Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-18
TO ADyERTIsERs,
THE TAKING OF CUBA.

THE TAKING OF CUBA
When it was foretold, in 1856, that the ac-
QUESTION Of Cuba would become one of the
avowed purposes of the Administration of Mr..
buchanan, before its close, the statement was
met with unqualified and indignant denial.
There was, then, as there has been ever since
the Ostcnd manifesto was published, a general
belief that the country did not want Cuba, at
any price for which it was likely to be obtain
ed The amount, in money, for which Spain
would be willing to part with her favorite is
land, would be so great as to render the pur
chase, on our part, an exhibition of the most
egregious commercial folly. And the idea of
stealing the island, did not, at that time, strike
the masses as a very wise or very profitable
Observation-Disclosures are SO exceedingly
liable to come to a bad end.
Recent developments, however, show that
the "night-owls" of 1885, as it was the delight
Of the successful party to call them, were good
prophets after all. By coverty encouraging
an unhappy hostility against Spain, and by di-
rect suggestion, the President has brought the
subject fairly before the country. His parti-
Fans, though differing as to the means of attain
ing the end, generally assent to the pro-
priety of his recommendations, and vol
unteer all the aid they can afford. Mr..
Douglas does not see any feasible way to
accomplish the object at present. but is will
ing to allow the President S30,00O,000 to be
used in negotiating and if another Black
Warrior affair should occur, he would recon.
mend the Island be taken by force, and the
negotiations finished afterwards! This knav-
ish suggestion was little too gross for some
of the Southern Senators though they ap-
proved of the general determination, that the
gem of the Antilles must be ours. If action
should be pressed in the Senate at the present
session, there is little doubt that the President
would be, on the part of that branch, clothed
with plenary authority, to carry out their de-
termination.
1t is apparent that the desire of possessing
Cuba has been steadily growing in public IA
vor during the last few years, Its geographic
cal position has been accepted as kind of di-
vine argument on our side But the character
of her people, her traditions, her usages and
her institutions have been kept out of sight
A few years ago, when the subject of annexa-
ton was first spoken of as a possible
occurrence, a gentleman who was tho
roughly acquainted with the Island, now
at the head of one of the most distin-
gushed literary institutions in the country, re-
marked, in our presence, that the annexation
of Cuba, with her present population and hab-
its, to the United States would be more de-
plOrabe than disunion itself. An old State
might recede without changing the essential
character Of the government. But, to intro
duce a new one peopled by an entirely differ
ent race, acting upon alien, and not unfre-
quently hostile instincts, degraded in their
general character, and alike opposed TO us in
their notions of morality, government and re-
ligion, would be as dangerous as to take poi
son into the system, or serpent to our bos-
oms.
If it were only proposed, as a question of
policy, to annex that island, and, in time, con-
vert it into one of the sovereign States of this
Confederacy we think it would be sufficient
answer to show, at glance, the heaven-wide
difference IN the histories of the two people,
who propose to unite; and to point to the con-
stantly divergent tendencies of the Spanish
and Anglo-Saxon races. But, when it is as
sumed that these differences of character and
circumstance erect no bar sinister to their
union, and the only question to be tolerated,
is, whether the island shall be taken, by force,
or under false pretences, it opens an entirely
new field Of discussion. 1t is a quesrion, not
of policy, but of good morals. 1t is a ques-
ton, whether fraud and force shall be elevated
into general principles of public conduct, or
be crushed in their incipient stages. If this
whole Cuban plot could be thoroughly ex-
posed, and the base motives which actuates
the advocates of annexation high and low,
could be laid before the people of the country,
we firmly believe that the entire project would
be abandoned, at least, till some common, fra
ternal feeling is developed between the two
people, or, till the bargain can be honestly
consummated.