Washington sentinel., 1854-02-28

/ Queen Christina has the credit of not being too
scrupulous to accept her share of the spoils.
Of Tacon, it is said, that he destined such
funds to public works. Whether this be cor
rect or not, we will know when history reveals
the black and criminal deeds of Spanish tyranny
in Cuba.
General Concha and General Valdes are
two honorable exceptions, on which the spirit,
wearied and fatigued in contemplating so many
iniquities, may pause and rest. But, however
willing we may be to do them justice, we must
be candid and confess, that, though it be true
they never polluted their hands with the blood
stained gold of emancipado traffic, they never
theless tolerated the slave-trade when by a mere
manifestation Of their viii they could have sue
cessfully suppressed it.
Now, let us glance over the second treaty
between England and Spain, concluded at Ma
drid on the 2Sth June, 1885, and then we will
| look into the condition of the emancipados, or,
as they should properly be called, English-Af.
rican slaves in Cuba, and see how the stipula-
tons of this treaty have been observed by both
powers. That treaty first establishes the penal
law against the slavetrade. Article second
provides that, As soon as prize is decided
| by the mixed commission to be lawful one,
| the slares so captured shall be delirered to the
government to schich the cruiser achich made the
capture belongs, Article fourth provides as
good treatment to the emancipado as that re-
ceived by manumitted slaves in Cuba; also
the knowledge of the dogmas of the Catholic
religion, morals, civilization, the necessary
instruction in mechanical trades, so as to
enable them to earn their living, &c. BY arti-
Gle seventh, boil. contracting powers reserve to
themselves :" the right Of adopting such naea-
sages' as may tend to better the condition Of
those victims of covetousness and cupidity.
This treaty was ratified on the Oath of August,
1885.
Now, what is the condition of the emancipa-
do in Cuba? 1t is inferior and lower than that
Of other slaves, for he is stripped Of the right
which they have Of purchasing their freedom
whenever able to do so. He is treated like the
rest Of slaves; he is carried to the plantation |;
is fed, clothed, worked, and punished precisely
as other slaves. But there is difference be-
tween them. The emancipodo is devoid ofthose
relations and family ties which are necessarily
cherished between master and slave, and he
often becomes the frail victim of the cupidity
Of his tyrant master, and is actually worked to
death.
We have said that England has materially
co-operated to increase slavery in Cuba, in
stead Of suppressing the slave traffic; and this
is proved by the fact that the number of emdn-
cipados in Cuba is almost equal to that Of other
slaves and that erey emancipado eristing on
that island has Been introduced by British crui-
| sers. Therefore, she has not only violated
the second article Of the treaty, which express
ly states that such slaves shall be deliUered
ocer to the government Of The cruiser acAich
made The capture" (that is, to Great Britain
but she has herself been guilty Of carrying on
the traffic.
Why does she take the slaves Of Cuba after
their capture? Certainly not with the humane
object of ameliorating their condition, nor
with the philanthropic view Of diminishing sla-
very on the American continent; for govern
ment SO astute and assiduous in all its under
takings as that Of Great Britain, cannot forget
that Spain promised to observe the treaty
stipulations, which expressly guaranty "good
treatment" and complete emancipation to the
emancipado; whereas she has reduced them to
the most abject and miserable state of slavery /;
and, instead. of instructing them in the dogmas
Of religion, and infusing in them moral prin-
ciples, and teaching them trade by which at
the expiration Of their term Of seryitude they
may become useful mechanics, she has only
taught them how to be slaves, and has given
them no other notion Of religion and morals
than to be humble and submissive slaves.
| Let the English philanthropist view the sad
picture Of his own working, and contemplate
those unfortunate beings in their state of deep
detection, mitigate their suferings in the bliss
full ignorance of that freedom insured to them
| by one of the most sacred compacts ever held
between wocivilized nations, and console them
selves with the thought, that, after they are
stolen from their native shores in Africa by q
band of the vilest set of pirates, they are cap
tured by British cruisers and carried into Cuba
to be resold there by a captain-general of an en-
lightened and civilized nation.
Great Britain has for q long time endea-
vored to procure from Spain the ful6llment Of
its treaties in regard to the liberation of eman-
cipados without success. But last year, fear
ing the revolutionary ideas of the Cubans, and
the tendencies Of annexation to the United
States, and perhaps the failure of the tripar-
tite treaty, the cabinet of Madrid acceded to
the remonstrances Of England; and, to that
effect, it issued an order to general Canedo,
then captain-general of Cuba, which he refused
to obey, because, as he said, the number Of
emancipados was SO great that public security
would be jeopardized by their sudden liberation.
He was therefore,, dismissed from Office, and
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