The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-02-01

We hope they win duly appreciate the situation
matters and relieve from resort To harsh mea,r
The AFRICAN APPRENTICESHIP /.
CUBA.
/ The Washington Union and several leading
journals in the country, have been endeavorin.
10 impress upon the public mind for some month
past, the result of supposed seciete arrange
ment between the government of Spain anc
Great Britain, 10 Africanze upon the appren-
ticeshp principle, the Island of Cuba Te
their timely warnings heed has been given
but they save uniformly met with coarse yid
cule and abuse. Toexhibit some of the evidence
upon VIII ch is based the opinion, that The gov.
ernment of Great Britain has had more TO dc
wilh-this matter than has fairly come to the
hight, we quote from able article in the New
York Times. The Times says:
Through all this mist two or three au,hen
tic public facts meanwhile came forth, and loom
ed doubtiully in the distance. One was, that
We saw the English ministry in Parliament de
claring that they were determined not 10 let
Spain keep up any longer the farce of protesting
to the face of England that she was opposing
the slave trade, while al the same time ac,ively
conniving at it in Cuba, and systematica lly
violating her treaties on the subject; and that
they had taken measures To put an end to such
8 ate of things. Another was, Lord John
Russels curt aud significant hin, in his letter To
Mr.. Everett, that since the United States would
not unite with England and France in ,ripar-
uie pledge against any acquisition of Cuba,
Engfand acoutd take her Otoa course on the sub.
her vuaS 1, L
President Roberts, OF Liberia, against the prac-
tice recently introduced on the African coast of
shipping negroes as apprentices, nominally vol.
untary, but in Tact as much sold by the chiefs as
though they were slaves; and this was SION fol.
lowed by the avowa by ministers in Parliament,
(under Interrogation on the subject,) that a con-
tract had been made, with the sanction of the
government, with respectable London firm,
Hythe & Hodges, for the importation of ten
thousand such apprentices from the Atrian coast
to Deinerara, but that the character OF the firm
was guarantee that it would not be abused, as
was charged, so as TO convert it into a system of
kidnapping varied only in form from the slave
trade. Then again, We had the publication of
the instructions by which Lord Hovden, the
British minister at Madrid, was directed by Lord
faimerston TO urge on the Spanish government
the emancipatson ct the slaves in Cuba, as the
most etfecsual way OF heading off annexation to
our Union. Then came tie sudden appoint
ment OF General Pezuela, with enlarged pow
ers, as captain general of fCubl-Pezueia, whom
the Cubans declared to be known advocate of
the apprenticeship system, and an abolitionst :;
and soon after We heard of pos,iv,. assurances
proceeding from the British consulate at Hava-
ma, that the Cuban slave-trade might now be
considered as at an end in earnest All these
indications, taken together, looked queer, and
In tip f.,Vf<.
TO be nthe wind; and il England had nothing
to do with 1t, at least appearances, and pretty
suspicious appearances too, were strangely
against Her
When We add 10 the above, the instructions
of Lord Palmerston, to Lord Howden, the Eng
lish Minister at the court of Spain, to urge
emancipation on Spain as a grereatatirc to
.4aertcan annexation; the DEGREES Of the Cap
tain Generit Pezaela, encouraging the free IN
PRODUCTION of Coolies and Indians into Cuba ;
the hints from the government Press Of Hava-
na, tavoriny this doctrine and the eneral opn
.on among the Inhabitants oi Cuba that raci.c, II
Change OF policy has been decided upon by tn
Spanish government, we cannot avoid the con-
sluslon, that dangerous scheme is on foot to
convert one of the most beautiful, fertile and
prosperous Islands in the world, into an other
Jamaica, or fiayti. The inhabitants of that ls-
they may be; fer if this policy be eng,afted
upon that country, the doom of the white popu-
!atlon is eifectualy sealed. Guaranteeing the
whites-ignorant az beasts of burden-brutal
and savage in their dispositions-a large propor-
ton Of them fresh from the kidnapping deserts
of Africa-made free by the authority of gov
ernment and placed upon an equality with thos
who had been accustomed to exercise dominion
oyer them, it is difficult to contemplate the flu
ture condition Of that country without fear and
trembling.
Will this government permit such a scheme
to be carried on at the very threshold of our
Southern boundary 1t may be contended by
some, that j, should not concern US what SPAN
does with Cuba. But il should and does concern
US vitality. 1t concerns us that We should
feel sympathy for our race and colur -
1t concerns Us that new system, under a spe-
cious name, ostensibly for the suppression o,
slavery, put IcdiiJ oesSHeu 10 increase tue trafc
in flesh and blood, should be arrested 1t con.
Germs US that the key to the outlet of the Mssis.
sippi, commanding and controlling one half the
commerce of the country, should not pass into
the hands of an ignol ant, pratical nation OF
desperadoes 1t concerns US that our nearest
neighbor should no. from ssity, rather than
choice, become our worst enemy. 1t concerns
US that the intri.ucing and rascally diplomacy
of England, should be arrested. These are all
considerations which merit attention from the
people of this country and which challenge the
watchful scrutiny of the government.
In another place will be found very inter
esting letter from an intelligen, Planter in Cuba
giving his views and fears upon this subjec.
DREADFUL ToRN.Eo On the Goth inst,
terrible tornado passed over the town Of Mt
Vernon, Ohio, destroying many lives and pro-
perty to large amount Houses were taken