Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-01-31

west, instead of across, and with o population OF
one million two hundred thousand to one million
five hundred thousand, instead OF her present
population of one million two thousand seven
hundred and seventeen. The mere statement
of the case in this light, is sufficient TO show
that cmigrants would 60 on wild goose chase
if they went to Cuba expecting 10 get lands for
nothing. Our people would stand better
chance 10 get such lands in Tennessee The
lands in Cuba must necessarily, to very great
extent, be in the hands of private holders, and
our people moving to Cuba would have to buy
lands nj the prices Of an old community. Cuba.
therefore, could not fulfill the requisite of a
wilderness to which southern men might 60 TO
get lands ut nominal rates. Would Cuba be q
stable political community, or, in other words,
competent to self.government? | doubt it.
Selfgovernment involves two considerations
the race, and the training. There is only one
race of people in modern times who have shown
the capabi,y of self-government, that is the
Ang' Saxon race, the race to which we belong
sand with US it is still, in some degree, an expert
ment. But whatever question there may be as
to other races, there can be but one opinion as
to the incompetency of the Spanish race. At
no time, and under no circumstances, have they
been able TO preserve republican institutions.
The Spanish American Republics, whose popu-
lations are of the same race ard grade as the
whites of Cuba, have become the by-word of his
tory every step in their insane career has been
the melancholy blot and blur of free institutions.
The Spanish Creole race of Cuba are the worst
kind of materials with which to build up repub-
ican institutions. What has their political train
ing been ?-the worst imaginable They have
always lived under the sternest despotism. For
the last thirty years in particular they have lived
under martial law They have had no political
privileges, and are utterly ignorant of the ma
chinery of free Institutions. The touching pic
ture which Tacitus draws of the Roman State
under the tyranny of Tiberius, is The condition
of Cuba Men, he says, "were afraid OF
knowing each other; society was at pause re-
laticns, friends, and strangers stood ut gaze no
public meetings, no private confidence things
inanimale had ears, and roofs and walls were
deemed informers" What could we expect
from suddenly investing such people with SELL
government, but disastrous failure! But 1t
may be- said that our own people would 60 IN
upon annexation, aud control the Cubans. But
do not think the American emigration would
be large ut the South it would not, because
agricultural emigranls never go IN large numbers
TO an old country; from the North The cmlgrl-
tion would be mostly commercial men Tor tenn
porary soiourns. Whilst the emigration from
The United States would not he large, its intiu-
encc would be greatly weakened by the prelu-
dice of the Crcoles 10 our people, the prejudice
of race and religion, which is intense IN Cuba
II Cuba were annexed, and = slave Safe, but
proved incompetent TO self-gorernment, she
would not only be no benefit 10 the South, but
great calamity. If we are mat at the thres-
hold with this difficulty, we might, perhaps,
torbear to 90 further, considering this as conclu-
sive But shall pass on.
The next question is, would Cuba be a reliable
slave community-that is, would slavery be
be likely to continue there )!
p In order to determine this question, we must
consider the nature of the population and inslitu-
ton of Cuba.
shall put down the population ut the lowest
estimate, one million two hundred thousand
Of these, two hundred thousand are free ne
rroes. | pause involuntariIy NJ this startling
fact; it is worthy 10 be pondered on by southern
men. This army of free negroes are not such
free negroes MS ours are. Our free negroes are
American free negroes, dwa-ted by being in con-
,rast with the greatest white race on the globe,
the Anglo Saxon race. There is q vast interval
crces of Cuba are Spanish free negroes, eleva-
led relatively BY being in contrast with IN nte-
rior white rice, There is no abrupt separation
between The two races; they approximate and
sssimilate OF course there are, among the
white race in Cuba, many individual exceptions,
which stand out in bold relief from the free ne
gro race; but the remark make is, nevertheless,
srue in reference 10 The Creole masses.
To illustrate my meaning more fully, take it,
that The Creole masses are about eq&a! to the
Mexican masses; between the Mexican masses
and their free negroes, is no abrupt line OF de-
mrrkation-the same state of things exists III
Cuba. The free negro race stand, in great
degree, upon an equality with the Creole masses
-ne,iher have any political privileges. This
equality, which have been dwelling upon, be-
tween the races is fostered 10y the Spanish Gov
crnment, as Il great political idea, to check any
tendencies on the part of the Crcoles TO revolu-
ton In pursuance of this policy, in some in
s.anceS, the free negroes have special and exc.u-
sive advantages of schools; marriages between
the Two classes have been encouraged; and,
what is more striking fact still, free negroes have
been enrolled in the army, taught the use Of
arms, and instructed in military tactics, while
the Creoes have been regularly excluded from
the army. From these various considerations,
4 cannot but consider the free negro element in
Cubsi s most dangerous, and not augurns well
for the institution OF slavery there. Two hum
dted thousand Spanish free negroes. They
strike me more like two hundred thousand half.
lii torches, which single flash may light up, and
sci the whole island in flame at any moment
When remember that it was this same free
negro race, under The workings of Spanish and
French ideas, which upturned the entire social
fabric in ST. Domingo and wreakcd such infinite
slaughter on the white race, my apprehensions
from this source are not, BY any means, diminish
cd. Twenty thousand Spanish troops preserve
the peace Of Cuba now; but under different
circumstances, ant in the absence of 4 standing
army, would the whites of Cuba be safe! They
wonld, think, be sleeping over volcano.
The next element in the population of Cuba
is the slaves: there are four hundred thousand
of them These slaves are not christianized,
humanzed, or civilized, to the same extent as
our slaves. A large portion of them have been
inported from Africa, and are still half savage.
They cannot be relied upon for fidelity and 10y
atty to anything like the same extent as our
slaves. Such are the slaves OF Cuba
would now refer briefly TO some Of the slave
regulations of Cuba By the laws OF Cuba
every slave has the right, or complaint of i'll
usage, once every year, 10 hunt purchaser, and
his master is bound to permit him to be absent
for sufficient time for that purpose. When
the slave finds purchaser his master is obg ed
10 sell him, not at his own price, but in case OF
disagreement between themaser and purchaser
at 4 price 10 be fixed by certain public function
ary. The slave who can change his master
wnen he pleases is hardly slave; he is almost
free. In popuIous portions Of Europe the free
,ho-o- hns no other priyilcpe of freedom than