The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-23


wiz lie in the recollection of cur readers that
some three or four months ago. a vast amount
of fuss and Honest Indignation was got up to
order by the government organ at Washington,
on the subject Of the Authorization of Cuba.
The Cuban Junta, having its headquarters III
New York, and qualifications in New Orleans
Washington and elsewhere, got mp and indus
triously circulated rumnr 10 the effect that
the Captain-General OF Cuba, in combination
with the British cabinet, was about to establish
the system of apprenticeship on an enormous
scale, and thus lay the foundation of another
negro empire on our borders. We attributed
the statement published at the time to the in
ventive genius of the Cuban Junta, consider
ing that the object they had in view was to
arouse the suspicious jealousy Of the American
people to such an extent as torender the speedy
acquisition Of the island by the United States
highly probable. We derided the idea, reason
ing on the grounds that the English people, who
had SO long and zealously labored to suppress
the African slave trade, would never tolerate
its government sanctoning the revival Of the
unholy traffic, under such a specious and trans
parent pretence as the apprenticeship system.
This argument possessed great weight, and the
statements affirmative of the Authorization
policy were very generally regarded by the
American people as utterly without foundation.
We are beginning, nevertheless to suspect
that after all there may be something N these
rumors Our correspondent at Havana reite-
rates them week after week, aud the Cuban
Junta insist on the correctness Of their original
assertions. In support of all this, too, we find
in the Gaceta of the 18th inst.--the organ of the
Cuban government-an official statement Of
the mode in which some six hundred negroes
introduced into Trinidad were distributed
among various masters or proprietors, at the
head Of whom stands the Captain General, with
the modest dividend of one seven year old Afri-
can child. We published this official list a
day OF two since; and it will have been seen
from the heading of it that these Bosales
are not, as formerly, denominated eman-
cipados and assigned for seven years.
but that they are termed apprentices and
bound for the short term of one year. Our
asserts that the Captain General
will find this plan immensely more profitable
to him than that pursued by his predecessors.
However that may be, one thing appears pretty
evident. namely, that the apprenticeship sys-
TEN has been initiated in Cuba--that the mask
hitherto worn by the Cuban government in
that respect has been desperately thrown aside,
and that the new system has been at length
openly inaugurated. The result which per-
sistent course of outrage to our citizens and
flag on the part Of the Cuban government has
for so far failed to accomplish will be speedily
if it shall turn out that the
policy has been thus virtually,
proclaimed. Add to these ominous appear
ances the fact that Mr.. Soule, our Minister to
Madrid, having recently come into possession
Of certain information in relation to Cuba of
the deepest Importance to this country, was at
the period of our latest accounts from him.
about to return directly to the United States
for the purpose Of communicating it, and adj |!
vising with our government on the subject. |
Let the Cuban Junta be therefore of good |
cheer, and let them, like the Roundhead sol |
liery of Oliver Cromwell, put their trust in
God and keep their powder dry"