The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-30
The Slave Trade Of Cuba.
NEW YORK. May 10, 1853.

States has been to maintain in slavery those who
came slaves to this country the children Of such,
and those who in that condition became the bona fde
property OF their possessors. They have done So
the simple ground that investment legally made
cannot be torn, at the will OF any portion Of the
munity, from its nghtful owner The safety Of a
nation, IT. stability and its existence, demand that
security be extended, by all citizens claiming to live
under its laws, to the possessions Of every member
amongst its masses
But this is meant TO be no dissertation on pal
paby legal and social as well as political necessity
This is no defence Of a right wrong sanctioned
by the institutions and laws of a country. That
which the governments of America guarantee to
her citizens is perfectly well understood, and
arguments for or against the measure do not
alter things they exist, and as they nave
existed but America has so far repudated the
system in its antagonsm TO the liberty she gives to
all as that no more negroes are brought from The
coast of Africa to swell the list of those whom des-
tiny and the laws had set apart as belonging to those
who had paid for them. France aud England, with
Spain were other subscribing parties to the same
Arrangement. The two former powers have well
adhered to their stpulation-Spain has not, nor will
she do So as long the crown itself derives vast
pecuniary emolument from the existence of the
traffic,
That Queen Christina is enriched by the introduc.
ton of slaves into Cuba as well that subordinates
derive vast riches from the same source, it will be
the object of this communication % state and to
prove and as the infraction of treaties by any
nation, even second or third rate power, is sub
ject of vast interest to other national communities
demanding not only re nonstrance but strong inter
yention, my assertion that the Spanish government
spSt method
from amongst nations, because it sanctions and pro-
tects acts which have suled and destroyed its
national honor has abundant and convincing reason
for what becomes OF nationality when country has
To blush at its msdeeds? Where is the strength
of community when the sense of right-that =" Do
unto others you would be done by'-has ceased to
existI What worse than the want of the - mems
saaa IN corp0re Saao ?' And unfortunately Spain
has neither the one nor the other.
1t is only through American journals, which are
supplied with information by their correspondents
the spot that the civilized world is put in posses
sion OF facts of daily occurrence in Cuba. The local
press is so curbed in its liberty, or rather is
entirely subserient TO authority there that it is next
to impossible TO obtain any reliable account OF trans
actions respecting which it is the aim and interest Of
the government TO suppress all information. How
ever every one in Cuba is not Castilan, and con-
sequentiy facts are occasionally brought to light
Some few years have elapsed since Spain pledged
her faith to desist from receiving negroes slaves
on the shores Of her colonies-since she expressed
Ter willingness to subscribe to policy which the
and yet it is notorious fact that there are more
slaves in Cuba than there were, without taking
into consideration those born the island. How Is
this accounted for? How is the estimated decrease
OF ten per cent made up? BY fresh importations.
TIE writer Of this communication has very good
foundation for showing the transactions in slavery
from tie year 1898 to the present time, and is
enabled to present you Information that subject
which has never been given publicly before.
Captain General Tacon left Cuba in 1888. During
his administration the greatest protection was
Afforded To al slave traders. liz Is asserted
without fear of contradiction that during his govern
ment more than six thousand negroes were landed
on the island OF Cuba, he receiving the regulated
contribution OF S5l each.
Espeleta came into Office then and remained until
1889, during which period than three thousand
slaves were landed in Cuba The contribution for
the Captain General was collected by party there,
who has been the agent OF all the other Captains
General for TIE same purpose his reward for his
trouble being some Concessions in tae markets OF
Cristo, Plaza Vega and Tacon.
El Princi re de Anpioua succeeded ESpeeta. and
remained until lsi2 daring which time three thou
sand five hundred negroes sweed the list, aud also
the purse string at The vicefoy.
Valdez came into Office in l342, and remained until
the middle Of 1913; and although this honest man,
this fine soldier, inaeyble and ntolerant to the
existence of the slave trade, than one thousand
negroes were landed through the corruption Of his
officers. Valdez Of too upright nature to he
allowed to remain in Cuba at the head Of the govern
ment.
oDonnell commenced his government in lS43,
least scrupuous of ALL for he not only consented to
the landing of more than thousand Africans, but
raised The contribution Of $751; established by his pre-
decessors, to s55 %. The period Of ODon-
nell's government is marked by infames which
stain bis name. During that period the conspiracies
OF slaves were invented and many an innocent man
died under the infection Of terrific punishment
Roncali stayed from SAT 10 1919, aud about three
thousand negroes found admission into Cuba. The
first merchants were concerned in the slave exped-
tons, ard are perfectly well known Roncali received
the ffty-one dollars punctually, through his agent,
Colonel y < - = ard the captain of police.
At the latter end vi ls49, General Concha came
into Office and although lie did not receive directly
the aforesaid contribution for 500 slaves landed
the island his political Secretary, and the President
of tie Military Commission did
Canedo came to tie island in 1852, and more than
2 600 negroes have been landed for the contribution
on which his political secretary nomnally gets Gre
dit. Fresh cargoes constantly arriving at the
present moment We shall see how much longer
General Canedo will be permitted to trfe with the
sacred rights Of nations-to laugh at them, and to
defy them. Over forty Thousand negroes since
1888. have been thrown into Cuba.
1t must be borne IN mind that Cubans have no
share no hand in the tracthat TO them the penalty
OF death attaches - the offence. Spaniards carry
the traffic and their vocation and their arts not
only winked at but also tolerated and protected by
the government appointed to control, prevent, and
punish.
10 the casual observer visiting Cuba, there would
appear nothing strange in the arrival OF vessel from
the coast OF Africa, when she enters unperceived by
the cruisers surrounding the land but let her only
be pursued-hard pushed-and the fact OF connivance
by the authorities Is proved at once beyond doubt,
were there no tangible unmistakeable evidence
that government employees are at the bottom OF the
whole system. Vessels employed in the transmission
of slaves from Africa TO Cuba are generally con-
struced at Barcelona Cadz, and leave those ports
with tie necessary papers to justify their lurking
about the coast, 10 load nominally with ivory and
palm oil when in fact they are destined to receive
living cargces.
We will imagine vessel arriving of Cuba with a
cargo Of slaves board and that her private signal
is answered by those who are anxiously expecting
her. In moment she has information what to do
when to come in, ~ stand off in Of foreign
men of-war being close at hand; and so bold have
been their movements that in many cases they have
run the gauntlet with cruiser, and openly landed
their slaves, swearing that vessel and negroes be-
longed to a certain proprietor, and that they had
simply LETT one plantation to be transferred to an