New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-21
OUR CUBAN POLICY---AN IMPORTANT
ENDORSEMENT.

ducts which pass through their hahoS'
We took the responsibility, therefore, OF
recommending to the government tine
recognition Of belligerency on the
part of the republicans OF Cuba, because
we deemed il best for the interests TO
which we have referred. We were con.
scious that if no response were received
from the government or people. that our
watchfui neighbors would denounce the
ac. as an unnecessary and premature dis
turbance of our peaceful relations with an
ancient ally. There comes to our aid
most potent ally. 1t is representative OF
the colored people. who introduces in The
State Senate resolutions which will de.
mand attention. The resolutions we
published at length yesterday, and need
not now repeat. Their purport is that
war in Cuba is Cor the enforcement OF
slavery, and that the United States should
not contribute to maintain that institution
directly nor indirectly The resolu.
tions are confined to the humanitarian
view. They are well drawn and earnest
in their sympathies We will now admit
that the apathy with which the colored
people regarded the continuance OF this
pro-slavery conflict filed us with surprise.
We may add, with disappointment. a
great deliverance had been wrought for
the people in bondage. To secure it, q
great and fraternal people had dyed their
hands in the blood of each other. In
mense sacrifices had been made. and the
colored people were presented with their
credentials of liberty. Scared with the
sanguinary marks Of the conflict. 1t
was natural that those for whose liberties
such sacrifices had been made should have
expanded their sympathies toward their
fellow-creatures whose groans were
almost audible across the channel which
separates them from the land OF the Tree.
We listened, as no doubt did the victims
of Spanish cruelty, for the interposition o.
some request from the manumitted mass
of American freedmen. None came.
Spain, protesting that her rafe was mild
and that she intended the abolition OF
slavery throughout her dominions. con.
tinued to shoot and garrote her prisoners
and non-combatant citizens, and 10 sell
into bondage all those colored people set
free by the act of the republicans contend
ing for freedom.
It was plain to US tina: if Spain should
succeed in subduing republican .esis'anc.
that she would yivet anew the chains
which she promised to relax. and would
infict additional cruelties 10 regain the
wealth lost by her in the struggle. So to
the mind Of considerate person ii was
evident tina: slavery would remain PER.
petual institution in the sight OF our
shores. That its products would be more
and more valuable. and the temptation o..
an example SO gainful might be dangerous
in the future history of our country. The
Union we deem perpetual. but suppose
from any madness on the part Of our tel.
low.citizens in the vast region into which
the people are spreading. there should be
some future civil war that may subdivide
us into several sections, nigh. It not be
that some of those sections adjacent to the
island Of Cuba Nigh: form a union
in which might be renewed the form Of
compulsory labor: Not by reducing TO
bondage those now free. but by Teopening
the natal source OF African bondage.
These are consequences remote and barely
possible. They would no: influence our
own action. but we thought that those
so providential as the colored race had
would guard with vigilance against the
most remote contingency. This would be
done by urging the abolition Of tie last
speck of slavery upon the American cont.
nent, at least on this side Of the equator.
Our respect for the intelligence and graft.
tude of the colored freedmen has been re.
stored. Our confidence in their capacity
TO comprehend their mora! duties and polt-
ical interests has been increased by the res.
olution Of Hon. J. Henri Burch, TO which
We have referred. The .ffec: Of this stand
taken by the solored people OF Louisiana
will be mos. important. J. 1t is ad.
dressed 70 the administration o: General
Grant by nearly a million o: voters and
soldiers who have aided to place and to
keep il in power. l. is represented by
about one-siXth Of the members OF Con.
sress. 1t is productive interes! 70 whose
labor we are indebted :cr immense annual
values OF cotton and sugar.
To the Abolitionists os the North the
appeal Is almost repro.ch. Has GeTrltt
Smith laid off his armor in the war
against bondage? Has Samner renowned
his devotion 20 humanity. Does he sit
within his tent like Achilles. disconnected
with the share Of the conquest which fell
to his lot? eve have been aImos. as much
surprised az the inaction of the earlier
Abolitionists in the expansion of freedom
into st. Domingo and Cuba. as we have
been a: our eolored :ellow citizens. the
true Fenians of their oppressed race. 40
doub: the failure of the .sboiitionists 90
60 forward in this grea: moral movement
has checked the impulses o: che .oiosed
people themselves. They have waited TO
be led They have taken up the 1ine 0:
action themselves. Nov :ha. this action
has been taken, let the whole people whom
God has made free unite in praying FOR
the extension o: the blessing. bestowed on