The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-04-13
aCuball Prospect.
'ron he New York Tribune. l

Thursday, to frigtten Wall Street
with displayed head line ANNOUNCE
ing |" WaTawith Spain." The effort
was gallan y made ahd well sustained
by TocifeE BUS nd@sboya. But the
brokers locked at their gold -indictors
and saw no movemeht in the price of
that metal, which is more sensitive to
a change in the moral atmosphere than
quicksilver is to the shifting currents
of the air we breathe. There seems
to be a breath of ] emonition going
before great events which affects the
value of gold before they can be
known. The furry /egins before the
State Department las fairly deci-
phered its sinister dispatches. The
fact that the Exchange is not fright
ened by the sailing Ief a man n-of-war
to Aspinwali goes sa.r to show she is
charged with no ofn.nous business.
There is no necessity of any trouble
with Spain. The Cabinet of King
Amadeus do not desire war. While
it might produce a nlomentary truce
of parties at home, the resulting en-
barrassments would destroy the party,
ard perhaps the dynasty, which be-
gan it. We certaixly do not desire
anything of the XII q; While we take
it for granted we s5ould win in the
end, it wonld not Se all plain sailing
from the outset. The military and
naval preparations which such an
event would rendt1 necessary would
take great deal time and money.
While the war lasfed, there would be
increased expenditure, diminished in
come, no more payments of the ma
tionaI debt, a general arrangement
of the national debt, a general
arrangement of business and inter
ruption of exchange. And IN the
event of completely successful close
of our campaign, would be be con-
fronted by a prob IN which will come
soon enough, and which requires the
gravest consideration. Those volatile
people vi in Spain! and in New York
talk light about the possibility Of
such col sion arc trifling with sub
iect of th6 most serieus concern for
both nations.
1t would be going too far to say that
there is no possibility Of a misunder-
standing. It is tra that at Washing
ton and at MaM there exist the
strongest seasonsi Ind the most earn
est desires for pe6e.. But Cuba has
almost entirely ceased to belong to
Spain. The Volunteers of Havana
have beer three years in gaining the
well-nigh absolute power; which they
now WELD. An open ruptflre has been
repeatedly prevented by altimely sub
mission q the Home Government to
the dem4 Ids of the Peninsulars of the
Island. required all the nerve and
tact of 81 alles and of Prim to get out
of the Lloyd Aspinwall case without
a fight. The present ministry is un-
der the lead of man of great ability,
but an absolute lack of political con-
science. He appears to have thrown
in his lot,aeeided @ with the party OF
sympathy and su port to the PENN
sular party of Gu a. 1t is now evil
dent that the Ihforms promised SO
faithfully to the United States and to
England. are NOT to be; kept. The
series of 3aws for lsbolisling Slavery
and for giving to; tile Antilles modi-
fed autoaomy, which were prepared
with the greatest heat and proixity
in the Certes, and finally passed by
Ministerial majoIifies, arb not yet ex-
ecuted and it is universally under
stood that they arel not to be carried
into effe.;t. In c{,l3Eemptaous defiance
of those solemn (.naetments, by which
Spain sought to Gonciliate the good
will of cfvilizatien two years ago, Sla.
very enjoys at tlis moment in the Is.
land of Cuba as fdbust life as ever
Good farm hands sell to-day in tht
markets of Havana at from $1,000 Il
SI20O--a price 3eAual to the best paif
dozen years ago, when Slavery
seemed impregnahle throughout TIN
hemisphere. These things prove
there is no hope of reform among th,
members of the Governmentin Spain
no intention of allowingreforn among
! the leading and Mauential Peninsular
of Cubat The [r drags on its end
| less length. N#ther side can conque
the other. Thd dfower of the Spanisl
army is annually wasted in disease ant
obscure adventures. But no Spanisl
Ministry could dare to face the storm
of popular frr.F which would b
aroused by a probosition of compro
mise. The war Has lasted since tn
Autumn of 1865. There is nothing t
prevent its lasting as much Longer
And While it lasts the condition 9
lawlessness and anarchy in the islam
will be continually growing worse
and the possibility of sudden compii
cations with foreign Powers contin
ually increasing If we have no wa
| we shall not at; least lack rumors
war.
| OLD MAIDS. old maids are foun
in clusters in quiet country towns
they are, as slle, both genial an
sociable beings, who give pieasal