Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-11-29
CUBA AND ITS FUTURE.

Amid the present complications, be-
tween this country and Spain, it is no
easy matter to eliminate the truth, or
define the principles of equity upon
which the difficulty can be adjusted
with honor and justice TO both sides.
We are among the last to counsel the
government to submit to any obvious
wrong, from foreign powers; and this
regard for national honor makes us the
more solicitous that the government
shall make no demand that is not OBJ
viously right. Iu an investigation of
the causes which have led to the
trouble with Spain, it will not be strict
ly fair to take, as the starting point.
the brutal butchery of the crew of the
Virginius for it is due to justice, as
well as to the honor of the govern
ment. that the character of that vessel |
and the designs of its crew be fully |
developed and, if found guilty of an
attempt to give aid and comfort to the
insurgent citizens of friendly power, /
that fact should receive its due weight |
as palliative of the wrongs of which |
we SO loudly and hastily complain
We have little hope, however, that
any investigation, which may be set on
foot, by this government, will be con-
cluded in the interest of justice and
truth. On our side, we have high
order of talent, but debased by grasp
ing avarice and a habit of corrupt
abuse of power; on the other. an ig-
norance, semi-barbarous in character
and, of course, brutal and needless in
motive and action. We have all the
advantages of numerical and intellect
ual power Spain, all the weakness of
ignorance and hereditary Incidence.
Spain may not know the hopelessness
of a conflict with the United States,
but she must know that the possession
of Cuba will be the objective point and
the inevitable result of such conflict.
Still if her conceit and constitutional
proclivity TO bragadocio urge her to
seek, rather than avert, SO unequal a
contest, she must take the consequences
of her folly. But no s1pposition of
this sort, should prevent this govern
ment from exercising that magnanimity
which should always characterize con-
scious power, nor should it blind the
Administration 10 those prudential
views of the momentous question pre-
scented by the financial condition of the
country, and the probable consequences
of such an acquisition of foreign ter
ritory, upon the best Interests of our
people, already suffering under the evils
of class of citizenship alien and I'M
sympathizing, ignorant and debased.
We have already, territory largely
disproportioned to population, if not
10 our ability to govern it, and the ac-
QUESTION of Cuba will only serve TO
complicate the workings of a govern
ment which through the agency of
gross corruption, is tending TO anarchy
and financial and political ruin. As a
pretext for an indefinite multiplication
of Offices and governmental jobs. there
are tens of thousands earnestly and
selfshly advocating annexation, and to
this end, are manufacturing public
opinion by spreading broadcast, SEN
sational rumOrs-magnifying the mis-
deeds of Spain and fostering the greed
of our own people for the property of
others. There are thousands of others
working for the same end, but with a
different instrumentality. These last,
with characteristic nasal twang, and
bogus philanthropy boast of the mis-
sion of this country to extend the area
of freedom-African freedom-regard-
less of its degrading and oppressive in
fuences upon the Caucasian race.
Next, in moral dignity, TO those whin-
ing and canting hypocrites, is the law
less mob which advocates war for the
plumber it licences, and for the aggre-
gate support of all these hurtful ele-
ments of the body polite, the Admin
istration will not be averse to war
demanded, vociferouly, by the reck-
less, the lawless, the corrupt and the
mercenary.
The honest intelligence of the coun-
try should view this question in still
another light. 1t has not been forgot
ten that, when the project of annexing
San Domingo was likely to be sue
cess, the cream of the Island, in an
ticipation of the action of Congress,
had been apportioned out between
Grant and the rings and monopolies
which had grown powerful under the
corrupt and fostering care of his ad-
ministratiou. Is there any assurance
that Cuba will not be similarly dispos-
ed of before the war is ended? On
the contrary if the past be any index
10 the future, the people will find the
war made in the interest of the money
kings of the North, whilst the masses
will reap only the harvest of death and
debt, and oppressive taxation for gen
erations to come The government OF
the Island will be of the carpet bag
type, such as the South has experienced
"a government instituted for squees-
ing the wealthy Dons, who dared to
keep up the institution of chattel sla-
very, fastened upon them by the parent
government. If the Cubans will read
the history of Louisiana and South
Carolina, they will submit to insult
and cxactionS in order to avert a war
that promises such devilish conse-
Quences.
But in what way are our people to
be benefited by the possession of Cuba!
The past throws food of light upon
this question. The acquisition of the
island will be followed by the abolition
of slavery. This breaking up of the
present system of labor will, as in