The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-17

untary transfer by forcible seizure Of the
island
The attempt 10 purchase it has already been
been made without success. Some infer from
the manner in which the Spanish Government
met the offer, and from the proverbial pride OF
the Spanish character, that it can never be re-
nswed with any hope Of success. But Castilian
poverty is as great as Castilian pride, and may
become more exacting; while the point OF pride
may be saved as it was in the case of the ces-
were in fact bought of Spain, under the form
of a remuneration Of claims against hor for
indemnity. The time may come, when the cost
Of retaining the island will be 81 enormous
and the Golfers of the Court so empty, that for
handsome equivalent, under form unexcep-
tionable to Spanish pride, the Government may
be induced to cede the island. peaceful
transfer of this kind would not necessarily
or probably involve the violent abolition OF
Slavery Why, then, should there be hesitation
on the part of some far-seeing shareholders,
at this mode of acquisition!
Let US see Cuba contains about 600 900
slaves, 100000 Creoles, $4,000 Spaniard', and
nearly 200, 900 free colored people.
Of the slaves nearly all have been imported
from Africa since 1920, and are yet barbarous.
The large majority are males-importation,
and not natural increase, being looked to as
the source of replenishIng the stock.
The Spaniards monopoize Office and consid-
Grafton looking down upon the Creoles end
free people of color as the British dependents
in the colonies of this country looked down
upon the native colonists. IL is they and the
Captain General, acting in the interest of the
Court at home, who keep up the foreign slave
trade, in violation of treaty obligations; the
| Creoles and free people Of color generally re-
gard it AS an unmitigated evil, full of danger
to the island
These two classes are bound together by go
cial ties, and 10y common suferings. They
know nothing Of the spirit of caste. The free
colored people are energetic, intelligent, and
fred with patriotic hatred of Spanish rule
In the event of general rising, they would be
found shoulder to shoulder with the Creole
population Neither class deprecates emanci-
patton because of prejudice against color,
but for fear Of the anarchy they apprehend
might ensue from emancpating u population
30 barbarous as the African slaves.
We have now before US the data for specu-
lating upon results, should annexation take
place peacefully, and without the abolition Of
Slavery.
Under the operation of our laws, the for
eign slave trade would instantly cease the
island which would undoubtedly be admit.
ted as sovereign State, would have per-
feet right to prohibit the importation of slaves
from this country. This right has already been
exercised repeatedly by Southern States, with
a view to restrain the rapid increase of ser-
vile population. But, in none of these States
does the same necessity exist for such a policy,
az would exist in Cuba. In all of them, with
the exception Of South Carolina and Misss-
spp the slaves constitute minority; in Cuba
they outnumber the white population by one
hundred thousand The Creoles are timid
people, with little of the daring, self.relance,
and governing energy, that distinguish our
race 30 that their fears would powerfully i'm
pei them to follow the example of Maryland,
Georgia, and other of our States, in the prohi-
bition of slave importation. An additional
reason for the adoption of such measure
would be found in the character OF our slaves,
whose superior intelligence would make their
association with the hall-savage slaves Of Cuba
ANYTHING but safe for the masters. 1t might
be as the spark to a powder magazine.
But the establishment of the policy of non
importation would prevent the slaye-exporting
States from deriving any special advantage
from annexation, and might pave the way for
the abolition of Slavery in the island for it is
evident that the slave population there, being
generally male would naturally decrease
Statistics show that this has always been the
law of the slave population of Cuba, the waste
being made up only by importation. But, with
the decrease in the number Of slaves and their
gradual improvement which would take place
necessarily, after the exclusion of further bar
|
prospect for emancipation, which, as we know,
is more favored by the Spanish than American
slave code. We are behind you, said a Gre
ole to us, in the treatment of our slaves, but
true We make expatriatIon a condition to
emancipation our laws reflect our prejudice
The Creoles have no such prejudice, and nc
such laws. II must be remembered, too, that the
free coored people, whd1re now socially and
politically one with the Creoles would share
equal political privileges in the new State
What would be the influence in this country o.
such an element as this in our political system
: Certainly, every way unfavorable to Slavery
This is one aspect of the quest Oman aspec
calculated certainly to cool the ardor of tn,
Slavery Extensionists. But it is possible that th'
Creoles would not be bold enough and uniteC
enough, to adopt the policy Of non-importation
Or, we might suppose another case. Slavehold
: ers from the Southern States would migrate I,
the island in great numbers carrying thei
slaves with them to reside there while North
ern capital would be thrown in, opening new
estates, and requiring additional labor. Under
: the operation of these two forces, the Creole
would soon become subordinate, and the legis
lation of the island would be determined b,
the Americans. If slave-importation had a
frat been prohibited, it would now be allowed
and Cuba would soon be stocked with slaves
the free colored people degraded, and the hour
Of emancipation postponed. What would fol
low A gradual drain of the slaves from our
Northern slaveholding States by which, the
incubus of Slavery being thrown of, they would
10 able to take their places with the free
Stataa cnntrihutinV d, psta blish tina sunrap On