Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-01

have done with the subject 1t enough here to indicate
it element of mischief in reference 10 the acquis
ton of the Island by force The preponderang strength
Of the United States is antsayery and would at any
itself for the destruction of that institution In
any acquisition We have seen in the case OF Cah-
fornia how eager the pursuit and how INSCRIPTIONS
as TO the means would be- Even If the United States
should retain possession Of Cuba the result Of war;
they would have it dsrobed Of its riches its commerce
annhilated its industrial products wasted its peaceui
labor changed into brgandage and yagrancy and its
blooming fields desert. Their legislation, we too
well know, would never restore II from what It would
then be to what it now Is The result then, would DC
ACQUISITION of territory at the cost Of expensive
and dangerous war and the loss OF valuable commerce
by the destruction of its resources.
And what sort Of acquisition would it be- indepen-
IDENTIFY of these products of slave labor, which would
perish in the process We should acquire possession
which has been used be kept in order by standing
army twice great the whole force Of the United
States. We should acquire people who have never
submitted to any but monarchical Government
and who would hold in contempt any thing less exactng
energetic, and splendid Moreover, we should acquire
people who have always shrunk from political amalgama
ton with us who have become embittered by recent
Z, contention and who would have right to look upon
their the authors Of the utter ruin OF their
| country There would be not merely the immemorial
habits of the people, but every conceivable
added to make necessary to retain possession OF the
conquest by force. So, in reward for having by foul
means converted peaceful rich and valuable neighbor
into desolate and hostile possession the United States
would find il necessary adopt the despotc system OF
standing army and to maintain by violence what 1t had
| acquired by wrong.
The United States as confederacy, then, ought, on
every ground of public policy to shrink from the acqui
ston Of Cuba by war 1t is nowise certain they would
get it, 1t is nearly certain, if they did, would be shorn
of all the value that makes it SO attractive. 1t Is
quite certain that the possession must be maintained by
standing army Where, then, is the argument in favor
Of it?
To u.s. by the far most interesting aspect Of the Cuba
question is the special relation which that colony bears to
the Southern States slavehoding communities 1t is
admitted that have deep interest in the
of its institutions and the consideration Of this has pro-
badly than any other reason induced many South
ern men to sympahize with the late attempts at re-
vouto and rejoice in the prospect Of bringing Cuba
into the Union. 1t would, they urge, secure the
shareholders Of Cuba from European emancipation, and
would add new slave State to balance California. ~
In regard the first Of these considerations whatever
might have been true ago, it is not true
that European nation seeks to deprive Spain OF this
colony. England and France would at this moment glad
y unite with our Government in treaty assuring to
Spain its undsturbed possession. Ii is equally certain
that Spain will maintain slavery in the Island long
is do it. The whole value of the colo
ny depends slave labor Without that all its
would wther up the richest portion fits
would be abandoned it would no longer afford the
to maintain army for its protection; it would
send tribute to the royal exchequer and its large and
valuable trade with the mother country would perish
There fear that Spain will sacrifice much for the
sake Of aping the shortsghted and grevousy pun
ished experiments in philanthropy that have destroyed
the wealth and industry Of SO large part of the West
Indies
AS to the second consideration that the acquisition of
Cuba would restore the equilibrium of the free and slave
States it can hardly be properly answered without going
over the whole question Win it be slave State when
acquired? We have that it cannot be obtained by
purchasethat its acquisition would be at the cost of
war This struggle then, would be between the United
States the majority of whom nslavery, and Spain,
whose only motive for defending slavery is found in the
peaceabe enjoyment of its benefits in Cuba aided at
least encouraged and advised by England and France,
who would throw their weight the side Of emancipa-
ton. could not be prevented from taking posses
sion of the island, its possession could easily be made
valueless and even pest to by the abolition of sa-
very In estimating the possibility Of eectng this,
must remember that onethrd of the black and coored
population of the island is already Free and that the
greater part of the slaves not natives but imported
from Africa within the last twenty-five years.
Moreover, the fact of such great part Of the slave po
pulaon being but reclaimed savages with strong
local attachments, and love for their masters has
given rise system of severity in their management
which puts the whole of them in very different position
towards the whites from that which they hold among
1t is clear that it would great effort the part
Of the Spanish authorities throw the slave population
of Cuba into state Of complete INSTRUMENTATION Would
they do it, Perhaps not but there is probability enough
Of it to make it very interesting point ndiscussng the
duty and policy of the Southern States in regard to the
acquisition Of Cuba by force
1t does not follow, therefore, that in conquering Cuba
should gain slave country 1T quite uncertain,
If did, that it would be admitted State. If the
South interested in restoring the sectional balance the
North bent retaining her superiority Before they
had equality in the Senate and they succeeded in
prvng California Of all government whatever, until it
came before them for admission State with anti
slavery constitution Now they not only check the
South, they vote down in both Houses and
they likely surrender superiority which they have
every principle Of good faith and endangered the
Union to obtain? Besides in what condition would Cuba
be to justify her admission into the Unoni There Is
white population native to the island permanently set
tied amounting 600 000 double that of the white
population Of South Carolina in territory little larger
than our State not one Of whom exercised poit
cal franchise took share in public affairs other
to submit to the power and shout around the chariot
wheels of established authority We propose 10 drive out
oil those who have held rule and of those who have
heretofore only had experience of unquesonng submits
sion propose to make democratic republic, and this
in the face of blacks and 400 slaves fresh
imported from Africa. Among all the recent abortve
attempts at free government in Europe was there ain
gle commenced under such desperate auspices this
1t not absolutely certain that preserve order in such
community army would be necessary And where
there army for the purpose Of domestic peace and
civil rule, could there be State Would admit into
the Union State which had power Of self government
but in the hands Of the United States army and navy
But suppose all these difficulties conquered, what has
the South gained by restoring the balance Of sections
We surrendered every thing when allowed the NORTH
TO appropriate the whole Of the Western Territories
There will be States formed whose admission can
not oppose any hitherto recognised principles, AND
what have to balance them? Can we keep Minnesota
or Oregon Nebraska New Mexico out Of the Unor
for any length Of time and when Of them is admit
ted what becomes Of the sectional equilibrium? II II
too ute to seek shelter under that and the
make minds that only safety Is In sternly
unitedly standing by what have the viii be
prudence and the surer our defence.
We have thus in the briefest space answered the two
arguments used by Southern for the acquisition o.
Oak