Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-09-05
CuAan Slave Trade

NNA W. ~ AAANHa ~ ANANs
Two documents OF a very different character, though
practically relating to the same subject, have been laid be-
fore Parliament just before the close fthe present session
The one contains the correspondence between this coun'
trw and the United States, with a view to the maintenance
OF the island Of Cuba in its present state as a colonial de-
%pendency Of the Crown ofSpain, the other Is the report o
the Select Committee appointed to consider the operation
md results ofour Slave Trade Treaties with Spain and
Portugal, which establishes beyond all doubt that the scan.
daous bad faith Of the Spanish Government and the una
bated demand for African slaves in Cuba are now the only
causes to prevent the entire success of our national exer.
tons against that Infamous traffic. The Committee DELHI
erately report and Affirm as their opinion that history does
not record a more decided breach Of national honor than
has been cStabushsdln this case against Spain. Not only
nave We received from her the most solemn promises and
engagements on this sublect-the only return we asked for
the services rendered by Great Britain in eNpcling a for
eign invader from the Peninsula, and subsequently, in as
s,stinS the present branch of the ROYAL family to occupy
the constitutional throuc-but these promises have been
given in consideration OF actual money PAYMENTS
Since 1873 We have paid to Portugal a sum of $50, 6T5L.,
and toSP'in a sum ot4Oo, OOOk for their concurrence in his
object; and, II the interest be reckoned on these sums from
the time OF payment to the present day. il will amount to a
collective sum OF nearly four millions sterling. This vast
expenditure does not include any part of the cost Of the
British squadron perpetualy engaged in the attempt To
compel the Spanish authorities in Caba to perform their
own engagements and obey their own laws for il is dem.
onstrited past all controversy, that the Spanish authorities
IN 'uoa are now the sole cause of the continuance OF the
'"6 SiukStN bAaN hS hVANNt
the traffic. The Importation of slaves into that COUNT V.
which had exceeded 10000 per anunm in lS47, lSis, and
1919, had iaHen TO 100 in 1859: and of these the greater
part were seized by the Government, aud the Portuguese
merchants who had attempted TO import them were prose-
cuted aud banished. We hope these circumstances will
induce Parliament next session to repeal the act leg llizing
captures under the Brazilian nag, aud that our relations
with that empire will now be permanently placed on the
most friendly footing. But this example strikes the more
iorciby on the shameful contrast of Cuba. Its notorious
that slave-tradingv vessels are fitted out there under the guns
Ol SPANISH men of that rraat facilities ara aHnrlaN 10
the importation OF negroes; and that, when once landed,
all attempts TO trace and libtrate them are commonly de-
ieated; and these abuses have increased precisely in pro.
portion TO the brides accepted by the Cuban Government.
Up 10 $40 the Captain.General received halEa-dollar for
every slave imported; bu, General o'Donnell, in ls4S,
succeeded in raising this fee TO three doubloons ahead
and, with the exception of General Coucha, who refused
the bribe, the saihc blooi-money has since been levied by
every Governor of the island. Nor does the crime stop
here. The interests invOlvedin this trade are mainly those
of high and mighty persouagcs at Madrid, who have power
TO obtain the recall Of any honest officer, and who con-
trive TO keep up all the horrors of this system to CRAFTY
their own avarice at the expense of humanity and of the
national interest. We say Of the national interest, be-
cause 1t Is impossible not TO feel that the failure of our
disinterested cxertions to engage Spain in a noblcr and more
enlightened course OF policy has mater tally affected the
concern we take in her welfare, and will one day contribute
to sink her still lower in the scale of nations. We have
layished our blood and our money to make Spain indepen.
dent aud free yet she baSely r~epudiates her debt, aud
sinks under a tyranny as ~prodigate as that of Godoy, and
as arbitrary as that of Ferdinand VII. Ii is in reality
against Spain herself that our cruisers are compelled to
keep up an iuceSsant watch and warfare on the coast OF
Africa, and among the West Indian Isles. Our enc NY is
the slave dealer, aud the slave dealer is not so much the
wretch who kldnaps negroes among the mango tops of Afr.
ca, or chains them hand and foot in the hold ofhis pestlential
schooner, as the Ctptain-Geueral, wearing the uniform OF
Spain, who prostitutes his office and his profession 10y the
receipt OF three doubooEs for every victim, or as those
male and female spectators in Madrid, who reap the lar
sest profit from these crimes, and pursue their diabolical
adventures under robes Of State and amid the splendor OF
4 Court.
Il Is remarkable that at the very time when these re-
voting practices are stigmatised as they deserve by q COM
miuee Of the British House of Commons, after a minute
inquiry into the facts aud evidence now laid before the
world, We should also have official information Of the eI.
crtions made 10y the British Government to preserve in
Cuba the authority OF that power which is convicted OF
these grave offences. The Marquis de MiraAores states in
his despatch of the SOth of April, 1852, that ";hc Spanish
Government appreciates at it, just value this remarkable
proof of our good will and Of our noble excrtions in this
matter; and expresses a hope that The negotiation then on
loot will attain the desired end of consolidating for ever
in Cuba it, present prosperity and peace, sole conditions OF
assuring tn Spain and her allies the only solid advantages
from that valuable island HUT, though we concur in the
policy OF en1eavoring to obtain from the United States an
act OF remuneration OF the views they may entertain OF
Cuba, in exchange for an absolute disclaimer of the de-
signs falsely attributed to thi- country, We are cousoled for
ihe failure o! that proposal by the reelection that its sue.
cc-s would have secured to the Spanish agents il Cuba a
longer and wider impunity for their crimes. Among 'thc
solid advantages from that valuable islind,n which are
enumerated by the Spanish Minister, We must presume
that the slave trade is the first, since il has deyourcd all
the rest, and will one day cost Spain the possession itself
The Cabinet Of Madrid processes its cordial gratitude for
the support Of England and France against the possibility
of an attack from the United States. Yet il perscvcres
in a system which would fully warrant any steps the Bi.
fish Government might think tt to take, and which will
20 far TO reconcile Europe to the cessation Of a Power
whose chief profits hon The finest COLONY in the world are
It'll derived from tie plunder and sale OF man. We art
It'll expanding several hundred thousands a wear TO keen
in check i trade which probably throws hardly more pro
TT into the Golfers Of its guilty promoters than it COS, Us
10 thwart tLeir operations. And for this miserable cause
treaties are violated, laws are set at nought, public officer
are bTiued, and the respect we would fiiu eutcttaiL Tor o.
foreign State j. destroyed! Within the last few weeks
some improvement j. reported to have tlkcn place, AMI
the strong remon-UaHces Of the British Government are
said to have produced some effect on the Cuban slave
trade. But the root of the evil still remains in the cor.
rupt administration Of the island, AMI now that the who'll,
1iium Of the slave trade j. concentrated on this one point.
this country will be Justified in taking such measures a,
may he required to bring the question to- less futile con.
clusiOn.