The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-24
Hostility to the Annexation Of Caba.

L II sihS, uuiSAai, " oAAo ~
telligence, &c.
Hostility to the Annexation Of Cuba.
There is nothing more clearly discernible
through the telescope Of manifest destiny"
than, sooner or later, the annexation of Cuba
to the United States. We feel here, in this
country. almost without distinction Of party,
political or religious, that it is to be SO.
The only material questions of difference
upon the subject among us-that is, the mass
of the people-are, as to the time when, and
the means by which, this important acquisition
is to be effected. The Order of the Lone Star.
the Ouzel Owls, the Cuban Junta, and the
school of Young America. are decidedly infavor
Of invading the island with a sufficient military
force to revolutionize it; and then. after esta-
blishing an independent republic upon the ruins
of the Spanish dominion, to knock at the door
of Congress for admission into the Union. In q
word, their plan is the Texas plan from begin
ing to end. Others, even Of the fierce de-
mocracie," are opposed to such flibustering,
and prefer the plan which was pursued by Mr..
Jefferson. in the acquisition of Louisiana, and
by Mr.. Monroe. in the annexation Of Florida.
4hNy kO " Ouy III SuOb, oHu ot iuiOc Oil
cost, rather than run the hazards Of losing the
prize by a timorous procrastination. Others
again are believers in Mr.. Calhoun's doctrine
Of mastery inactivity" and are urging the
policy Of waiting till the fruit is ripe, when, as
they say, from the natural avs Of gravitation,
it will fall at our feet.
There are. however, here and there, a few
/ cooffaripn bi1o bounJ ooncaruofsuao wha
opposed to the incorporation Of Cuba into this
Union upon any terms. at any time, and by any
means, in despite of any advantages. or provo
cations, or considerations Of national policy
suggesting the ultimatum of annexation. We
mean those conservatives who are not identi-
fed with the abolition crusaders against the
South, all of whom are Of course Indignantly
ern States, even were the salvation of the
Union to depend upon it. We are speaking Of
those straight-laced conservatives who, fearful
of the dangers of a forward movement, would
prefer to stand still. And as it was this class
of conservatives-mostly of the same party
which resisted the acquisition Of Louisiana, and
Florida. and Oregon. and Texas. and Utah, and
/ NEW MeAlCO. III SdllluI lld, VIC pIOpUSS UIicuy
to examine their objections, and to put them to
the test of experience.
Our conservative. tremulous, Union-loving
opponents of the acquisition of Cuba, present
the following as their leading objections to the
incorporation OF the island into our national
confederacy:-
First The serious difficulty of amalgamating
| Al. C~o-.l $3.50. &C C.Lc ~rs41 o.- -.1.lo
There is a difference between the whites Of Gu
ba, and the white races of the United States, it
is urged which renders their antagonism heredi-
tary and implacable. The overshadowing su-
| perstitions of the Church in Cuba, all-powerful,
exclusive and universal, can never be sacrificed
to, or blended with. the comparatively simple
elements Of religion prevailing in this country.
In a word, it is pleaded. that from their national
traditions, laws and customs. social and politi-
cal, from their %tenacity to their church, and its
overwhelming calendar of charming %supersti-
tons, and mysterious but fascinating and all
important ceremonies. the mass of the whites of
Cuba have been taught to look upon the peo-
pie of the United States as outcast barbarians
and heretics, with whom q national amalgama-
ton would be the certain destruction of the
faithful, church and state, soul and body.
Secondly The six hundred thousand of the
negro race of Cuba, including slaves and free
blacks, and mulatoes, the slaves only number
ing as two to one, would be naturally arrayed
in a solid phalanx against US. And why Be-
cause, as it is urged, both the free blacks and
the slaves in the Island Of Cuba enjoy many so
cial and religious privileges of equality with
the whites, to a greater or less extent, which
would be inevitably abolished with the island in
our possession.
From these two classes of objections it is
argued that while the whites of Cuba could not
be assimilated with our people, without infusing
into our great community som of the most
Objectionable features Of Spanish society, Gus
toms and usages. social and religious. the ne
groes Of Cuba. on the other hand. would prefer
a war Of determination to the prospect of q
transfer to the rigid distinctions of caste be-
tween whites and blacks existing all over the
United States. To put this last point in its
most formidable shape, it has been repeatedly
asserted as the avowed policy Of Spain. in the
last resort. to declare the freedom Of The slaves
Of Cuba, and to turn them loose against us.
rather than consent to the occupation Of the
island by the hated Yankees.
The test ofexpcrience is The answer We have
to give to this dreadful array Of fact and argu-
ment. The French Of Louisiana have amalga-
mated with our people and our Institutions.
without difficulty. and without sacrificing the
religious and social observances and customs
peculiarly their own. st. Augustine, in Florida,
Is an old Spanish town, still retaining many
living evidences Of its origin. But to say no
thing Of Texas, or California, the territory Of
New Mexico affords the most striking ~illustra-
ton Of the lcxibili'y Of cur beautiful ropubli-
can system, No Ices o parsonage than Daniel