Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-16
TnE great Cuba speech of Mr., Judah P Ben

The great Cuba speech of Mr., Judah P Ben
jamin, is creating big sensation, particularly
among Washington letter writer's. The central
idea embraced in this effort is, that African sla-
very in the West Indies is necessity; that the
tropics can be cultivated only by compulsory
labor; that, consequently, African slavery in the
tropics is right. Mr.. Benjamin thinks that the
more powerful race must rule the weaker, and as
the whites have the ascendency, the blacks
must, per force, submit. Now, it is poor logic
that will not admit of two applications. Sup
pose the tables should be turned in the West
Indies, and the blacks get the upper hand and
put the whites to cultivating sugar cane? Why,
according to the argument, they would have to
take up the hoe without murmur, while their
"culluo" masters would lie in the shade and
drink iced lemonade and eat oranges. 1t is all
matter of accident that it is not so; and acci-
dents still happen, and sometimes turn things
around wonderfully.
Mr. Beniamin's speech is like firebrand
thrown into the Senatorial arena at this particu-
lar juncture of affairs. If not iatended, it is
certainly calculated to produce a fierce discus
sion 1t is premeditated fling at the Repub-
lican side of the Senate, by instituting compari-
sons between South and North. 1t will, of
course, be replied to; so that we may look for
the biggest kind of slavery talk, and it may
be, warm one.
The Tribune thinks Mr.. Benjamin's speech
incendiary-the first instance we remember of
the application of the epithet to Southern
production-the fashion having always been to
thus stigmatize northern effusions, while those
coming from south of Mason and Dixons line
were eminently conservative. According to it,
the speech is intended to stir up an inSurrection
in Cuba, and it intimates that the thirty million
project is designed to help forward the same OBJ
ject. a revolt, it is thought, would dispose
Spain to get rid of that island, and would thus
render its purchase more easy of accomplish
ment.
The n Y. Times correspondent takes diff
ferent and new view of this CUBA scheme
He appears to have discovered some recent de.
velopments that give the entire thing another
aspect 1t is no longer political, but Specu-
lative project; and the proportions it assumes
are gigantic. This writer says that there is a
Cuban in Washington who is now pcrfecting a
plan of operation based on the declaration of
Gen. Cass, in his letter to Gen. Lamar in rela-
ton TO the Yrissari Treaty, declaring it to be
tho duty of our Government to enforce the
obligations of foreign governments to onr citi-
zens, for the buying up of hundred million or
more of Spanish bonds, which can be bought
in the European markets for % to 80 per cent
The design is then to present these bonds to
Spain for payment. If she should refuse, a
levy is to lie made on Cuba But it is
this, quietly pay the bonds at their full value
and thus the spectators will realize from
fifty to seventy-fve millions profit. This he
saws is what stimulates more and more as the
project is developed, the supporters of the thir-
ty million bill. The thirty millions are wanted
to buy Spanish bonds-with two designs, one
OF the other of which must.succeed: to make an
immense sum of money, or get Cuba. To still
further promote the success of this stupendous
piece of rascality it is proposed to issue Cuba
Script-which will entitle the holder to a GER
tain share of the profits growing ont of the in
vestment. million or two of this distributed
among editors, letter writers, and other outSi-
ders, will either secure their silence or service.
Senators and Representatives will invest; and
their votes may be very materially affected by
the consideration Of twenty five, fifty, or hun
dred thousand dollars. The writer concludes
by saying that extraordinary these develop
ments are, they are true
Now xe do not like to swallow all that, at one
dose, though it may not be a hoax. The propo-
sition for the thirty millions an extraordi-
nary one, and no adequate explanation of what
it is wanted for has yet been given. This looks
like it might be SUCH If these developments
reveal the existence of such scheme, they will
exhibits national corruption unparalleled in the
history of this government
a somewhat singular finale to very serious
criminal case is recorded by the Oswego, N. Z.
Palladium. In May last Miss Caroline butcher,
girl of IS years of age, who resided in Coustan-
tia, was outraged by three young men, who
were subsequently indicted for the offense, and
the girl has ever since been detained in Jail as
witness. The trial of these parties was to take
place at the present term of the Oyer and Ter