The Portland daily press., 1869-03-31
Spain and Cuba.

merchant in communication published
on the first PAGE ehivalrously comes to the de-
renee OF the Spanish in their efforts to subdue
the revolt in Cuba. He puts their case as
strongly as it has capabilities for being put,
and argues it with much ingenuity. His posi-
tions are, in brief, these:
The Spanish home government since the ex-
pulsion of the Bourbons is liberal one, and is
peculiarly worthy of the sympathy and sup
port of this country. 1t sent Dulce to Cuba
clothed with authority to reform the govern
mental affairs of that Island, and to make the
most generous concessions to its people, only
stopping short of the recognition of its inde-
pendence of Spain. The reports that come to
ms from interested sources of the cruelty and
bad faith of Dulce and his Spanish associates
are false. The position of Spain with respect
to Cuba is like that OF the North with respect
to the South during the war. Finally, our
commerce with the island is dependent upon
the success of the government in subduing the
insurrection,
The last consideration is naturally and props
erly the one which would have most weight in
the latitute of Commercial street, and we
therefore give it the most attention. 1t has
been found that commercial interests may al
ways safely trust themselves, in common with
all other interests, to the consequences which
follow from the establishment OF pollticai IN
stitutions on the basis of freedom and justice.
There were not wanting those who In other
days predicted that the overthrow OF slavery
would result in the permanent prostration of
commerce and industry, North as well as
South. Few people adhere to that conviction,
now that justice has triumphed in the aboli-
ton of slavery. On the contrary, it is now
perceived that slavery was the sole obstacle in
the way not only of commercial and industrial
prosperity in the South but of moral and So
cial progress. In considering the relations of
Cuba and Spain, therefore, we have only to
discover where the right is in order to deter
mine with absolute certainty what course will
be most conducive to our own interests. That
this is a rule of universal application the world
learns more and more surely every year
And we do not find that Merchant by any
thing he has alleged in behalf of the Spaniards
has made it appear that it is for the interest of
the American people to give their sympathy to
Spain in its efforts to hold Cuba. 1t is true
that the present provisional government of
Spain is inspired by liberal views; yet from all
that comes to us from Madrid it appears that
the revolution will end in the establishment OF
a monarchy. Nay, it appears that the Duke
of Montpensier who married the sister of the
ex- Queen and bears the hated name of Bour-
bon, is likely to be the successful candidate for
the throne. He is, supported by Serrano,
Prim and Topete and, as is alleged, by ma
jority of the Cortes. Even if he should prove
good monarch and should faithfully observe
the limitations to his power established by the
constitution which Spain is now for the first
time promised, what assurance have the Gu
bans that counter-revolution will not, sooner
or later, dethrone him and restore the more
Objectionable branch of his family? What as
surance have they, if they do not win their in
dependence, that they will not be speedily re-
manded to their former condition of semi-vas
salage, in which all Cubans were excluded
from participation in public affairs, when
Cuba was kept like one immense plantation,
managed so as to yield to the Spanish treasu-
ry the largest possible amount of revenue?
No analogy exists between Cuba and the
South in their respective rebellions. The
South was an integral part of the Union and
its people were invested with all the rights
and immunities belonging to citizens in any
part Of the country. Cuba is an outlying
province, whose citizens have only had the
privilege of contributing to the support of a
despsed foreign government, and to that of
foreign rulers sent to extort taxes and inn
posts.
So far as false reports are concerned, ne
doubt there are such on both sides, but the
merits of the case are entirely independent of
anything and everything in the details of the
struggle. The sympathies of Americans are
with Cuba because its cause is that
which America, more than all the world
beside, has fostered and crowned with tri-
umphs.