The New York herald., 1872-11-13


ment Of Spanish rule means his continued
bondage. At an immense sacrifice Of blood
and treasure, endangering at one time tho life
Of tho Union, tho American people wiped out
the blot Of slavery from their constitution for
ever. The hideous form Of the wrong is no
longer seen at our own fresides, but while it
exits in Cuba it still hangs about our gates
in moral point Of view our duty is not full
filed and tho cost of our terrible war is not
requited. so long as the fetters of the slave are
worn by human beings on an island lying
in our own waters and within reach Of our
hands. The exploded cant Of non-interference
with the affairs Of other nations does not
excuse US for suffering continuance Of the
reproach. Slavery in Cuba means slavery in
its most aggravated and repulsive aspect. 1t
means all the horrors Of the Red River
and the Florida swamps extended over the
whole island. The census of 1862 shows
that the population of Cuba comprised
seven hundred and sixty-four thousand whites
and Ave hundred and ninety-four thousand
blacks, of whom nearly four hundred thou
sand were slaves. With colored population
numbering nearly one-half-over three-ssv-
enths-of the inhabitants Of the whole island,
and with two-thirds of these held in bon dage
it can readily be understood that terrorism
and brutality must be depended upon to sup
ply the place of physical superiority in enforc-
ing obedience to the master. The whipping
post, the bloodhound, the revolver, even the
fagot and the stake are the means by which
the right Of property in man is enforced,
while our government stands idly by, and the
republican party, built up on the basis of
freedom for the slave and pushing abolition at
homo to the extremity Of cruel civil war,
shuts Its eyes to the horror, and wreathes it's
lips in civil smiles for the blood-stained
tyrants Of ON effete and bastard monarchy.
There are two methods by which the Ameri-
can government can be instrumental in secur-
ing the abolition of slavery in Cuba: the one
by aiding the people Of the island to secure
the independence for which they have SO long
been battling single-handed; the other by
compelling the emancipation of the slaves by
the Spanish government. The first we believe
to be the true mission Of General Grant if his
administration is to fulfil the hopes and expec-
tations of the people who have elected him,
and to make its mark In living brillancy on
tho history Of the world The Cuban patriots,
from the earliest period of their present strug-
gle, have adopted universal freedom as their
slogan. In the declaration Of independence,
made in October, 1868, at the first rising at
Manzanillo, the then handful of insurgents de-
clared in favor of the emancipation of the
slaves, with indemnifcation to the owners, and
demanded "a religious regard for the inalicn-
able rights Of man as the basis Of freedom
and national greatness" In December, 1868,
Carlos Manuel Cespedes, then Captain General
of the Eastern Division for the provisional
government, issued proclamation declaring
the absolute emancipation of the slaves in that
division on behalf Of the independent gov
ernment, which 'having been proclaimed in
the name Of liberty could have no part with
human bondage. Shortly afterwards the mil
itary authorities Of the revolutionary army
decreed the abolition of slavery within their
lines. Early in March, 1869, the Revolution
ary Assembly of Representatives for the Gen.
tral Department issued decree absolutely
abolishing slavery, providing for the future
indemnifcation of patriot owners, and
leaving the freedmen at liberty to become SOL
diers or to remain cultivators Of the soil, as
they might desire. At later date, in April,
1869, the constitution adopted by the Consti-
tutional Convention, and approved by the
Cuban Congress at Guimaro, the provisional
capital of the Republic, confirmed and finally
established abolition, and declared in one of
its articles "All the inhabitants of the Repub-
lie Of Cuba are absolutely free" That this
action was not taken on the ground of expe-
diency alone is sufficiently proved by the
voluntary emancipation Of their slaves, with
out compensation, by large number of the
most wealthy revolutionists. One after
another they proved their devotion to the
cause of universal liberty by giving freedom
to those they had themselves held in
bondage. Only recently the Spanish Minister
of the Colonies officially announced that s'the
property belonging to Cuban insurgents and
their sympathizers (including slaves) could
not under the Spanish constitution, be confs-
Gated, but must be held until the close of the
war;" whereupon NJ. de ALBANIA, one Of the
leading revolutionists, whose slaves, number
ing some three thousand, had been seized,
has sent in to the Spanish Cortes, through the
abolition societies Of Europe, deed of
liberation for the whole Of these slaves,
giving them their unconditional free
dom. Thus, both by the DEGREES Of
their government and by their own
voluntary acts, the struggling Cubans have
proved their sincerity to the principle of lib
erty for all men Of all colors. We have not
space in the present article to show what we
have done towards securing freedom for the
Cuban slaves through the action of the Span
ish government, and how little prospect there
is Of accomplishing such result by peaceful
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