The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-09-04
Spain, Cuba, aud the United
States.
rFrom the London Times, Aug. g.

CFrom the London Times, Aug. 81
When we ventured, a short time ago.
to conclude our remarks on the relation
between Spain and Cuba by a hint at
to the expediency Of compromise be
tween two f,es, neither of whom hae
anything to hope from premulgatior
of hostilities, I'VE only gave utterance t,
convictionspringing from our impair
tial survey of the case, without Claiming
the least knowledge as 70 any transac
ton of the nature we recommend being
actually in contemplation. Since then
however, ronors have been aaoat
grounded, we suppose on something
more solid than our original specula
ton, including belief that negotiations
fora cession of Cuba have been fol
more than. two. months, and still are
pending. Spain, it is stated, is not un.
willing to part with the island, and
with the rest of her West India posses
sions, '' for consideration" The price
she sets upon these colonieseis put down
at round sum of 940, 900, 900, and she
has already received offers to the extent
of eel5, 200, 900 and sf20,Ooo,000. The
scheme. it is added, consists in opening
a subscription among the weasthiest
classes in Cuba to raise the sum re-
quired to redeem their island from Span.
ish sHfaldom and to constitute it into an
Independent State. The Government
at Washington would take upon itself
the stipulation of the terms of the con-
tract, and give security for its fulflment.
The maneuvrcs by which SO complicated
piece Of business would have to be
brought to happy and speedy termlna-
ton could not remain long secret, nor
could they get wind without raising
such an uproar as might considerably
mar without, however, averting the ul-
timate issue. q" The rumor of the intcn-
ded sale of Cuba" we are told, has ex-
cited great discomfort in the Spanish
army" while, on the other hand, the
Cuban Junta lat New York; have for
mally protested agains: the proposed
purchase" This is entirety according
to precedent. The Spanish army is in
honor bound to shed the last drop of its
blood to enforce the right of the Crown
of CASTLE to the pearl of the Antilles, !"
and the Cuban Junta, as representa-
tives of the insurgent cause in the Is
land, are justified in contending that the
emancipation of people should be
wrought out with steel, and not with
gold But, between the military pune
tll,o, of the former, and the patriotic ia.
naticism Of the latter, there are the in
terests<sf both countries and Of the in
habitants to be consulted; and, above
the mere impulse of passion, there ought
to be the control of SOUND reason. 1fit can
be proved. as is indeed evident, that a
Of he colony from the moth
or country is an unavoidable and by no
means remote consumation, it seems the
height of madness to carry on bostilities
fraught with ruin to either side.
Independently of her arduous enter
prise in subjugating Cuha, Spain has
such desperately hard work on hand as
may we'll task her strength beyond its
not very extensive limits. No revolu-
luton ever more miserably collapsed
from her sheer impotence than the
which, nearly a twelvemonth
ago hurled Qeen Isabella from her
hrone. A bad government was, at
that crisis, overthrown by small fac
ion of the nation but the whole nation
has ever since been unable to substitute
another government 10 the place of the
fallen one. Gen. Izquierdo, the Cap
tain General of Madrid, and one of the
Leaders of the September pros@mcia-
siento, formally intimates to the Min
stry that unless king is elected, be
will resign his Office; "desparing of the
The mere proclamation of
a king, however, would not bring about
he cure of the evil. The sovereie n
might reign" but there would still be
The same lack of a man. to "gevern."
Of all the men placed by the late change
at the head of the Spanish administra-
ton Gen. Prim alone was credited with
sufficient enerny, yet hopeless corrup
ton appears to have been discovered
in his own military departement. The
necessity for the promotion of sv-called
s" deserving patriots" and the anxiety
to muster devoted partisans about the
government hare led to en- indiscrim-
mate lavishness Of patronage which has
raised ill-will in the army while it has
lowered its tone. People have been
distracted Of late by alarms about Car
list disturbances, the detection Of garri-
sons, the mutinous bearing of the artil-
cry and engineer corps. What, how
ever. constitutes the governments weak
ness equally battles the efforts Of the op-
position. IL 10 the complete apathy and
supineness Of the nation in Spain that
gives the army oil its aseendeney. The
expulsion of the Queen has led to no .in-
novation whatever on that point. 1t
has only effected the substitution of
Prim for 0'Donnell or Navaez For
Ehe sake Of peace, it IL desirable that
whoever has power should retain it.
But Prim's policy under difficulties
cannot be said greatly to differ from
that of Mr.. Marshall's his predecessor.
Like them. he shoots, be transports, he
goes back to the most murderons edicts
Of 1921 for sufficiently stringent mar
tial law. In other respects it would be
difficult to point to any step in advance
made BY re7olutionized Spain either in
the theory or in the practice Of gov
msnt. And yet, improvident and help
less as Prim's government may be. it
can safely be proclaimed the best that
Spain could have under present circurn'
stances; and its chances Of improve
ment lie in the power it MAY have OF