The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-27
TWO CENTS.


sable to success that he should be ntrlsed with h,
means for making advance the Spanish government
Immediately after the signing Of the treaty without
awaiting the ratification Of il by the Senate. This, in
point Of fact is appeal 10 Congress for expression
of its opinion the proprety of renewing the negotia-
ton. should fail to give him the means which may
be Indispensable TO success il may well be considered by
the President an ntimaton that do not desire the
acquisition of the island Ha q
1t has been asserted that the people of Cuba do not de
sire transfer to the United States II this so, il
would present very serious objection 60 the
The evidence which il is based is that the receipt
OF the Presidents message addresses made by the
municipal authorities Of Havana and other towns protest
ing their devotion TO the crown, and their hostility 10
the institutions of the United States Any who has
had an opportunity OF observing the persuasive influence
of the bayonet in countries where it rules supreme viii
know how much value TO attach to such demonstrations
/ of popular sentiment There can be doubt that an
immense majority of the people of Cuba not only in
favor, but aienty desirous Of annexation TO the United
States. IL would be strange indeed IL they not
deprived Of all influence in the local affairs of tile
iand-unrepresented in the Cortes governed by success
sve hordes of hungry officials sent from the mother
country TO acquire fortunes 20 be enjoyed at home having
| no sympathy with the people among whom they are
mere sojournersJand upon whom they look down in
erior liable to be arrested any moment on the most
tring charges tried by military courts on submissive
judges removal at pleasure punished at the discretion Of
the captain general, they would be less than If they
were contcnted with their yoke. But we have the best
authority from the most reliable sources for asserting
j
annexation.
Apprehensions have been expressed by some southern
statesmen Of reris resulting from the different clements
composing the population and the supposed mixture Of
They not justified by the facts Tile entire
population, by the census Of 1880 l,247 ,23o, Of
which 556o whites, 205,5i0 free coorcd, and
436 100 slaycs
Allowing the same annual percentage Of increase Ion
each class shown by comparison with the previous
ss the total population is about $50 900 OF which
I42 goo are whites, 100000 free coored aud Js l000
xiat
considerably exceed the estimated number Il having
BEEN until very recently the interest OF tbs proprietor 10
understatc il. The feeling of caste is marked
in Cuba ns Ia tho United States Tie white creole is as
free from all faint OF African blood the descendant OF
tho Goth the plains OF Castillo There is
white poaBantry brave, robust, sober and honest not
yet perhaps, prepared nclligeny to discharge all the
duties of the citizen of free republic but who from his
organization physical and mental capable of being ee-
waited by culture to the same level with the educated Gu
bans, who, as class, refined, well informed, aud
lifted for sefgovernmen of any class of any
on can be who have not inhaled with their breath the
atmosphere of freedom @
Many Of them accompanied by their families are to be
met with every summer at cities and watering places
observing and apprcciang the working Of form Of
government anti its marvellous results many seeking
until the arrival of more aspcios days asylum from
the oppression that has driven them from their homes
while hundreds of their youths in schools and col
'eges are acquiring language and fitting themselves
hereafter, is to be hoped, distant day to play
distinguished part in their legislative halls in The
counsels of the nation & s5
These men, who the great propretors OF the soil
are opposed to the continuance of the African slave trade
which is carried nby Spanards from the peninsula
gade Americans, and other adventures from every cline
and country tolerated aud protected by the authorities
of Cuba of every grade.
Were there sincere desire to arrest the slave trade it
could be as eiiectuay put down by Spain it has been
Tor fnIs rn.is I's ui The only mart
had been intent upon forcing its treaty stipuations
with Spain for its abolition it las been in denonncing
abuses of flag, which cannot entirely prevent, this
question would long since have ceased to be source of
irritating discussion, it may be of possible future diff
Guilty Those who desire to expate the slave trade may
find in their sympathy for the African motive to sup
port this bill. #arEr
We have since the conclusion of the Ashburton treaty
in 1872 kept up squadron the coast of Africa for the
suppression of the slave trade, and still bound to
continue il. The annual cost of this squadron is at least
100000. The cost in seventeen years amounts to
Sl3,600 900 thirteen million six hundred thousand dol
lars and this too, with results absolutely insignificant
1t appears from report of select committee of the
British House of Commons, made in March, 1885, that
the number of slaves exported from Africa had sunk down
in 1872 the very year in which the Ashburton treaty
concludcd to nearly 80, 900. In lS43 it rose to
55 900; in 1876 it 900 in 1S47 it S4 900,
and then in state of unusual activity Sir Charles
Hotham, of the most distinguished officers of the
British navy, and who commanded on the coast of Africa
for several years. examined by that select committee
He said that the force under his command was in n
high state of discipline that his views were carried
out by bis officers to his entire satisfaction that,
far from having succeeded in stopping the slave
trade be had not crippled it to the extent of giving
it permanent check that the slave trade had been reg
ulated by the commercial demand for slaves, and had
been little affected by the presence of his squadron, and
that experience had proven the system of repression by
cruisers the coast of Africa this too when the
British squadron counted twenty vessels compris-
ing several steamers carrying abont three hundred guns
and three thousand The annual expense of the
squadron is about S3 800 000 with auxiliary establish
mens the coast costing ut least ST. 500 900
total cost annually of five millions of dollars in pursuance
of system which experience has proved to he futile.
In lsd7 the brazilian slave trade was in full activity.
It has been entirely suppressed for several years The
slaves shipped from the coast Of Africa exclusive
ly for the Spanish islands, Ii is not to estimate the
number From the best data, however, ii is supposed
TO he from twenty-five TO thirty thousand per year
II would exist the moment acquire possession
Of the Island of Cuba.
The importation of slaves into the United States was
prohibited in 1905 Since then, period of more than
fifty years but has occurred of its violation, that
the Wandercr, which has recently excited much at
tontion.
Another Consequence which should equally enlist the
sympahios of phanhropists excepting that class whose
only shed for those of ebon hue and who turn
with indifference from the suerngs of of any other
complexion is the suppression OF the Infamous Cooe
traoa traffic much the nearious the Chinese
is elevated above the African in the scale of creation
more civilized more intellectual and therefore feeling
acutey tho sacles of the slave ship and the harsh
discipline of the The number of Chinese ship
ped for Cuba since the of the traffic to
March last, is 2S 7IT; Of whom 1874 perished the
passage From that date up 10 the close of the year the
number landed at Havana was . 4a9 We blush to say
that ourths of the number transported under
the American aud British flags under the flags of the
countries that have been the most jealous the