Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-05-24
RALEIGH NORTH INA, WEDNESDAY,. MAY "a, 1854

CUBA.
The advices from Havana, in another column, arc
important It is stated that the Spanish Government
has approved the conduct of the CAPTAIN General in
the Black Warrior affair. If this be true it will be
difficult for this government to avoid hostile meas
ures towards Spain. These advices, are, however,
different from others on the same subject and it
may be that few days will present the matter in q
more peaceful aspect.
There is no mistaking the position of President
Pierce as laid down in his message to Congress in
relation to the Black Warrior outrage. His atten-
ton is fixed, not only on requiring from Spain am
pie apology and indemnity for the outrage, but on
the movement, to which England and France are
thought to be parties, for emancipating the slaves
in Cuba and thus making free or abolition State
our Southern borders. These powers are engag-
ed in the same policy which they pursued when the
question of annexing Texas presented to the
American people; and if our government should
show, as We believe it will, firm and unyielding
front to their designs the result will be similar to
what it was then AT any rate, their situation in
relation to other European powers is now such to
render it impossible that they espouse the cause
of Spain in contest of arms, which they know
States and in the annexation of Cuba to the Amer
can Union.
The conversion of Cuba into negro republic
ought never to be permitted by this government
That design Of this sort is entertained there can
be doubt. We are for meeting it at once and for
declaring that any overt act looking to such result
will be regarded by this government as imperatively
demanding the promptest and sternest measures to
prevent it. We should prefer to wait until Cuba
could be obtained by purchase or in peaceful man.
ncr, with the consent of her own people" better
by purchase than by conquest" as a contemporary
observes" better peacefully than with violence;
but if the insane policy of the Spanish Government
shallso determine it, the annexation of Cuba will be
effected by the irresistible power of people impa-
tient of outrage and apprchensive of impending
lamity."
We copy as follows on this subject. from the New
Orleans Delta and the Mobile Register, two of the
soundcst and ablest papers in the country;
The move of Senator Slidell, in the United States
Senate, is an exceedingly important one. We per-
ceive that the positions clearly and ably MAIN
tancd by Mr.. Slidel concurred in by Senators
BENJAMIN and Butler. The absence of the Chair
man of the Committee of Forcignsrelations-Sena
tor Mason-sccms to have been the principal cause
for deferring action on the resolution. Though MIR.
Mason is rather "slow COACH" we believe that
even his eyes will be opened to the powerful AIRY of
facts, showing the dccply-laid scheme of English
diplomacy to Africanizc Cuba, in order to prevent
its acquisition by the United States
On a previous occasion Mr.. Mason intimated, quite
distinctly, his views on this subject, by remarking
that our policy was to wait until the pear ripe.
We think that such overwhelming proofs of the pur
poses of Great Britain and France to interfere in the
affairs of colony on this contincnt-to interfere
mainly from hostile motives to the United States
have sufficiently "ripcned the pear" for even the
dainty palate of the cautious Chairman Of the Sem
ate Committee on Foreign Affairs The question is
now distinctly made, will the United States stand
idly by and see island, lying within sixty miles
of her shores, and inhabited by half million of
whites devastated and laid waste to crafty the eal
ousy and satisfy the policy of two remote nations,
which have no right or interest in the matter? This
is the policy avowed by Lord Pa!merston.
Better let the whites be cXtinguished, and Cuba
made second Hayti, than fall into the hands of the
United States. Are not the blacks, the miserable
Africans, imported into the island by Spanish sav,
crs, in many cases with the connvance of Great
Britain; are they not as much of the people of
Cuba as the Creolcs, whose families have inhabited
the land for centuriesP Such is the proposition of
Lord Palmerston; such is the proposition of Gov
crnment which pretends now that our friendship
good feeling and kindly disposition. The people of
the United States bound by every obligation of
sclfdeence, security, national policy well as by
its cherished principle in favor of the emancipation
of American States from European dominion, to
sist this dcsgn.-Lelta. ...
The speech Of Mr.. Slidc has produced a strong
sensation wherever received. Its revelations are so
startling and its proofs rrcfragbe that even the
most Indifferent and increduous as to AngloFrench
interference in Cuban affairs and the abolition poll
cy in SPAIN have been reused to sense OF the dam
ger to our country, and the necessity of adopting
precautionary and protective measures. The idea
that Spain could be led to adopt system which
would result in the destruction OF an institution up
on which depends the prosperity of her most vau-
able colonial possession seemed to be 50 preposter
GUS, that the idea had hitherto been generally re-
iected as altogether incredible. That Great Britain
has been using her efforts, for number OF years. to
secure such result, has been more widely belleved
and the concurrence of France has also been readily
ducing the Spanish Government to acccde to their
wishes, was considered impossible.
1t is now very clearly established by Mr. Slidell,
that this scheme for the abolition Of slavery in Gu
ba, with its singular auxiliary-the introduction OF
ho:des of negroes from Africa, as apprentices y
ally designed thoroughly to Aicanize the island and
to rnder it an unfit possession for the United States
has not only been concocted by the British and
French governments, but is actually being carried
into operation by the authorities OF Spain The
proofs to sustain this startling fact crowd in from all
quarters Even since the delivery of MIR. Slidells
speech, we have received advices from HAVANA
which strengthen if they do not verify his strongest
conicctures What mean the proclamations of Pc
zuela relaxing the bonds of the slaves and author
izing every one to hire his time, and control mis-
own actions by the payment OF eight dollars per
month, to his master! What means the organiza-
ton Of black regiments composed of these very