Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-11-14
England, Cuba, and the United States.

DtilS lCSuidiiy cSiNcu'
England, Cuba, and the United States.
We have, until now, RETAINED from
discussing the British Cuban question, in
the hope that some other journal would
save us the necessity for stating the facts
involved in the history of Britain's in
trigues in this connection. as we remcm-
Der them. Finding that statement made
nowhere, we proceed to call the attention
ofour readers to the fact tina! W hen Sir Rob-
ert Peel, in 1910 or 1871, gave GO, 100000
for the emancipation Of the slaves of ia
maica and Barbados, he justified himself
to the British public for the expenditure,
upon the ground of the influence of the
policy upon slavery in Cuba, the United
States and Brazil; adding that even then,
slavery in this country was on a very
precarious foundation. This disposition
to destroy the institution here, if posi-
bic, has since been the turning point of
all the policy of the British Government
with reference to America. We credit
her rulers with no philanthropic actua-
ton believing their aim to be only to
cripple our growth to commercial and
manufacturing supremacy over the Eng
lish. To credit their philanthropic pro-
testations with reference to African
slavery, is to belle the history of their
Indian conquests being made while the
former were on their lips. Nay, in 1913,
(by the Asiento treaty of Utrecht Eng
land gave Spain bonus of f2OO, 900 for
permission for her merchants and ship
owners to participate in the profits of the
African slave trade Will, her (Spain 81
West India Islands. At that time Amer
can commercial rivalry had not COM
menced to threaten dangers to her. By
1917, however, her statesmen began to
realize the powerful influence which we
would soon have upon the worlds COM
merce; and they then concluded to war
on slavery; thus to take from us the then
apparent prime element of our agricultu-
raj progress. So Britain commenced her
system of attack on African slavery in
our vicinity, only that the destruction of
the institution in America, or efforts to
destroy it, might destroy the Union of
sovereign States of the North American
Confederacy and that with the destruc-
ton of the Union, our commercial pro-
grcss might be stayed. Thus, in 1877, she
paid Spain 100000 as a bonus for the
prohibition of the African slave trade to
her West India possessions. Spain pock-
eted the money, but never complied with
the agreement. Pursuing this policy,
however, IN 1910, she emancipated the
negroes in her own West India posses.
sessions, thus accomplishing their utter
commercial, social and industrial ruin. as
all now comprehend.
In 1912, she essayed the celebrated
Quintuple treaty as blow at the slavery
element of our progressing national pow.
er and commercial importance. General
CasS happily defeated that move by his
memorable protest, under the influence Of
which Louis Philippe drew back from
his nearly concluded agre en-. Mt to parti.
c,pate in that conspiracy against the an
cient ally of France. Fooled in that ar.
rangement, she next turned her attention
almost exclusively to the work of break
ing up the institution by piecemeal, as it
were, and steadily pursued her object in
connection with Brazil, until she has suc.
ceeded in stopping the trade in that quar-
ter. The course of Ashburtonin lS42. in
pressing the recognition Of the right of
search on Mr.. Webster with so remark
able pertinacity, was but a move in this
game. Having carried her point with
reference to Brazil, she suddenly tprned
III "''e'i'ioh 10 spain, claiming the right
to carry out the treaty of 1877, and Wig
orously exercising it. For some wears
past she has been insisting that Sna;n
shall emancipate all negroes imported into
Cuba since 1917. This is a vel, .soo.
tanned fact, known to all. 1t is f,rthsr
known, that in lieu of her pretended
claims on Spain, for the latter's failure to
observe her Obligations under this treaty.
of 1877, Britain offers to permit her to
import as many forced apprentices from
Africa into Cuba as she desires, provided
that they be emancipated after ten years
apprenticeship" and that all the negroes
in the island be freed in 1890. She CON.
celved this scheme, only with the view of
surrounding our Southern States with =.
Gordon offree negro governments-H,v,;
Jamaica, Cuba, &c. -ge
Spain, finding all England's effort.
brought to bear on the Cuban slave trade
since the success of her Brazilian efforts,
realizes the utter impossibility of much