The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-05-28
HISTORY OF CUBA,
Or Notes Of a 7raueler in The Tropics, by Mar-
furiu III RnLnu

Or Notes ot 1raUeier IN the IfopHs, oy Didr-
turin M Bdliou.
The prospect of acquisition by the United
States Of The Island OF Cuba, renders all in.
formation respecting that "affluent piece of
earth" doubly interesting. MI. Ballou has
given US political, historical and statistical
account Of the island from its discovery ny
Columbus up to The present time. The lar
ger portion OF his book is compiled from a
journal kept during brief residence on the
i.land-around which he may almos, be said
to have "put glrdle" His style is remark
ably spirited and his statistical information
has been pronounced reliable. We leave our
readers 10 Judge from copious extracts OF the
value of the work:
PROSPECT OF THE PURCHASE OF CUBA.-"A
peaceful solution TO the question OF Cuba, by
ills sale lo the United States, is not regarded
as probable by The best informed creoles.-
They say that, even if the Queen were dis
posed 10 sell the island it would be impossi-
BILE to obtain the consent of the Corles. The
integrity Of the Spanish domain, inoiu ding
all the islands, is protected by legal enact
ment and it would require the tbrogation
of q fundamental law before it could be con-
summated. Now the Spanish subjects well
understand iha, they would no, be likely to
be gamers by The sale Of Cuba, however large
a sum the United States might be willing 10
pay for il, while the monopoly 10 trade, the
Of I,oroti,,a ine e,,iar nH6
iards alone, and other incidental advantages,
give them direct interest Fin the mairle-
nance OF The present order of things. Those
who take this view of the question say that
if Spain has rot promptly rejected the over
lures supposed to. have been made by our
Minister at Madrid, this decay indicates only
a conscious weakness, and not any hisitation
of purpose. Il is simply diplomatic trick
a temporizing policy. Why, they ask, il
Spain had any idea Of parting with the isl
and, would she be be making naval and mil.
i,afy preparations on grand and costly scale,
al home, while in the island she is making
large levies and enrolling colored troops, moi
as militia, as the government nave falsely
given out, but as regulars? We are reluct
ant to abandon the hope of our purchasing
the island, but candor compels us 10 state the
plausible arguments of those who assert tina
no success can possibly attend 10 the plan fo
its peaceable acquisition.
"Within brief space of time, the admin
istration of Gen. Pezuela has been signalizeC
by measures OF great significance and i'm
porance. The decree of the Sd of May; the
Older for the registration of slaves introduced
into the island in violation of the treaties o
1917 the decree freeing more than fifieer
thousand enaneipadOs in the space of fort
night; that of May 25th, enrolling and arm
ing negroes and mulai,oes; the project fo
importing negroes and mrlanoes from Africa
under the name of free apprentices the in
sliiuton of free schools for the instruction o
the blacks, while the whites are abandoned
10 their own resources; and, finally, the lie
galization Of intermauiages of blacks an,
whites, which last measure has actually beel
carried into effect to The indignation Of III,