The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-10-28


not do SO, although present at the Taneytown
meeting as also at subsequent meeting in
Westminster He announced his intention to
do so subsequently; that is, after the Doctor
would be gone, and to Compromise Demo
cratic meeting, where rejoinder would not be
permitted, even we're DR.. S. present.
THE DIFFICULTIES WITH CUBA.
The conduct of the authorities of Cuba in
excluding the Crescent City from the port of
Havana, has excited much discussion. Some
Of the Wing papers in New York city, unwlll-
ing while a Presidential election is pending,
that the Democrats should carry off the credit
of being the more jealous patriots, indulge in a
beligerent tone But with few exceptions, the
better portion of the Press of both parties dep
recates rash and violent measures. The NeW
York Evening Post contends that the Govern
ment of Cuba violated no treaty obligation ;
but that in refusing to allow any communication
with the steamer while person regarded as
dangerous to its safety was on board it only
exercised the police power which every State
holds in reserve for its own preservation.
Meantime the Administration at Washing
ton, we learn, has ordered Commodore Porter
to repair to this city, for the purpose of ascer-
tanning from him personally all the facts of
the case, so that it may act inteligently. This
is entirely proper. Prompt action is demanded
but not action in the dark
The Cuban sympa,hizers are availing them
selves of the difficulty, to drive the Admins
tration to the adoption of precipitate measures.
They pretend that the flag of the Republic
has been dishonored, and that our national
reputation is in danger. Our flag has not been
dlshonored no nation medtates any insult to
1t; our ability and willingness to protect it
are too well understood. A great nation can
afford to be moderate and magnanimous
From the facts as stated in the newspapers
it is evident that the Cuban Government did
not intend to affront our flag, or manifest hos
tility to our People; but being threatened with
revolution, simply acted from the instinct of self
preservation. 1t may have acted on insufficient
evidence, and gone too far this is matter
for investigation and explanation; gunpow-
powder is the last thing to be resorted to for
settling it. That there is no disposition on
the part of the island Government to indulge
in an offensive policy, is evident from the fol-
lowing despatch from New Orleans
"New Orleans, Oct 22-The officers and
passengers of the Empire City were treated at
Havana with the utmost civiity Some arrests
were being made for political offences; other
wise, the island was quiet"
Suppose one of our States, South Carolina
for example, should be in peril from II threat
ened servile Instruction, and that an English
vessel from Jamaica, known to have on board
an individual whose presence, owing to some
supposed connection with the insurrectionary
project, was believed to be dangerous; we
doubt whether the Government of that State
would act with even 80 much forbearance as
that OF Cuba
The truth is, there would be no difficulties
with Cuba, were it not for the existence of
formidable organization in this country ready
to toment and sustain revolution in that
island, with view to its annexation to the
United States, and for the encouragement to
to this annexation policy openly given by
leading politicians among us. All that this
and these politicians want, is
pretext for descent upon Cuba, and hence
the repeated efforts made to exaggerate and
distort acts of sef.defence on the part of
the Cuban authorities, carried, it may be, to
an extreme, into intentional outrages against
our People and Government.
Let the American People be just and self
possessed and not suffer themselves to be in
famed by the willy arts of demagogues and
plunged into war for the extension of. Sla-
very.
We have no sympathy with the despotic
Government of Cuba or of Spain, to whom it
belongs. We recognise the right of people
to rise against oppression, PROSTATE tyranni-
cal domination, and erect a Government for
themselves.
But if the planters of Cuba want independ-
cncc, let them give freedom to their bondsmen,
and unite with them against the despotism
under which they now all suffer together. The
work would then be easily accomplished, with
out foreign sympathy or aid.
But when we consider that the revolution
they desire is intended to transfer the island
from Spain to the United States, 50 as to secure
its Slavery within the ramparts of our Union
against the emancipation doctrines of Europe,
we must be excused if we regard the scheme
as anything but worthy of the sympathy or
support of the freemen Of this country. If
General Pierce, as is claimed by Senators
Douglas and Soule, be favorable to this policy
of annexation, fraught as it is with such con-
sequences, his election we should regard with
infinite alarm. Let the power of the vote to
be gwen next Tuesday, for Hale, the repre-
sentative Of Freedom and Progress, not Prog
reS and Slavery be such, rs shall restrain
whatever Administration shall be in power the
next four years from the fagtious attempt to
extend the empire of Slavery.
NEW JERSEY.
The Free. Sellers are late in the field in New
Jersey. Their State Convention was held ON
the 9th. The attendance was small, as sufh-
cinnt notice had not been given