Washington sentinel., 1854-05-02
C0narfssionaI.
rHIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
senatc.--Monday, May /. 1854.
FIRST SESSION.

setting aside, annulllng and reversing the Juds-
ment Of treason and sentence therefor imposed by
the courts upon Thomas Wilson Dorr. Laid on
the table.
PRINTING COMMITTEE.
Mr.. HAMLIN stated that he expected to be abb
sent from the city for some time and the business
of the Committee on Printing, OF which he was
member was such as TO require almost daily ac-
tion Under these circumstances, and as he was
also a member Of two other committees he asked
10 be dscharged1rom any further service on that
committee Agreed 10, and Mr.. JOHNSON was ap-
pointed
Mr.. SMITH said that he would necessarily be
absent from the Senate for the rest of his short
Term of service and he was member OF the
Committee ON Printing and also oflhe Committee
on Post Offices, he asked 10 be excused from far
| ther service on said committees. Agreed TO.
TARIFF on CIGARS.
Mr.. ToUCEY presented two memorials from
citizens OF Connecticut praying that duty of forty
per cent. be imposed on all imported cigars.
| APPROXIMATIONS OF cUBA--NEUTRALITY LAWS.
Resolred THAT the Committee Foreign Relations be
TO inquire into the expedency Of authorizing
Of Congress suspend by proclamation either wholly
or partially the operation of the act IN addition TO an act
for the punishment of certain crimes against the United
States approved the Goth of April 1915 and also act
supplementary thereto approved the 10th Of March, 1859
total or partial SUSPENSION such suspension not
period OF twelve months, and the causes which shall
the President TO proclaim III
Gated to Congress Immediately its first meeting there
| after.
| Mr. SLIDELL said: Some months since, MIR.
President was as sceptical as any one on this
| floor could be about the existence of any concert
| ed plan TO Africanize Cuba.
i Past experience has led me to be surprised al
| nothing that England might attempt TO prevent
the possession of this magnificent island by her
great commercial rival, rysl destined to be, IN
ch1 ha toll hu N
that respect, her recognised superior Still,
could moi bring myself to believe that Spain, with
! all her pride and obstnacy, would prefer the de-
struction of a fourishing colony, peopled by her
own sons, TO the prospect OF its transfer at some
4 future. perhaps distant day, by honorable and
/ peaceful negotiation, 10 a friendly nation for
| price that would extricate her finances from that
gulf Of seemingly hopeless bankruptcy in which
/ they have been so long plunged. II the Senate
/ will indulge me, | will state now as briefly as
possibe the reasons that have led me TO the full
| conviction of well understood purpose between
Spair and England, in which France is certainly
a confident, and probably participant, for the
i Afrcanizaton OF Cuba
lie then proceeded, at length, TO show, by quo
tations from diplomatic notes and other papers,
the deep interest Great Britain has displayed for
the emancipation of slaves in Cuba. The pro-
position for the trpartc convention abnega-
ling the possession of Cuba by either oil the
parties having failed, it was to be expected that
into the possession Of her great successful rival
would lead her to connve at, if not aid in, the
i Africanization of Cuba Of the most deporable
4 system OF apprenticeship. He referred TO several
declarations made by General Canedo, while cap
tain general of Cuba, TO the effect that the exis-
4 tence, the very name of Cuba, depended upon a
strict obedience 10 Spain and the officers she sent
thiiner.
Canedos successor, General Pezuela, always
in favor OF emancipation, one month after his
! ly1 fhf,ri unI ,nS
importation of apprenticed aborers from Spain
4 India, Yucatan, and China. This decree allows
i these slaves to be imported in vessels, four per-
i sons to the ton. The limit on American vessels
is two passengers 10 five tons. The suffering
i from crowded emigrant vessels under our laws i
well known; yet with us ship Of thousand
tons can transport four hundred persons; these
vessels in which apprentices are to be brought &c
! Cuba would transport upon one OF that size ioul
4 thousand apprentices. The probable sufierIngs
power over them exercised by their masters, might
expect to find some sympathy at the hands OF Eng
lish philanthropy
The establishment Of this apprenticeship was
shortly followed by indications in the government
paper at Havana, as to the superiority of African
labor in agricultural pursuits; and on the 18th o.
January last the captangeneral issued circular
to his subordinate officers to report to him upon
the expedicncy of importing African apprentices
To cap the climax [saii Mr.. S. of usurpaton
all slaves to hire their time at eight dollars per
month. The Spanish law has always favored the
emancipation of the slave; and to enable him 10
4 acquire his liberty, tariff has been placed on his
labor according TO his convertible value, or the
price paid for him.
I Meanwhile the slave-trade is going on with in
creased vigor. The vigilance of English cruisers
has been so much relaxed for some MONTHS as TO
Justify the belief that the British government is
conniyng at the introduction Of slaves into Cuba
He then contended that Cuba was the only point
in this hemisphere TO which the perfect under
standing mentioned by Lord Clarendon. as exist
Ing between England and France, could apply.
j After referring TO the war now pending in Eu-
rope, and to the expected triumph OF the allied
powers, he said
i Il is true that we have Just made one short step
in the right direction-we have appropriated three
millions for halEdozen steam-frigates. =
/ But England has now fifty or sixty war steamers
! aHoat and France" as many more, ready, so soon
as their services may be dispensed with in the
Baltic and Black Seas, TO illustrates on our shores
1 the happy accord which Lord Clarendon travelled
out of the record Extensively TO state existed
between the two powers in both hemispheres.
4 desire no movement on the part of our ct-
zens, until the Cubans shall have put their own
| shoulders 10 the wheel. They have been re-
preached for their pusillanmity but let II be once
4 understood that if, by their own efforts TO vind-
our sympaihies the arm ofthe federal government
will not be interposed on behalf Of their oppres-
sors. In less than six months the flag of freedom,
the lone star would wave over the whole island (;
the Moro may perhaps hold out somewhat longer
think il unnecessary TO make more than a
passing allusion 10 matter Of recent occurrence
and which has been the subject of a communica-
tion from the President 10 the House of Represen-
tatives Imean the seizure of the United States
mail steamer Blnck Warrior at Havana, and con-
fscation of her cargo. This is but one, and the
most outrageous, indeed of long series of in
suits and yexations by which it has been attempt
ed TO exclude our steamers from Cuba. They
serve to complete the proof have adduced of an
understanding, probably an alliance; consummated
BY treaty between Spain, France, and England.
/ The Cuban authorities would never have dared 10
take so offensive step, fthey had not relied on
the support Of those powers. have no doubt
that the policy indicated by the President viii
be energeticaiy pursued, and that full pecuniary
reparation 10 the owners of the Black Warrior
and apology for the insult to our flag, will ulti-
mately be obtained,
i But regret that are to look for this at Ma
drd. should have preferred to see it exacted in
a more summary way by the blockade of Havana
and the other principal ports Of the island II is
high time that we should have a remedy for these
] insults more Immediately at hand, and that the
+ ! ........ -o.a.aI ,hnuld he comnelled IN ,sa his