Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-06-20
WAR RUMORS,

"A TumOT mas Oeen IN circulation IOr seVetdi
days past, to the effect that Spain and Mexico
have combined for the purpose of making war
on the United States, aud that England has guar
anteea to Spain the possession of Cuba, on
dition that slavery shall be aholishedin that Island;
or in other words that Great Britain, Spain and
Mexico have ent cred into trpartite alliance,
offensive and defensive, against this country
The improbability of such combination is so
gross and palpable. that until the rumor is traced
to some reliable aud authentic source, we look
upon it as scarcely entitled TO a moments consid-
Grafton. Thus far the statement rests altogether
on the authority of anonymous newspaper cor
Respondents, and ..letters from Cuba" written,
we know not by whom Every body knows that
Spain in her present state of decline and de-
crepitude, SO tar from being able to protect Mex
leo against the entertainments of the United
States, can scarcely hold her own possessions
on this side of the Atlantic. Her rulers are,
painfully sensible of this truth, as is shown by
the trepidation and alarm with which they re-
gard every movement of Southern 6llibus-
ters II the machnatons of few marauders
against Cuba fills the Spanish authorities with
constant fear and trembling for the safety of that
island, how long could they expect to maintain
their dominion over it in opposition to the whole
| military and naval power of this Republic,
which, in case of war, would at once be direct
ed to its conquest! How, with such dangers
staring them 10 the face, could they find
time or means to prop the decayed and tostering
edifce of Mexican nationality. Indeed, the
dea of warlike alliance between Spain and
Mexico ''matre tufpi fila turpio" to arrest the
progress of the United States this continent
| is too preposterous for serious consideration
Nothing short of actual insanity. we apprebepdv
could prompt the rulers of these two nations to
an act of what Lord Stauly would call mutual
suicide"
The rumor that England is to be party to this
alliance is the least absurd part of the story
According to he terms of the programme, Mex
leo and Spain are to make war the U nited
States and England is to guarantee 9 to Spain the
possessions of Cuba. This arrangement, if carried
out, would at once, it will be Observed involve
England in hostilices with us, for she would be
bound by her engagement with Spain to repel
any attack might make on the island
of Cuba. Now there is no earthly reason to
suppose that England would be willing nj
any time, or undee any circumstances, to
go to war with the United States to prevent us
from absorbing Cuba. Nothing eau be found in
the declarations of her statesmen or ia the reve-
lations of her public press, to warrant such an
inference. But when we bear in mind the pre-
sent critical and threatening aspect of her rela
tons with Russia and the total nbse nee OF any
cause for haste in dealing with the Ca ba question
it seems absolutely incredible that she shoule
have taken any such step as that sscribed to her
Cuba is not threatened by the United States just
at this time, and even admitting that Great Bri-
tain means to resist any attempt on our part tt
annex the island, is it reasonable to suppose tina
she is willing to wait until the attempt is made
before involving hersefin war about it, partl
cularly, as at the present juncture she has enough
to do in watching the movements of the North
| ern Gear. On the whole, we are disposed to re-
gard this war story nothing more nor less than
a trick of the illibusters to keep up popular ex'
ctemenr in the United States on the subject OF
| Cuban affairs.