The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-22
Sentiments OF the People OF Cuba-Wha'
They Think OF the Proposition TO Pur'

Sentiments OF the People OF Cuba-What
They Think OF the Proposition 10 Pur-
chase.
The series Of letters from Cuba which we pub
lish in another column to-day are worthy the
attention of every rejecting man, for they pre-
sent profound and fruitful suggestions as to the
cour of international questions affecting
the interests of this continent.
1t is not for their style, their depth of thought,
or beauty of composition, that they are remarka-
ble They evidently came from persons in vari-
Gus positions of society, and with great diffe-
rences Of thought and expression; but in one
hing they are unanimous, and that is the COM
plcte disclaiming Of the feeling of loyalty to the
crown and professions of fealty contained in the
official representations lately sent by the Captain
General in Havana to the court at Madrid. This
IS the first occasion on which the voice of the
people in Cuba has found utterance in contradic-
ion to the official expressions ofther constituted
rulers. The press of Havana is subject to o
rigid censorship by the government, and even
the expression in private of political opinions
adverse to the present rule is constructive
treason, and punishable by fine and inn
prisonment, if not by death These
letters al tell us that they were written under
constraint. Some wrote at midnight; another
did so with pencil and in disguised hand so
that in case the letter miscarried the experts and
chemists usually called by the Military Commits
sion to examine the writing and the ink might
not trace the writer; few give us references in
this city, that we may learn who the writer's are
if we doubt the genuineness of the letters; and q
large number come to us anonymously. We
willingly open our columns to give expression to
the sentiments Of the people of Cuba, so long as
our courtesy is not misused by endeavoring to
make it the vehicle of personal attacks and we
have no wish to inquire the name of any writer
| of proper letter sent to us from that island
1t will be seen, from the evidences which we
present today that the number of those who dis
sent from the official expressions of the munich
pal authorities in Cuba is not small; and that tits
openly stated that even many of those who have
signed those manifestations do not entertain the
feelings they profess. Our letters are unanimous
in the assertion that not only is there no popular
Indignation at the proposition of Mr.. Buchanan
to negotiate with Spain for the cesson of the
island to the United States, but that on the
contrary it was subject of general rejoicing
and two of our correspondents assert that if
the question were left to the decision of
the people, under some international compact
that would secure them from Interior danger for
expressing their wishes, it would be carried by
unanimous Cuban vote. One Of the writer's
goes so far as to assert that large portion of
the Spanish soldiers, if the change were to take
place. would desert their ranks and become
citizens of the new State. Even should there be
some exaggeration in these statements, they
prove the existence of state of feeling in the
Cuban mind highly inimical to Spanish rule
But the strongest proof of this is the spontaneity
with which this manifestation Of popular feeling
has broken out. 1t was not sought for nor was
it expected. The President, in recommending in
his message the purchase Of Cuba, looked at it
solely as an American question: and yet his
words have stirred the people of that island from
one end of it to the other
This betokens state of things which cannot
be maintained by Spain for long period of
years. Popular impressions wear the deeper the
more they are confined to their channels Free
dom presents thousand flattering hopes. Spain
is fer away, and to the great mass of the
people Of Cuba is known only as the country
that sends them rulers, who exact an annual
money payment from each man for license
to reside in the home that. has belonged
to his fathers for generations The United
States are near at hand, and having been
the refuge Of thousands of Cubans who in
times Of political prosecutions have fed the
island, has come to be looked upon as the ark of
safety. Besides this, there is large number of
Cuban youth that have been educated here;
another that from motives Of profit or pleasure
have visited this country, and not few who
have visited this as well as the older countries of
Europe. All of these things are germs of ideas
destructive to Spanish rule. If the press of Cuba
is silenced, these ideas will find expression in
those Of this country which are carried to the
island by thousand channels. They have
natural course Of growth and maturity which
all experience tells us attend the growth of COM
munities and which will inevitably produce that
separation between the mother country and the
colony that in the history Of past times has been
witnessed in many instances.
This natural ripening must come, and the only
question is How shall the severance of the polit-
cal ties which bind the metropolis and the colony
be brought about? Hitherto it has been done
through violence and wars, which have vexed
the commerce of the world. The advance of
social science and political philosophy now re-
quire that another and more peaceful method
shall be found A repetition Of the struggles
that destroyed the commerce of Spain for a
quarter Of century is not to be thought Of
The idea Of maintaining any nation in
tatu quo by force Of arms cannot be
realized. The growth of nation is silent, but
gradual and irresistible as the flow Of river
bikes and dams may stop it for awhile but the
constant accretions Of water render necessary
the laying Of new courses of stone, one after