The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-02-06

with tsa1vanta ges The last has some merit,
I but is entirely outweighed by otlier adverse
considerations. conclude, therefore, on. ma.
tional gpunds, that it is inexpedient to annex
Cuba. -
| propose rowto consider the annexation Of
Cuba asa Southern measure. How could it
benefit he Soutl7 To answer this question
lunderstndingy, l would refer to Texas. How
did the ,nne xati6n of Texas benefit The South {?
for admit it did so greatly. The entire ad:
vsntage; 10 the South from the annexation Of
Texas, nay be comprchensivey stated in two
propositions First, it furnished a wilderness
wherc,ri people Of the South could go and
isa6fayxtheir conditions. Second, il FURNISHED
a stabletpoitical community, reliable upon
the slavery ISSUE Would Cuba fulfil these
requ;sirs? Clearly not, the first; because
I Cuba is IN old settled country, settled before
any partof the United States. 1t IS not only
cirilized, but ropu!ous; the population is va
ribusIy estimated from one million two hun.
died to one million five hundred thousand, and
Tat on an erea the size Of Tennessee. The
mere statement Of the case in this light is
s1tiic;ent to showthat emgrants would stard
i better chance to get cheap lands in Ten.
lessecthan they would if they went to 'Cuba'
j., search of such lands. '"-r:
Would Cuba be stable political community,
,r, in other words, competent to seIfgoferir.
u k;nent / doubt it. Self government involves
two consideralious-tli race.and the training.
There is only oae race in modern times who
have shown the capability of self government;
that Is the Ango.Saxon' race, the race to
which we belong, and with us it is stiH, in
some degree, and experiment., But whatever
luestionithere may be rs to other races, there
:an be no question that the Spanish race:at no
.inle, md under 10 circumstances, have been
able to preserve republican institutions. The
! Spanish Creole race Of Cuba are the worst
materials with which to build up republican in--i
stitutons What has their political training
been? The worst imaginable. They have
alwavs lived under the sternest despotism. For
The last dirty years they have lived under
martial law. They have had no political priv.
lrges, and are utterly ignorant of tho machine.
ry of free institutions. What could we ex-.
pect from suddenly investing such people
with selfgnernmcnt, but disastrous failure
Ii Cuba were annexed, as slave State. but
proved incompetent. to. sclfgoverument, she
would not only be no benefit to the South, but
a great calamity.
The next question is, woud Cuba be a. re-
liable slave dummunity- that is would slave
lv to likely to continue there. TO determine
this question, we must consider the uatnre OF
tie popuiation and institutions of Cuba.
~ .11asl ~ 1nwn .i!o population at Two
million ,Wo hundred Thousand, Of these two
hundred lleusand are free negroes. This fact
is wor thy 10 be epondcrcd oil by Southern men.
These free negroes are not such as onrs are.
Cur free lrgroes are American free negroes
dwarrtd by being in contrast with the Anglo
Saxon race. There is vast interval with US
between IL, two races. The free negroes of
Cuba are Spanish free negroes, elevated rela-
lively by Icing in contrast with sn inferior
race Thee is no abrupt separation between
the two races: they approximate and assimnlate.
The free negro race stand, ina great degree,
upon an equality with the Creole masses-net.
lher have any political privileges. This equal.
ity is fostGed by the Spanish Government. as a
great political idea to check any tendencies
of the Cre.les to revolution. In pursuance Of
this policy in some instances, the free negroes
have had special and exclusive valtages cf
schools marriages between the. two classes
have nen encouraged ; and what is still
more striking fact free negroes have been
enrolled il the army, taught the use of arms,
and instructed in military tactics, while the
Crroles lave been regularly excluded from the:
army from these various consideration,
cannot but regard the free negro element
in Cuba is most dangerous and not anguring
well for lie institution of slavery. This same
free regn race under the workings of Spanish
and Freeh ideas upturned the entire social.
fabric # St. Domingo. Twenty thousand
Spanish troops preserve the peace OF Cuba
now lat under different circumstances and
in the aosenee of Il standing army, would the
whites ,f Cuba be sale. .....,.. -,
The lext element in the population of Cuba
is the Saves there are four hundred thousand
of then. These slaves are not chrstianized,
humaiized, or civilized as are ours; A,large
portion Of them have been imported from africa
and ae sill half savage They cannot be
reliedon for loyalty and fidelity to anything
like tie same extent as our slaves.
/ Iwou!d now briefly refer to some of the
sla regulations of Cuba. by the laws of
CuSa every slave has the rig ghty on complaint
offll usage, once every year.. to hunt parcha1g
SER and his master is bound to permit him to
be absent for sufficient time for that purpose.
Wien the slave finds purchaser his masterIs
Obliged 10 sell hun, and in case of disagree
melt between the master and purchaser, at a
priesto BE fixed by certain public functiona--
ry. SNot only has the slave right to change
his master but he has the right to buy himself,
ano not only the whole ssof himself, but any
palt of himself, the one fourth, or one third,
| o.. - Lale &c aiInself. ic he huva one fourth