New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-02


We have chosen to speak infreQuently and
guardedly of the policy to be pursued by
our Government with regard to the Queen
"of the Antilles" We believe, most certainly, as
well as hope, that the fate Of the selfish and
Embarrassing rule of Spain over that island is
foreshadowed by her expulsion from that vast
and fertile region which was, but is no longer
% the Spanish Mainn We surely hope to see
Cuba free republic like Chill or Peru-only
richer and more-thrifty than those. There Is
no question, and should be no disguise, as to
the fact that such is the ardent and almost
universal desire of our people. European rule
over this Continent, peTDiciOuS as it generally
has been, has had no worse eXemplar than Ill
the case of Spain, whereof her treatment OF
Cuba is the remaining exponent.
We do not seek to know what our Govern
ment is doing with regard to the stlife now
devastating Cuba, nor have we any desire to
influence its policy Believing that our Presi
dent and Secretary of State clearly compre-
bend the situation, and combine with the pur
pose to do what is right the wisdom to do 1t
at the right time, we await their decision as
to recognizing the belligerency actually exist
ing without impatience or curiosity. AT the
proper time, VIC shall know just what has been
DONE and shall be able to convince doubters
that it is exactly what it should have been.
For the present two grave facts challenge
the civilized worlds attention these namely:
1. When the ssh Bill of Rights passed
the Constituen rites, the Republicans OBJ
iected that it & ot in terms abolish and pro-
hibit Slavery for which they were rebuked as
captiOus by the oraces of the majority. These
pointed to the clause which proclaimed the in
| alienable rights of all Spaniards and insisted
that this rendered Slavery hencefOrth impOssi-
ble Yet months have passed, and the slaves
| of both Cuba and Porto Rico are still dashed
to unrequited labor and no step has been
taken, so far as we can learn. that looks even
to their prospective liberation. Everything that
reaches us from Observation-Disclosures that no pur-
pose is cherished by the Spanish faction in
power there of giving up Slavery so long as
they can retain it, Ii the Cubans shall be put
down, Slavery will again overspread the Ever
Faithful" isle, and the slave-t traders dlsa-
vowed but not repressed will be landing car
goes on every coast and paying the Governor
their dOubloOn a head, as i'll the bad old days.
III. The insurgents are the Cubans-there is
scarcely an exception. In our fathers Revo
lutionary struggle, the hearts of full third of
our people, with the arms of a good many of
them, were with the King and the mother
cOuntry but in Cuba there are just two par
ties-the Spaniards and the Cubans. Every
slave has to be in feeling an insurgent-for
Spain's triumph involves his and his races
lifelong, bitter bondage. Expel the Spanards
from Cuba, and there would not be left a
hundred TO regret their exit.
III. War; unless it be absolutely defensive
and especially war waged at distance, is
enormously eXpensive-far more so than it was
even twenty years ago. Whether men are
consumed more or less rapidly, money vanishes
like the dew Of hot Summer morning. Spain
is bankrupt-Owes vast sums on which she
has not even pretended to pay the interest for
a generation, and is never likely to pay. She
made new loan of Fifty Millions last year.
! Of which she realized but a fraction and now
the lenders, we suspect, wish they had their
money back. She cannot borrow further; the
means of her portion in Cuba are nearly ex-
hausted while the revolt is as vigorous and
formidable as ever And nothing indicates
that her Captain-G General is likely now to strike
a crushing blow, or even expects to do it.
| ". Cuba has for a generation been q main
resource of the Spanish treasury. Over and
above the cost of governing it, large surplus
has been annually RENTED to Madrid out of
the proceeds of colonial taxation. For more than
a year, it has not only ceased to be a resource
| it has been serious burden. Ten Millions
of Dollars annually drawn from old Spain will
not suffice to hold the ground in Cuba still
possessed by her, being just about what is
within the range of her .soldieTy's muskets
Even though her troops 90 unpaid, they can
not 90 unarmed or unfed and provisions and
munitions cost money. She must pay money
great deal of ito retain her clutch even
on Havana.
Such are the considerations which underie
| our belief that Spanish domination in Cuba
must DO near its end That belief cannot be
the dictate of a covetous spirit for we prefer
that Cuba should Remain iudeQendeut. " folm