New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-23
OUR CUBAN POLICY.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
IPRoM THR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIiB TRiBoSkl
WASHINGTON, Dec. B.-The announcement
week ago. that Mr.. Fish. after receiving the letter
signed by 40 many sup,servceaDe Senator'S haa oon-
Guided to in the Cabinet for tho present. has
been received with regret by those most interesed In
the welfare Of Cubn either from considerations OF
humanity of pecunary nature since the sdvent 70
office of new Secretary Of State 1t was hoped, wouo
be the signal for the adoption OF pocy toward spun
and Cuba In accordance with American IDEAS than
that which has marked treatment OF this Important
question during the past year. Meeting day or TWO ago
q prominent Cuban-Amercan whose large estates are
held and worked by the Spanish military authorities IN
Cuba found hun quite willing to talk on the subject
and am at liberty repeat PORTIONS OF the con-
versaton.
1--WE complain " he aaid that the whole policy OF the
United States toward Cuba during the past two years.
while It has been unjust to Its own citizens has sus
taned the institution Of Slavery in the island when
single word from this would have been sf
cient TO cause Its abolition. You have heard much said
OF late about the refusal OF the Spanish authorities In
Cuba to release estates belonging to American citizens
even after they had received orders from the Madrid
Government to do You may not be aware that many
Of the valuable estates In Cuba are either
owned by American citizens or heavily mortgaged 10
American merchants The owners OF these estates are
generally wealthy men, born In Cuba, who have lived
izcd and who in the habit Of spending three or
four months during each Winter on their plantations.
These men have felt very kindly toward tn" Span
ish authorities, and have always sympa'h7ed with tber
counrymcn In every attempt they have made to achieve
their freedom.
"Slnce Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation they
have generally been favor Of the abolition
Of Slavery in Cuba, especially since free Chinese
labor has, on the whole. becn found moro profitable
than slave labor. Many of them began, years ago. a
system gradual patton and nearly all Of tem
on the declaration Of the Republic in the FAN OF 1868,
publicly freed their slaves The income from these es
tates was. before the present war, very
great. yielding to their owners from $4,000
to $4,000 or 100000 year. can be
shown by the books OF the New York merchandise whom
the crops we're sold. On the breaking out OF the wara
great number of these estates seized by the military
authorities the rreensc that their own RS were giving
aid and comfort to the insurgents, and placed in charge
Of the Commission OF Embargoed Estates, OF which the
political Of the Island is exoicio member
These seizures almost without exception Illegal
since their owners resided the United States and were
American citizens and no Illegal act has been proved
against them For this statement you have the author
ity OF the President in his Message q year ago.
The OF this property complained to the state
Department and tho result that Mr.. Fish got from
the Spanish authorities at Madrid order to the Cap
tain General that Of the estates be restored to thc
owners This order has not been obeyed."
What docs the Captain General civ" for this
failure to obey the orders of his Home Government"
asked
He replied uncflciny that It impossible for him
estates their tho Volunteers
would not allow IT. suc action az this wOnd be fol-
lowed BY revolt of the Volunteers and the overthrow
OF the Spanish authority in Cuba"
Has Secretary Fish received official information OF
this kind 7"
81 don't know, but think not But the Of tho
Estates ordered to be released have called his attention
to the matter and he replied that Of the property
had released but that 1t the policy Of the
United states. just now. 10 force n compliance"
as 1t true that some of the property has been re-.
stored"
"In a few cnses the have received. through n
third person. offers to release their estates the deposit
at some place named of large Of money in gold,
and have been foolish enough to pay this bribe
by doing they vtiae their claims before the Span
h Claims Commission. and the majority prefer to watt
"But now has this weakness the part OF our Gov
ernmcnt affected the question OF savcryF
In the first place it has given material aid to the
Spanish authorities, without which they would have
been driven from the island long ago. fou are aware
that Spain s to-day. bankrupt nation and is unable to
raise dollar at home to spend In prosecuting the war In
Cuba. The result ia that the immense cost OF the
war has had to be paid from money raised IN the
island itself Onclof the most fruitful sources OF row
enue has been the enlarged estates. To work
these the negroes either already free were
soon to DO cmancpated their have been held
in Slavery worse than any known before. To release
the would be to stop the pay OF the Volunteers
nd that you know, would mean immediate revolution.
the Volunteers get possession OF the Island ana swing
loose from the Government OF Madrid and the Cubans
would drive them ont and secure their own independ
cnce very &c. you see, to state the matter rs
briefly as possiDe, the money which has enabled Spain
to keep up this most bru al in Cuba has been in great
part stolen American citizens, and Government
find it good policy Just now to interfere to stop
the robbery"
But" asked. "cant yOu get satisfaction from the
Spanish Claims Commission ~
eve have presented claims 10 that Commission.
and don't doubt that awards VIII in due time be mnde in
our favor. But meanwhile the outrage goes on, and
doubt shall have thing like justice done
u.s. The Spanish Government will hardly agree to pay
us more than Its agents have turned over TO the
public treasury with interest and that falls far short Of
the amount which the Military Commission has realized.
Why 1t is notorious fact that hardly officer Of the
Cuban Government has failed to make himself ioh
they have divided our money between themselves and
the Government. Again, II the Commission awards US
damages who knows that Spain will ever DC able TO pay
any awards claim against the Spanish Government
worth than against other Government on
earth. Now see how we have been treated Our Gov
eminent decides that property ought to be returned
to u.s. Spain agrees to It, orders restitution, and sends
to the Commission for damages; but Inc AWHILE SPANS
officers Cuba hold to estates. S of the valua
bic crops, part OF tho money to pay the volunteers
and pocket the rest"
:" You say that the Republic OF Cuba has abolished
Slavery What does tho President in his Message
when he calls attention TO the fact that American citi
zens are owners in foreign countries and asks
Congress to provide by stringent legislation against
continuance OF this outrage !"
1.-THE oath article Of the Constitution OF the Republic
of Cuba reads as follows: An the inhabitants Of the
~ (,, RI ahlnu frpS'
American ow ners cmbar coed estates have very fool
ishly in their claims presented to the spanish
Claims Commission indemnity for slaves This fact has
been brought to the attention OF the President, and