The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-29
TWO CENTS.


system of bribery in universal among the fiscal agents
OF the government Saco, the best informed Cuban
whom know. sets down the number OF slaves candes-
timely introduced at ten Thousand year, These, at
500 each, the minimum price, represent commercial
transaction of 81 600 600 per annuu.
The general system Of smuggling which is notorlously
known 10 exist in the ports of Cuba and the equally no
torous tendency 10 wful aud convenient blindness on
the part OF the fiscal agents warrant the best Informed
writers in calculating the amount cut of from the lawful
at fourth of the whole amount IN round
numbers, at 81 Z 000, 000.
Now, the official returns give for imp rs and exports,
basis of commercial transactions reaching the sum OF
$50 600 0O0 adding to which the probable s2 olo
represented by the trade in slaves the process of Snug
CLING and the bbees Of contraband, we have fair by
pothesis OF total commerce amounting to $50 goo
Yet large number of people go further and maintain
still bolder opinion Some think that the commercial
transactions of Cuba reach the bona @ amount of $780,
600 900 per annum. They assert upon calculation on
the duration of slaves life and labor in Cuba, and the
demands of the plantations and smaller farms, that more
than ten thousand slaves are introduced every year
They also contend that the neccssaFiss e ie s,raced
by Spanish vessels represent nineteen and onehalf per
cent that the less useful articles by the same vehicle
represent twentythree and onehalf per cent BY for
egn vessels that the former stand at twenty and
half per cent and the latter at hitythree and
half per CENT The productions of Spain, under the for
eign flag pay fourteen and half per cent whilst the
articles, under the national flag, pay but and
onehalf per cent In addition to which there is, in
every case, Janza equalization duty OF per cent
They consider the od paor duties of the tariff exorb
tant especially as the apprasements of that tariff are
frequently twice as high the actual original price The
necessary consequence is that many articles of mercan
disc held to pay to the custom house eighty hun
dred, hundred and twenty per cent. on its
value under the color of entrance duty in the island
Such abuses in the administration of the government
they maintain compel the most honorable merchants to
resort to smuggling and fraud There not therefore,
due accuracy in the returns of the government.
The resources of Cuba daily increasing, too, under
the impetus of improved communications. web Of
railroads is spreading the island and under their
inspiration, higher energies awakened, enter
prises stimulated and vast accessions of wealth intro
duced There three hundred and eighty six miles
railroad completed or under contract and inercommu
nicaon is easy throughout the western department
of Cuba The eastern and central departments still
almost inaccessible, but they too, now trembling
under the march of events and the almost mpossbes
of communication will yield to the spirit of cvilz-
ing improvements How great the wealth which will
follow in the track of these facilities western
gons attest SO great the of Cuba now and
under the double influence of increased communications
and the established ascendency of law and order their
augmentation in the future is almost unlimited.
The political and commercial connexion between Cuba
and the United States is of great importance and cannot
be safely overlooked in the calculations of policy
The traditions of the republic for almost half century,
and the neal and nnbroken policy of each succeeding
administration for than thirty years attest the del
caey and importance of this conncxion The leaders of
all plrties and all administrations OF the Unit ii States
have agreed to the importance of acquiring Cuba, and
have declared that this republic would not allow the
power. SO highly did the government value the political
connexon between Cubaan the United States that John
Quincy Adams in 1928 while Secretary OF State said in
his instructions TO Mr. Nelson, then minister to Madrid,
that the island necessary to preserve the Union
Mr.. Everett in confidential despatch to the Secretary
of State in 1927 said he had informed the Spanish min
iscr of State that it was with the United States ii
pyiRcIe that the island Cuba must in event pass into
the possession under the protection Of any European
power other than Spain
Mr.. Van Buren, in 1929 in his instructions 10 Mr. Van
! Ness, said
Thc government OF the United ses has always looked win The
deepest interest the fate those Islands, 6ur particularly
Cuba IL geographical position which places almost within sight
Of our southern shores and il gives the command of the
Gulf Of Mexico and the West ndm sa and har
bors its rich productions the exchange of which surplus
cultural products and manuactnre constitutes one of s most
tcnc and valuable branches Of neiga trade render Of the
paec in is condition which might iniuriou affect our political and
commercial standing in that quarter
Mr. Stevenson in 1887 in his letter TO Mr. Forsyth said
that in confidential conversation with Lord Pamerston
he had reminded him of the declaration of minister
to the French government in 1926, that the United
States could not with indifference Porto Rico and
Cuba pass from Spain into the possession of any other
power"
In lS4O Mr. Forsyth, then Secretary OF State instruct
cd Mr.. Vail, our minister to Spain, in these words
Tc United states have long looked with slight degree
shores the extent Of its commerce with and the similarity
combine to forbid that we should look ab ndn" s apo
any the fate that Spanish
States spanish domination should be exercised
scarcely need be told that policy respect
| undergone no change.
In the despatch he says in relation TO the
patton of Cuba by Great Britain in either of the two
modes which he suggested likely to be esoted to by
the latter power
Whether attempted to be brought about by the other
the alluded by any other process the United stlcs
permit The Spanish government
part be given
long and mature deliberations and at all costs the
duct of the United States
Again, he says upon this subject
Should any mart
Spain voluntarily title the ani
erhp possession whether temporary
other power will distinctly that United
will at all hazrds they viii foreign military
occupation for any preoxt whatsoever
Mr.. Webster in a confidential despatch to Gen. Camp
bell United States consul at Havana in Is43, said
Tho Spanish government long possession
changed repeatedly told that the United
permit the of that Island by British
forces upon pretcNt whatsoever"
In 1874 Mr.. Upshur, in his instructions TO Mr. Irv-
ing said
that Spain shat yield pressure
her any
necessarily influence the policy this
government -
Mr. Buchanan, in ls4s, in his instructions TO Mr.
Saunders thus defined the position of the United States
in respect to Cuba
island shall become colony
foreign commerce. endanger the unon OF the States
The highest and every independents provide
PEELED acquisition Cuba by any powerful
State with all the which Providence has placed
mand
Mr. Marcy the late Secretary of State in his instruc