New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-03

"Nithln lie easy k'"'F m
,,. ;,h Az, Tbrasher's permssion' aP-
A'' r; sv ,f the case. which. however
m;,bt have struck a.tuha' roo"'' "a
Acc or n buccaueer OF two hunoie" =,
10. .on,;ncirg in the present times "nc" '"o
90, of ones own internal RESOURCES a.. INC
of.. .he,e,, of national wealth are cohsidereu
0''''e a,,.;r support of "national power than
20 facility of robbing ones neighbors. b.
.;d.s Mr. Thrasher appears to overlook tue 'dc'
thar the be-t lurking place in the world Tor roooiog
;. &C M aya, whatever without the force where
with 70 rob- Instead Of the key, Cuba might, with
more propriety, be called the lock of the Gulf
Of Mexico. With strong naval force by way OF
kew the possession of that lock might enable Spain
to close or open the Gulf at her pleasure. and
might thus put IT'S commerce, to certain extent in
her power. Without that key, which Spaio has
not, it is impossible for her to turn the bolt upon
US; nor is there the least danger that, with the
naval force which Spain has at present or is likely
to have, her possession of the Island of Cuba can
become in any way serious impediment to our
commerce.
1t may, however, be said, and as much is sug-
getted by Mr.. Thrasher that with Cuba in the hands
of England or France the case would be different,
aud that to prevent those nations from getting 1T
we ought first to seize it ourselves But to this
the answer is that we are not the only nation in-
terested in the commerce of the Gulf OF Mexico,
and that whatever reasons We may have tor pos
sessiug ourselves of the command of that Cult,
ether nations, and powerful ones too, have pre-
90 l,. q. far mt rnnspDtlup To
such uaneuver on our part. The common interest
of all maritime nations is, that Cuba, solong as
the Island does not constitute Independent State,
should remain in the possession of Spsin that power
tipg too weak TO make any i'll use of the advantages
of its maritime position. England and France have
once already offered to join the United States in
guaranteeing rhe possession of Cuba to Spain; but
our Government (then as to these questions of
foreign relations administered by Messrs. Fillmore
and Everett, who seemed to lean somewhat to
Messrs Tbrasher's views) declined to purchase
this security against the passage OF Cuba into
haD6s dangerous to us at the price of entering into
ereagt ments not to attempt to acquire it our
selves at the risk of danger to others.
With respect TO the great point of emancipation
in Cuba and the imagined disastrous effect which
he supposes it would produce upon the island, Mr..
Thrasfer relies first and foremost, upon very
strong option of his own to that effect aud Sec
Opdly upon the contrast presented between the
present financial condition of Cuba and that of the
other islands of the West Indies in which Slavery has
been abolished 1t is evident. however that this
sort Of reasoning must be received with great eau
ton If it proves anything, it proves some what
more than Mr. rkrasher and the greater part OF
those who use it would be willing to admit. Let
us grant that the employment of negro slaves in
Cuba has largely contributed to that great Develop
ment OF it, agricultural resources which has taken
place within the last sixty years. let us grant, for
the purposes of the argument, since Mr. Thrasher
iussts upon it, that so rapid a Development
could not possibly have taken place under
any system of free labor. But observe that
the African slave.trade was and still Is
a part and an absolutely essential part, OF
the Cuban ,ystem Of slave labor, which Mt.
Tbrssh.r So preatl; adrnires II has been the an
pual ecrunent Of II agricultural strength OF the
island b, large importations OF fresh slaves from
africa. to supply the places of those Killed oil by
the tos Of sugar. planting, that has contributed
au te as much to say the least, to the fhan-
cial prosperity Of Cuba, as the mere system of
slayeholding In fact the bOasted progress ot
Cuba dates from the opening Of the save-trade to
free comp. tition, in 1890, and has been IN exact
proportion TO the vigor of that traffic. Are we,
therefore TO conclude, because Cuba has financially
prospered under it for the last sixty years, that the
African slave trade is good thing essential to the
development of Cuban industry, and to be NAM
tanned forever Let us also beg leave to remind
Mr.. Thrasher If what perhaps may have greater
weight with him; that If Slavery and the slave
trade have thus contributed in the last sixty years
to develop the wealth Of Cuba, they are also the
obstacle. and the invincible obstacle, to
that emancipation, which he so ardently longs
for. of the Cuban Creoles from the tyraunous
control Of the mother country, OF which he
so tterly, and no doubt so justly, complains. In
stocking their plantations with slaves purchased
from Africa in adopting Slavery as the basis Of
their s stem OF industry the Cuban Creole proPrle-
tors have doubtless, largely increased their wealth.
but. at the same time, they have delivered them
selves bound hand and foot, with their money In
Their pockets into the hands Of an extortonate ana
ruthless Government which squeezes and scourge'
them with just as little pity or confederation as
the, squeeze and scourge their slaves, aud If they
attempt to resist or rebel, puts them down with
just as little mercy. And, doubtless If any one
should suggest that Cuba might be governed bet
ter and that the assemblies and other free ins,itu
tons of Jamaica and the other British colonies
ought TO be introduced there, the Spanish officials