, 1859-05-31
A CHAPTER ON CUBA.

nothing is improbable; and we wait for CON
frmation Of what DR.. Sceger says.
A CHAPTER ON CUBA.
The inconsidezate and short sighted politi-
clans who soc only great national advantages
as the consequence Of tho acquisition Of Cuba
by any means whatever, have neyer yet con-
descended 10 tell the country how this island,
when acquired, shall be governed; il, indeed,
they have ever answered that question satis-
factorily TO themselves. The visions conjured
up by their diseased imaginations, Of sugar
estates without number, Of coffee plantations
in prolific bearing, of wonderously wealthy
mines Of ailvcr, copper and lead, Of fleets Of
vessels laden to the gunwalcs with tropical
treasures-the estates. plantations, mines and
fleets all owned by American adventurers, and
all managed by fat sleek aud obedient negrocs
anxious to pile up gold in the Golfers Of their
masters, while white men are drinking punch
in the SHADE, these are the phantasies which
take the place Of common sense and common
caution when the Cuba question is discussed
And with that dreamy suggestions Of
the security Of our commerce in time Of war,
being thrown in Is make weight-they e1-
l,ect that the country will be so far de1udcd
that compliance with tue demand for the pro-
posed conquest and annexation will follow,
1t may suit the more ardent and imaginative
people Of tue South wlosc ideas Of human ie-
tn
but We Of the North, to whom the questions Of
government, Of morals, Of progress Of cduca-
tion, Of religion, and Of industry arc Of vital im
1,ort cannot he content with the entertainment
To which the annoxationists invite lis. We
want to know how the l,550,0o0 Inhabitants
the C50,000 slaves, 100000 free blacks
and 100000 wllites-arc to be governed, whnt
is to bc their political status, what tue effect Of
annexation upon the policy which this country
has heretofore pursued toward all its acquired
domain, what the effect upon tic progress Of
civil aud religious liberty ut home. We want
to know how VIC eau bear the incorporation
ia,o the hody polite Of the clements Of which
Cuba, socially, politically, and religiously, is
made up; or it the island DO not erected into
n free and Independent State, how the adop-
tion Of the old Roman pro.consular system Of
administration will work in the hands Of De-
mocracv like ours? And these questions should
be determined as tue basis Of whatever efforts
towards annexation may bc hereafter made
4 recent writer on Cuba, Mr. RICHARD II.
DANA Jr. Of Boston, authority that will not be
disputcd-throws new light upon the capacity
Of the Cubans for the enjoyment Of institutions
like those under which we live. In lis " II
Ta1a and Bac1," lie SAYS:
Science, nrts, letters, arms. manufactures,
and the learning and discussions of politics.
Of theology, aud Of the great problems and
opinions that move the mind Of the thinking
world, in these the people of Cuba have M
part. These more BY them, Us the great Gulf
nor has there been in Cuba, in tue memory Of
the Young and middle aged, debate, or vote, or
juries, or one Of the least and most rudimcntal
processes Of self government The Africans
and Chinese do the manual labor; the Cubans
hold the land and the capital, and direct the
between the Cubaus. and foreigners Of all IN.
tions; and tue government, civil and military,
is exercised by Old Spain. No Cuban votes,
"r attends lawful political meeting, or sits on
jury, or sees a law-making assembly, except
w curiosity abroad, even in municipality: ::
nor has he ever helped to make, or interpret, Or
administer laws, or borne arms, exccut By spec
iRl license Of government granted to such rs
are friends OF government. In religion, he has
no choice, except between the Roman Catholic
and none. The laws that govern hin, are made
abroad, and administered by central power, u
fRn ~ 1T
foreign civit and military officers. The Cuban
has no public career. If he removes to Old
Spain. and ID known ns supporter Of Spanish
royal power, his ,Crcole birth is probably no
itnpedimcnt to him. But at home, rs Cuban,
he may lie planter, merchant, physician,
but lie cannot expect 10 be civil magistrate.
or to hold u commission in Lie ar1ny, or an Of.
ticc in the palace; and though lie may be law.
yer. and read. sitting, IL written argument, Ia
Court "f Judges, he cannot expect himself tc
be Judge. Hc may publish book, but The
government must he the responsible author
lie may edit journal. but the government mus
be tue editor-in.chlef.
Tie people Of 1.-THE North, who feel 1las tht
amount Of ignorance aud incapacity, Of crimi
nality, Of political protiigacy and Of atheism
which finds home under the shadow Of TIL
American flag, is oil that our institutions cal
"+AAf HAN hOAAA 1ltSltdkC ~ uE4AG II HltHts
sale addition Of Catholicism and Slavery likt
that contemplated in the acquisition Of Cuba
will not have their faith in tho c1redicncy o.
necessity Of our governmental policy, strength
encd By the picture which Mr. Dana draws
They, We take it. will be willing to forego tht
uncertain commercial advantages which an
nczation offers, rathcr than incur the risk G
the national degeneracy which would follow
the attachment Of such mass Of political AMI
religious putridity to tho body polite. But q
Cuba is to he acquired solely that slavery ma,
he extended and perpetuated, VIC ought not tt
expect that those who are urging the acquisi
ton will stop at my hindrances like these. /,
assigning rcasons for and justirying their poli
cy, they give evidence that moral considero
tions, political wisdom and social security l,ay
ceased to exert any influence upon their mind.
The appeal must be modc to those in whom re
lgion and patriotism arc not dead
AUSTRIAN 1TALY.
We gave, some days since, mn outline Q
Italian history since the year 1900, shown,
tue divisions Of the Peninsula ut succcssiv,
periods and tho principal events in the trans
itions Of Spanish, French and Austrian rule
which iave resulted in the present govern
nents and boundaries established 'hy tho trca
ties Of Vienna in l8l4-l5. By these trcatie
NAPLES aud SIcnY wcre confirmed to Fortlj
nand L, Spanish Bourbon, who was sue
ceeded 1s2e) by Francis l., aud he {ls3o) II,
Ferdinand H., otherwise called Bouba, ri.
now lies ut the poin, Of death, despite the a,
don't iuterreasinn of H;s Hn1inora +bo po.,