Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-26
our TROUBLES wIrn CUBA OR SPAIN

OUR TROUBLES WITH CUBA OR SPAIN.
1t cannot be denied that our relations with
Spain, growing out of the revolutionary spirit
OF the Creole population on the one hand, and
the cruel repressive measures of the Spanish
authorities on the other, are imminent, and
becoming more SO day by day. The cause lies
deeper than the mere irritation of the hour oc.
casioned by the recent vindictive punishment
OF one or two unfortunate consiprators, or the
rough treatment of several of our merchant
ships by the Spanish cruisers The hearts of
our people are sore with the cumulative wrongs
OF i've and thirty years, and the Spanish heart
is full of the resentment, which has festered
without vent, at the loss Of her American
possessions, which she imputes to our example,
and material aid-the first being no fault of
ours, and The latter true enough perhaps Five
and thirty years ago, either from exhaustion
and inability, or spirit of revenge, Cuba and
Porto Rico let loose upon our commerce a
horde of pirates, which for years, plundered our
ships, and murdered our people in the most
daring and atrocious manner, selling their
plumber undsturbed, and living in tranquility
IN the principal cities of the islands The rob-
Der chiefs were known upon the streets, and
pointed out to strangers as the men of mark.
just as the chief slave traders were then and
now are recognized, and pointed out on the
public streets, and in the cofee.houses. Motto.
rious to all, but TO the captaingeneral and his
subordinates; and whilst these villains walked
abroad unwhipped Of justice, the hapless ma.
tive Of the United States, who did not answer
to the "qui cira," or stumbled into souabble
with the police, or the custom house, was run
through by bayonet, or thrust into cavern
under the Moro castle, and left to rot or be
eaten up by vermin. 1t was SO then, and is SO
now, and this has been the constant, social. and
commercial, and political complexion of our
pleasant intercourse with Cuba. A case oc.
ours TO US as we write, of one Of the most
trusted officials in the service of the Govern.
ment, who was rescued accidentally from a
submarine dungeon, under the Moro bv the
Captain-general, on his routine visit to the
public prisons. He happened to speak French,
and It caught the ear of the general. as he
looked upon him, covered with more yerm;n
than rags, IN the last stage of starvation illness,
and restitution; he was released, because he
spoke kindred tongue and was able TO tell
bis tale This was thirty years ago. when
everybody about the streets could have put his
hand on any one Of a dozen noted pirates,
who robbed and murdered our countrymen at
will, and with IMMUNITY. And so it has been
since. Of all the crew of Spanish SLAYER.
which landed her living cargo recently on the
island, two or three Americans were the only
convicts. The owner, the master. and his con.
tederates, lived in Cuba, and within musket
shot Of the palace. Every one in Havana knows
these men as well as they do the Captain-gene.
raj. In the lapse Of so many years. hundreds
OF thousands of our felow-citizens have had
business and personal relations with the off.
Gals Of the islands, and we venture to assert
that few have come away without feeling OF
resentment at some indignity put upon them,
or for some safe affront from these IRRESPONSIBLE
subordinates
The measures taken BY our Government to
suppress the piracy which infested the Spanish
waters, gave great offence to thousands in
the islands, and deep hostility was shown to
our officers and men. Our countrymen were
frequently assassinated, and the vengeance Of
the pirates assumed dreadful type. These
measures ran through course of wears. and
coupled with the vexations, exactions. and an.
noyances spies, police, and the customs, have
never suffered this mutual irritation to slumber
for moment Our countrymen we're not the
only objects Of hatred and persecution. The
native Creole population Of the island were
equally suspected and oppressed by the Spanish
adventures and their minions. Cuba has al.
ways been the spoil Of the successful partizans
at home, and, as these came in quick succession,
she had to make speedy fortunes for them all
10 do'this, the pressure of an army, with fixed
bayonets, was needful, who wrung from two OF
three hundred thousand propretors exactions
equal to the annual revenue Of the United
States. Hence the spirit Of resistance and re-.
volution has been ripe for years in Cuba and
hence stern measures Of repression, additional
troops, deeper dungeons, and more grinding
imports. The Cubans in despair, at last en-
bodied their brooding thoughts, and sent their
agents and their money to the United States
to organize band, around which they might
gather at the outset, until the instruction
should gain head and strength, to confront their
enemies And thus began the fllibustering
expeditions from the United States, and the
lamentable and dangerous events which fol.
lowed and are yet to follow them. Fillibustering
is Cuban-not American; and though, indeed,
unlawful, there is manly spirit at the bottom
Of it, which entities il to the sympathy
which we bestow in SO lively a manner upon
the foreign volunteers who have struck for
liberty, our own included at every period, in
every quarter Of the globe.
The abuse and denunciations which are
leveled at our country in this connection are