The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-26

which we are either really ignorant or are willing
to deceive ourselves, we shall find that, for a
number of years past, Spain has been slowly but
steadily advancing in a career of improvement
A government which appropriates annually three
quarters OF million of dollars to the cause of edu
cation; which supports sixteen thousand public
schools, and which, within the last twenty years
has succeeded in raising the number of pupils
from thirty thousand in all the educational es-
iablishments of the kingdom, TO seven hundred
and twenty-five thousand in the public schools
alone, cannot be said to be averse to impartinp
intelligence TO the masses. Neither has Spain
been wholly remiss in fostering, during the same
period her system Of internal improvements In
spite Of natural obstacles which retard her progress
to a degree unknown in countries whose topo-
graphical features favorable for the prose
cuton of such works, roads admirably construct
ed have established easy communication with re-
mote districts; important canals have been COM
pieted, and others are being pushed energetically
forward. Various lines of railway, of no exraor-
binary length it is true, but nevertheless, evinc-
ing clear appreciation of the value of such enter
prises, are also in active operation, and many
others are either projected or in process of con-
struction Equally marked and promising is the
extension Of the area of cultivated land in conse-
quence OF the subdivision and the secularizaon of
the Church property, and as result of the inter-
nal Improvements to which we have referred. In
less than hall century, or from 1903 10 1S49
the territorial wealth increased from about one
hundred and sixteen millions of dollars to nearly
| three hundred and sixty-nine millions and a half
'while the quantity of land in cultivation, which
then scarcely amounted TO one-ninth of the whole
''soil, had risen to more than two-sevenths."
There certainly evidence ofretrogression in the
above exhibit; but, on the contrary it shows that
the intellectual advancement Of the people and the
material prosperity of the country have alike been
cared for by the Government. That Spanish pro-
gress is slow; that whatever is accomplished in the
way of improvement, is done little by little, and
that there is of that feverish energy DISPLAYED
there which distinguishes the people of the UNITED
STATES, are facts which will not admit of dispute
but allowance must always be made for the differ
ence in the habits manners customs and modes of
thought that has ever existed between the two
races, and it is but fair that we should measure
their respective movements according to the cir
cumstances by which they are governed and the
conditions under which they act We have said
that In the popular view Spain is an efete nation
but we have quoted facts which prove that sau-
tary reaction has taken place of late years and thai
under Constitutional Government, and with the
spread of liberal ideas, she may yet recover Dor
ton OF her old glory and grandeur, aud is already
power that, in defence of her territorial rights or
IN vindication of item, it would lie an act of foIv
to despse Were Spain willing to cede Cuba to us
we should, perhaps, be more ready to do Justice to
whatever merits she really possesses, or, ut all
events, to treat her with greater show
of respect than some of our. prominent states
men and politicians appear disposed 10 do so long
as she expresses her determination not to part with
tie fairest Jewel in her coronal If we were con-
tent simply with liberal commercial treaty. we
might have had it long since but TO have accented
the generous proier would have cffectuaIly frus-
tra'ed the designs of those who, like Senator
Brown, OF Mississippi, arrogantly declare that we
want Cuba, and that because we want that Island.
we must and will have it by fair means or by foul.
What has resulted from the position we have as
sumed? Why, that the Government at Madrid
has Systematically discountenanced every effort on
our part to treat upon a question which il is
resolved not to entertain and that at more than
one session of the Cortas the determination not TO
part with Cuba has been solemnlv expressed and
unanimously confirmed by the members of that
legislative body. We now learn, that in accord
ance with this spirit and with view 10 facilitate
the defence of the island, in case of threatened
or an actual invasion from these shores, the
Spanish Government have granted TO our
former Secretary of Legation at Madrid, Mr.
HoRATIo PERRY, the right to connect Spain
with Cuba by submarine tclegraphic cable
which it is proposed 'shall be laid from Cadz ria
''lhe Canaries, the Cape de Verde Islands Cane
''San Rogue, the Coast of Brazil, Guiana and
''Trndad, 10 Porto Rico" The Madrid Cayres-
pondencia congratulates the O'DoyYELL Ministry
upon "this splendid initiative" and declares that
Spain ''has too long lain at the mercy of American
''hlibusters." The course pursued by Mr.. PERRY
in refusing ITO he the medium OF the INSULTING
propositions of a portion of his countrvmen.u is
poiutedly contrasted with that of 'another Ameri-
''can diplomat, who has returned from his residence
''at Madrid only to ridicule at home the patriotism
''of the Cortes.' ''To ascribe y saws the Cores
Pondenc'a, ito enthusiasm and folly, the noble
indignation aroused in the Senate and CONGRESS
.''of Deputies by the mere idea of the. proposal
''of the American traders who wished to buy Cuba
us the climax of peddling and ofpoitical insult ~
But when that ournal expresses the belief that
the project of Mr.. PERRY will be the means of
placing Cuba beyond the reach of American fill
busterism, and will tend "to increase the
number Of those high-minded men, who, in
''CongreSs and elsewhere, oppose the efforts
''of the annexationsts, - we are disposed
to doubt the virtue of the panacea.-
We are convinced, nevertheless, that the idea of
annexing Cuba, whether By conquest or by pur-
chase Is by no means so popular with our coun-
trymen as it once was, and that many who still
believe that the Island would be a valuable acou-
sltlon to the UNITED STATES, would never consent
to sanction the adoption of forcible measures to
obtain it, 1t is perfectly clear that SPAN has not
evinced the slightest disposition to part with it for
any sum of money that we might be willing to of.
fer, and it our present minister at Madrid is in
structed to open negotiations anew upon this SUBJ
ject it needs no prophet TO predict that he will
meet with quite as pointed rebuff as was expe-
rienced by the Honorable PIERRE SoULE, or by his
immediate successor, the Honorable AUGUSTUS
CESAR DODGE ..H. q. .a..-a sAJ