New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-24


the administration of our chief cities, than by
a hundred sickening exhibitions like that OF
Friday at the Tombs
SLAVERY ABOLISHED IN PORTO RICO.
The Republican Ministry of Spain have nobly
redeemed the pledges they made while mem
bers of what appeared hopeless and rrespon-
sible minority. In spite OF the savage opposi-
ton of various powerful influences boIh in the
Peninsula and in the Antilles, they have gone
bravely and logically forward, and completed
the work of immediate emancipation in Porto
Rico. AS soon as the Republican government
was formed we called the attention OF our
readers to the pledges which FigueraS, Castelar,,
Pi Margal, and SalmeroD had given of their
adhesion to the abolition cause and while we
acknowledged the Importance of the obstacles in
the way. we expressed the trust that they would
not now prove recreant to their former pro-
fessions. Our confidence was well founded.
They staked their official existence and the
very life of the Republic upon the issue. Per-
haps they were not sufficiently hardened
office holders to experience the usual benumb-
ing effect of official investiture upon the re-
formatOry and radical impulses of most poll
ticians. They were still fresh enough TO see
that the preservation of slavery by the Re
public was absurdly illogical. They did not pro-
pose TO renew the error of former Ministries. In
the session of yesterday Senior Figueras an
nounced that Emancipation IN Porto Rico
would be considered as a Cabinet question,
and that he and his colleagues were resolved
to stand or fall with it, The bold policy
was also the sagaciOus one. There was no
opposition whatever to a measure which 1t
was thought would fail under the last Cabinet
of Amadeus Slavery was abolished in Porto
Rico by unanimous vote OF the National
Assembly
This is the second step in the great move
meut of reform of which the abdicatiOn of
the King was merely an incident. The first
great event Of the campaign was that remark
able speech of CASTELAR, printed i'll The TRIB-
UNE several weeks ago. which formed the
rallying point of the advanced Radicals and
the Republicans. We learn by private advices
from Spain that this speech was made after
full consultation with MartOs and other lead
ing Radicals, with the distinct purpose of
bringing about union between the Repub-
leans and those intelligent supporters OF
the dynasty who began TO see that Its
cause was hopeless. The emancipation
question seemed providentially sent for
this end. The late Cabinet were evidently
unable to hold their forces to the sup
port of immediate emancipation after the bolt
of Gasset Airline and Ruiz Gomez At this
iuncture CASTELAR, made his speech. Its tone
was singularly moderate, what the Spaniards
call parliamentary, and its intention was to
form new majority of the Chamber In sup
port of the measure. Read in this light, it is
a marvel of tact and skill, and it had a great
and legitimate effect. 1t fused the Re-
publican and Radical elements. The APP
parent adhesion which it received in the
Chamber and in the country astonished and
bewidered the King, who had been persuaded
by his old friends of the Liberal Union that
the measure was disasrously unpopular. 1t
aggravated the arrangement between the King
and his Ministry which ended in his abdica-
ton. The vote of Saturday was a natural and
honest sequence of this movement. The Figue-
ras Ministry have done themselves infinite
credit by this prompt and resOute action, and
there is no reason to fear that they or
the Republic will suffer from it.
Another motive is thus added to the many
we have heretofore presented to our Govern
ment asking for justice and consideration
toward the Republican Government of Spain.
We want nothing but liberty and reform in
the Antilles and these the present Govern
ment are doing all in their power to give.
We think that Cuba will be satisfied with
nothing less than freedom, and we hope she
may get it. But we cannot ask or expect
of Spain that she should willingly give
up this magnificent colony. 1t seems now
quite certain that the Constituent Cortes,
when they meet, will adopt the Federal
form, and Cuba will naturally constitute one
or two States with all the attributes of the
peninsular States. Slavery there will soon
meet the same fate which has overtaken it in
Porto Rico. When Cuba has become an auton-
OmOus State and Slavery has ceased to exist,
the future is secure. If any conspiracy should
hereafter set Don Carlos or Don Alfonso on
the throne of SPAIN it would be impossible to
carry the ever-faithful Island over to the new
iPaliVh'