among the Creoes Of Cuba ther has long existed deep
rooted hostility to Spanish dc mnion The revolutions
which are rapidly succeeding each other throughout the
world have inspired the Cub ms with an ardent and ire
pressibe desire to achieve er independence Indeed
informed by the Go nsul of the United States at
the Havana that there ppears every probability that
the Island VIII soon be IN state of civil war lie also
states that eforts being made to raise money
for that purpose in the United States and there will be
attempts to induce fe Of the volunteer regiments now
in Mexico to obtain their discharge and join the re-
volution." ahfe
need scarcely inf rm you that the Government Of the
United states has nj I'd agency whatever In exciting the
spirit OF dsaffectio among the Cubans Very far from
IT. short time fter received this information from
our consul add ressed despatch to him, Of which
transmit you opy dated the 9th instant from which
you will perceiy that have warned him to keep watch
fi guard both upon his words and actions SO as 70 AVOID
even the least suspicion that he had encouraged the Gu
bans to rise instruction against the Spanish Govern
ment STE ted also that the relations between Spain and
the United States had long been of the most friendly cha
racter an both honor and duty required that should
take no in the struggle which he seemed to think was
impendi az. informed him that it would certainly be-
come tb duty Of this Government to all proper means
to prev ent any Of volunteer regiments in Mexico
from sioating the neutrality Of the country by joining in
the proposed civil Of the Cubans against Spain Since
the date Of my despatch to him. this duty has been per-
sdent the day following, June TO- addressed
der commanding general in Mexico and also to the
officer having charge of the embarkaton of troops at
Vera Cruz (o which transmit youa copy directing each
them all proper measures to counterfeit such
PLAN if one should be foot and nsructng them to
give orders that the transports which the troops may
embark proceed directly to the United States and in
event to touch at any place in Cuba The CONSUL in his
despatch me- also stated that if the revolution is at
tempted and succeeds, immediate application would be
made the United States for annexaon but he did not
to think that it would be successful and probably
would not be undertaken without the aid of American
troops To this portion of the despatch replied
ing the ardent desire Of the Cubans to be annexed to
Unon-that thought it would not be difficult to pre-
dict that unsuccessful rising would delay if it should
defeat the annexation of the island to the United
States and assured him that the aid of volunteer
| troops could not be obtained.
Thus you will perceive with what scrupulous fidelity
have performed the duties Of neutrality and friendship
towards Spain 1t anxious hope that rising may
not be attempted in Cuba but this should unfortunate
y occur the Government Of the United States win have
performed their whole duty towards friendly Power
Should the Government of Spain feel disposed TO part
with the island of Cuba the question what should We of
fer for it, would then arise. In deciding this question,
it will he important to ascertain 1st What nett revenue
it yields at the present to the royal treasury a
ter deductng all the expenditure incurred its account
and 3D. What nett would yield to the Govern
ment ofthe United States in its present condition?
/ The first inquiry l have no means OF answering with
accuracy McCuoch in his Gazetteer, states that the
whole Of the island at average of the five
years ending with 1887, amounted to SS945,58l per
year !" and it is stated in Hunts Merchants Magazine
for October 1S45 that the for the year 1874
amounted to $40, 400 252.S71. Since 1874 we have
information the subject in the Department upon which
reliance can be placed Mr. Caderon informs me that
the Spanish treasury at Madrid have received from
Cuba in any year exceeding $4,000, 600. In
to inquiry how the remainder of the revenue
expended he stated that it appropriated to de-
fray the expense of its colonial government and to pay
and support the troops and maintain the vessels of war
necessary for It's defence and security.
1t win occur to you that if Spain should cede Cuba to
the United States she would at relieve herself from
great part if the whole Of this civil military and
naval expenditure In this view of the subject 1t would
that the Of $50 900 would be an ample Pc
cuniary indemnity to Spain the loss of the island
g What nett would it yield to the Government
Of the United States at the present moment?
In estimating the amount of this revenue we must
mainly rely upon two sources-dutes on imports, and
the proceeds of the public lands.
OF the average Of 945 581 for the five years
ending with 1897 McCulloch states that the maritime
duties formed 81 per cent the internal taxes 22s per
cent; the ecclesiastical deductions per cent? the per-
sonal deductions per cent the miscellaneous revenues
2! per cent? and the casual 10 per cent Now
it manifest that if Cuba in the possession of the
United States the people would be relieved from the
greater part the whole Of these contributions with
the exception Of the maritime duties Besides, con-
siderable proportion of these maritime duties levied
upon exports which the constitution Of the United States
would forbid.
But the important inquiry this branch Of the subject
is, what amount Of duties could we collect in the island
and this must depend upon the Of the imports
This ascertain for many years up, till 1874 in
elusive from the tables published annually by the nten
dente Of the island. The following tabular statement
extracted from Hunts Magazine is doubtless correct
Years. Imports. Exports.
1840.....$ 24,700 IS9 31i......$ %, 941, 1888 371
25, 081, 408 so .26,774614 SCI
1S42....... 24637, 527 25 ........26, 49,, 701 90
90 422 O96 25, 029 1872 623
1844......... % 056 23I 426591 1877
Admitting that these imports have increased to twenty
six millions of dollars since 1874, and estimating the
average rate of duties under the existing tariff at 20
per cent which the Secretary Of the Treasury informs