Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-16
CONQUEST OF CUBA THE FIRST DEMoNsTRA.
TON

We had occasion, some months since, to call
attention to a series of articles in :" the organ"
calculated to arouse the national jealousy Of
English and French interference in the affairs
Of Cuba, to get up public sentiment in this
country against an imaginary scheme for its
Africanization, to foster hostile feelings towards
Spain and her colonial officials, to nurture
and embolden the spirit Of flibustering, to
infame the esprit de corps Of Southern slave
holders, and, by oil these methods. to rredis
pose the people of the United States to sustain
the Administration in an aggressive movement
on the island, whenever plausible pretext
should be furnished, and the .auspices might
seem favorable.
Even the introduction of the Nebraska qncs-
ton was not suffered to suspend this policy.
From time to time, since the publication Of that
series Of papers, similar articles have been APP
pearing in the Southern newspapers all pro-
ceeding on the assumption that Cuba must be-
come part of our Union. Possibly the fruit
might not yet be ripe, but the harvest was
ut hand
Some Of these journals, having no Northern
circulation, were less disguised in their policy
than g the organv The convenient phraseology,
of aCuban Africanization,o was dropped, and
Cuban Emancipation was the thing denounced.
This, as we have constantly insisted, was tho
terrible mischief which the American People
were to DO tricked into opposing-and the
Administration to be sustained in opposing, by
force Of arms, if necessary.
AS the scheme for the gradual emancipation
Of the slaves in Cuba has become developed
and the plans Of the Captain General to carry
out the policy have begun to be enforced, the
Slave Power has grown more importunate.
Resolutions, as we have seen, have been intro
duced into the Legislature of Louisiana, call
ing for the interposition Of the Federal Execu-
tive to prevent the success Of policy 80 dan
gerous to the institutions Of the South, and o
the Nebraska Question should have absorbed
the attention of Congress- and the Administra-
ton, to the exclusion Of all care for Southern.
interests in Cuba
At last, however, it would seem that the
hour has come for making the first Demon
stration in that quarter. The Nebraska move
ment has aroused nm nnlooked-for spirit of
resistance at the North, endangering the Ad
ministration party; new excitement may
break the force of this opposition. The
Spanish officials in Cuba have been commit
ting an act, which, although perhaps accord
ing to tho strict letter of the law, is against
comfy and Justice, and appears wanton and
oppressive. Here is pretext which may be
used to further Interior designs upon Cuba.
And then the auspices are propitious. The
Administration ID completely in subsection to
the South, and n large majority in both Houses
Of Congress is controlled by the Slave Power.
The nation is rich, its treasury overfiowing,
and the spirit Of national aggrandizement was
never 80 rampant as it is now. Europe is on
the eve of general war, in which England
and France, the only two Powers that could
intcrpose obstacles to an aggressive movement
against Cuba, will find full employment for
all their fleets and armies.
aThe Hour aud the Man, "--aro they not
here? Let the Richmond Enquirer answer:
"Unless we totally mistake the character
of this Administration, tho country will not
accuse it Of the want of spirit and ener-
gy which was so painfully manifest in the
foreign policy Of its predecessor.
Ii il thought that the President will suggest n
repeal of the neutrality idw Of 1878, which
guarantees the Spanish dominion against in
road or disturbance by American citizens
The effect of this measure would be to re-
move all restraint from the impatient and I'M
subdued fhbusierism of the country, and 10
precipitate ffig thousand braUe spirits on the
island of Cuba The country as painting for
the conquest Of Cuba, and If the Government
,oould cease 10 interfere an ITS protection, the adj
uenfurous spirit Of Southern chiuairy icottid
subjugafe the island fn siI months. The Span
ish dominion in Coba rests on no substantial
basic, and vain would be the efforts Of Spanish
troops TO maintain it against the assaults of
the gallant men whom O Hara and Hawkins
would lead to its overthrow. In the restraint
Of American law, not in the valor Of the Span
ish soldicry, docs the Spanish rule in Cuba find
its bulwark and support"
After this expression Of confidence in the
man." and this invocation, not to let "the
hour" go by, without striking blow at Span
ish dominion, the Enquirer proceeds still more
boldly to urge it's atrocious policy:
Say what we will in dcrision and dennn-
citation Of the Manifest Destiny school, we
cannot affect blindness or insensibility 10 the
indications and movements Of the time. And
although We may not be willing to yield our
selves to the delusion of pagan fatalism, We
cannot resist the current Of events which saoeeps
acifh impefuot@ momentum foicards The consum-
nation Of Cuban independence and annexation.
IL there q man in this country, no matter how
blind and inert from the paralysis Of fogyism
acho wiH say thai Cuba as nerer 10 be roedded 10
this Confedevaey Of Repubiics2 10 our vision
This epenf seems fastening dpnce Tn, insoience
Of Spanish otieiaGsm, no less than The enth,lsi-
dsm Of our olon enterprisine, adventurous and
progressive People, betokens The rapid approach
Of thai great event The policy Of our Govern