The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-25
CONGRESS OF THEsI~sTATEs.
WEDNESDAY, MAY "a, 1854.
SENATE.

ducon of the rates OF POSTAGE which referred
| to the Committee the Post Office and Post Roads
Mr. also presented three petitions of citizens of Mag
county, New York, and petition OF citizens of Sag
Michigan praying the aid of Congress in the construo
ton of canal around the Falls of Niagara; which
referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. s also presented remonstrances against
the Nebraska BILL among which was one from los Metho-
dist cergymen and another from 434 clergymen Of the
State OF Michigan which were ordered TO lie on the table
| .a AFuoASlzAuoS CUBA
Mr. BENJAMIN presented resolutions passed by the
legislature of the State of Louisiana in relation the
measures now believed TO be in progress for the Aican
zation OF the island of Cuba which read
/ Mr. b. said that he agreed with every word contained
in those resolutions and he believed they sustained
by facts which taking place in the island of Cuba
and he therefore regretted that the distinguished senator
from Delaware Mr. CLAYTON should have called in ques-
uon the conclusions which Mr. Slidel had stated in his
speech the other day He believed all those statements
could be subtantiated and that further of the same
nature would be brought to the notice of the country
Mr. CLAYTON inquired whether the senator from Lou
at this time intended to emancpae the slaves
| in the island of Cuba. .Ft.s s
take place at the earliest possible moment and that Spain
was aiming at that object; the design was
now iG progress OF execution
4 Mr. CLAYTON could not believe that such was the
case The more he looked into it. the perfectly
he satisfied that it not that the Spanish government
intends destroy that island except in the contingency
that it is necessary to prevent it from falling into the hands
OF foreign power just the captain OF vessel might
blow up the powder magazine 70 prevent her from being
(
in any quarter of this Union piratca fbusterng ex
pediton is foot with the view of taking the island
OF Cuba from them and there is certainty that such
attempt would prove successful they will blow up their
powder magazine Spain has given notice for years
past over and again. that in the event Of such
ngency they will ruin the island rather than to permit
us to obtain it in that manner; but apart from that he
denied that evidence could be produced show that
the Spanish government had any intention of emanci-
pang the slaves in Cuba or that such scheme is in pro-
| gress of execution -..a..
/ Mr. GWIN stated it to be fact within his knowledge
that in the event of an nsurrecton among the inhabitants
OF Cuba the authorities would turn the negroes upon
1 them with arms in their hands
Mr. BENJAMIN sorry to be drawn into the discus
sion at this time, for it would be appropriate dis
the question after the Committee Foreign Relations
should have submitted their report the subject; but he
would say that he was surprised after the recent develop
ments which had been made, that gentleman of the
petenee of the honorable senator from Delaware could
unhesitangy express his disbelief in the assertions
had been made with regard to the prospective Arcaniza
ton OF Cuba. Those who had looked at the system by
which Cuba is governed who Of the sys-
tenn OF espionage which prevails there and who knew that
it the avowed policy of the government of that island
that on the first indication of attempt by the nhab
ants their freedom their own slaves were
armed against themthose who had followed these in
dications and had turned their attention the system by
which the registry of slaves has been commenced who had
looked at the proclamation of the captain-genera in
ation to this registry and who should carefully examine
the bearing of this whole of pocycoud by
possibility avoid entertaining the idea of0y that such
scheme has been deliberately formed as that to which
uson has been made but that il is even now in progress
of execution The effect of this decree would be
nearly oneourth of those who really slaves and in
in addition TO that the senator from Delaware had himself
stated that for series of years past the black population
of Cuba has been increasing rapidly He also alluded TO
the speech Of his colleague Mr. SLDEL in which II
demonstrated that there understanding between
the governments of England and Spain in relation this
matter; and all these things showed that this
idle apprehension would be made fully manifest
when the discussion should be entered into in full
Mr. CLAYTON said that remarks from distinguished
rs the honorable senator from Louisiana would be
calculated to make impression upon the minds Of the
American people, and he believed that impression would
be erroneous he considered hs duty now
TO explain far in his power the transactions
which that senator has referred aordng conclusive evil
dence of the design of Spain emancpae the slaves in
Cuba He by apologist for the Spanish
government but he reiterated tile denial that any evil
dence whatever could be shown justify the assertion that
Spain now intends to emancipate the slaves in Cuba
that such scheme in process of execution aud it
proper that this denial should go before the American pco
pie together with the assertion There are those at the
other end of the whose duty IL is investigate
this subject and who win incur fearful responsibility If
| they allow wrong impression to go forth and poi
son the minds Of the people without giving il CON
tradicion lie also said that knowing nothing Of the
opinion Of the Secretary Of State he would be willing
to risk the issue his statement If the Secretary
State would say that he believed the story Mr. said
that be would give up but he did think that the
Secretary the cabinet believed il Ii the duty Of the
State Department TO examine such subjects and he desired
that department TO give up its secrets With that view
he introduced resolution day two since calling upon
that department for light upon this subject With regard
TO the fact that the have been increasing Cuba
within few years past he had already explained the
Of such increase. lie had shown that
trymen the who had thus far Africanized Cuba
by building savers and sending them 20 Havana where
they transferred other hands and engaged in i'm
porting slaves into Cuba from the coast of Africa but he
had not heard that than five thousand had been inn
ported within sixteen months past The Jasper, Sonus
General DE kab, and Lady Suffolk the principal sa-
which had been captured The proper and oec-
tua way prevent the Africanzaon Of Cuba is stop
the slave trade in vessels; and that Is what he
wanted Congress 20 do.
But these negroes which had been brought from Africa
protected by the decree Of registry issued by the cap
tsn-gcneral The police officers enabled to visit the
estates and call the roll Of negroes and they bound to
declare all those free who not duly enrolled They
held apprentices for year. merely for the rur
pose of enabling these miserable TO live They
unable TO procure their subsistence; they ut
tery ignorant and cannot speak word OF English Span
ish and in order to prevent them from starving Il was
necessary that they should be apprenccd for year He
great evil and would be glad get rid of them, if they
could He also replied TO the idea that these blacks would
be enlisted in the form Of black corps of soldiers for the
purpose OF preventing nsurecon in the island by ask
ing what sort Of soldiers they would make How could
you drill these negroes from Africa who have not been In
the country year2 How could you make them stand up
and hghtI He concluded by deeply regreng that an inn
preston should have gone forth from such distinguished
sources which he regarded ms entirely unfounded
Mr.. SEWARD thought these apprehensions of the Afri-
canizaton of Cuba calculated 10 produce alarm in
the commercial circles Of the country and had already had
that effect TO some extent We had received any
muncation from the executive department in relation to
the matter and he could any reason for tho aQa-
| ton of the subject in the Senate Mt the present time
When the crisis should come he prepared 10 act hui,
he saw no grounds in the circumstances auded by