The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-11
the LAST OF the sovRsuNs.
spanish AhoIitionIsm and tho Coming Revolu-
tion--Action of the Cuban Delegates In F:,-cT
Of EmanciputiOn.


spanish AboiitionIsm and tho Coming Rcvoin-
tion--Action 0f the Cuban Delegates In F.~oP
Of Emancipation.
From the London News Nov PAL
II has passed into proverb that the Bourbns neither
forget learn. The present condition OF AFFAIRS In
Spain supplies forchle illustration o. this dynastical
aphoris for neither Queen Isabella H. nor Der political
advisers appear have forgotten the traditions OF their
country have learned the smallest particle OF wis
dom from contemporaneous events These personnges
pe in e rss n oe nses.nA century precisely a. tssir
predecmrs rutd IN the dark age. II would not BE- sur
pvising attempt made TO revive the Inquston
Is this moral blindness peculiar TO the Bourbon race or
is simply diosy ncrasy Of despotc power In either
the result is tho same, for oppression and msrule
usurp the place Of freedom and liberal Inst buttons L.
and misery az horne, and loss or credit and
political consideration abroad arc The inevitable conss
Al this moment TIE Vhole covntry il undr MARITAL law.
Narraex rul,s by the Ncord and mans fifs Il Saje
The press Is gagged meetings for tho discussion Of
political other subjects are prohibited under the
severesf penalties opposition silspccd by terror;
many Of the leading politicians have 1sd chs country,
aud thoss who remain yield reluctant Acquiesoencs
the OF the powers that be, Or maintain 40 OHM
Gus silence. Meanwhile the army Is sulien and
p,ey a.. ,s 10 than :v s lGss a. :,ps ",
operfHrr the thv0ns Of fsalsLa and terminate the
rule Of Ae Bonrbsns in Spain.
the Spanish possessions In America 10 revolt and
!::s:!:: y ~ .Ai i. sssSn :.i asss:
D Do. negro sna s s%y = man
tanned there ready al any time TO sapprAs pocs sx-
element the smallest manifestation Of dsection oc
the part OF the Cubans and Porto Rcana In spite how
ever, OF this Damocesian sword the cooniss OF the
spanish Antilles have from time to time asserted their
Many Of their leaders were 10 con-equencs driven into
exile and poverty but their speeches and writings found
their way into the Islands and continued. TO produce
fruit by raising up advocates OF colonial reform
But the spanish government persisted In turning deaf
70 the and petitions which poured Ia
upon from the colonial reform party, and b'gan %
consider the movement serious only when the aboI,oa
OF the slave trade and slavery mooted lnds-
pensable prei minary 10 all other reforms.
Th> shareholders ~ ne Tinted Saf.'. and ~
sid smpnrted 70 pts ph1s; ~ NE colonial rsferm
ment significance Mt b b. misaten and propaby with
view 10 postpone indefinitely tho solution Of hts
question the NarvAex Cabinet assuming the initiative
promulgated decree bearing date the 18th Of November
1885, which announced the Intention Of the
Immediately consider what POLITICAL financial and
cia reform should be conceded 10 the citizens OF Cuba
required 10 send delegates from the various
trics Of those islands 10 meet cqns number OF
representatives. OF the government selected from among
those OF Us officers who had ben personally engn led IN
the administration OF the colonies. the sections to
form Commission Of Inquiry 70 confer n the
forms TO be Instituted and the Of carrying them
into effect This commission assembled at Madrid on
the 30th Of last mon,h and has held three meetinga
The opening address Of the Colonial Minister senior
Canovas del tastillo. redundant with professions
OF the intention OF the government 10 deal frankly
with the question before NJ all the Information that
the delegates desired 10 tender would be gratefully
ceised every point should have the respecfu and
attentive confederation: the government, had pre-.
pledged itself justice all parties Tho Comrnls-
soners received those with every demon.
selves for their work. II not, however very
encouraging fact that the government sectoo Of the
commission consisted OF individuals pledged Ia MAINTAIN
the present order Of things On the other hand OF the
twenty-five delegates from Cuba and the sin from Porto
Rico only six Of the zane view the government.
the remaining being all nrm aboitionsts
II any Of the colonial delegates were deuded by the
honisd words OF senor Canoyas del Castillo into tho be-
lba nj tws
questions, under tho separate heads u negro sisvss
free negroes, Asiaiic population and mrn'ersticn,'
have snatched tho veil from their eyes The e~ec, pro
6ucsd upon them may be judged Of by the result The
srsro,s p,ef sgsins, the cour-. Of he gossrpmens
declaring 10 be nagrantly Inconsistent With the terms
Of the royal decree They stated that the tendency 81
tboes questions TO perpetuats slavery ndennt~ly
and such intention vas no, only opposed 70 the
visws Of their constituents but antagoniric 70 the
prosperity Of ID. island they declined 10 answer
any q The qusnss Thsy also demanded, on behalf
and In the ~ their oons'ltusnt<, The imme-
ossss ssss,or a. slavery WaA ~ v,fAo,s compprsssn b
ns ad~ owners, and with without any regulations
respecting The introduction Of immigrant labor They
declared ihss the social reform Involved 10 their demand
OF primary importance and that vhis they rvserved
night of pressing Tor thoss administrative thane~s
which the circumstances Of the colony rendered impen
tive they should insss 10 the end upon the abolition OF
slavery an Indispensable preliminary.
ThG VOL, protea rv,csd contagious. he T1ra DIT
.Or n erH pr.d p,sss'sy a'as 70 ~, aaAe
while they considered immediate emancipation might
safely b. conceded 70 Porto Rco The ercgmsancss and
the condition OF Cuba different that thry bfs.
ferred preparing plan ~ emancipation susbs 20
their siand which thsy shouid submit ~ eoon ~ the
dice nssons Cuba op~ned Thus stood the
tor on tho l3th ~ the present. month.
The action q The government has nos " ts s~>n. "
can no longer daily with the question 81 emaoripnton
TAs obcsa,ssa party Spain has spvsac vfs sytst>A<
a psosf saarr>iiosss Two years ago v Lad
existence The "Proov,0ssiss are nnannotsly In IA
ror of emancipation and until Nsrvaez siisc bc prrr
upwsrds of eighty newspapers advocated a. The apsn
leo Ansssvsry society, % which boo aia,tl&no oozs
n ~ President ususuraied only the espf ~ Arrii
last year hes held three generously attapeed pntfh
rrestngs on tho question aud numbers sfsopg Ne ssr-
porter the 1sost eloquent orssors IN Spain, and ~
the noxa dixiuau sseH msusbers ~ zoe Cortss TIE
reign 81 iesrsr hss checked ~ progress. bet
tansd - No. ana sssspssbssed BY ths attitude vhseh
The colonial 1elssssss kass aasamsd, vsah sesm IN
possible shas snythxns sbsrs of srpncs~s w iron
had yvsvsnf ths soutsoo The inporfas qusssop
Which n hss Dssu insssumsntAi 10 rsisnx