Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-03-28
FREEING SLAVES. IN Porto RICo

FREEING SLAVES ~ FOh1V 11xCO.
1.-The action of the young Spanish re-
public in respect to the abolition Of slave
nv in the island of Porto Rico" says the
New York Post twill meet with an almost
universal approval, and was very proper
" recognized in the resolutions presented
bvMr. Morton Of the United States Sen.
ate. Spain 10 the only country of Chris
tendon which maintains legal system of
slavery, and this system in her case is
confined to. her colonies. Whatever ac-
ton she tskss IN regard to it, therefore, is
of unusual importance, since It lies in her
power to perpetuate or extinguish the last
legal remnants OF most atrocious form
of oppression.
The bill as it passed is TO become law
as soon as it is officially promulgated.
From the date of that event all slaves are
to become free, although they are TO re-
main in the service Of their former masters
for three years. longer, in a kind of APP
premiership relation, and are not to be-
come Spanish citizens until FIVE years have
elapsed: The number of slaves in Porto
Rico is less than hundred thousand, and
such Identities as are to be paid to their
owners are to be met by the government
Of the island e&
In some respects this action of the Span
ish republic Is similar to that of the gov
eminent Of Amadeus in respect to Cuba
The Cuban bill was passed on the 23d Of
June, 1870, and was made operative on
the island on the e8th Of September Of
the same year. 1t provided that emanci-
patton should be gradual, and that the
freedmen should remain for a term
Of years in the service Of their mas
tiers. Owing to the continuance of the
Cuban insurrection,7 however, very few
slaves were made free under this bill.
We, hope for better things from tn,
Spanish republic. And yet we must no
expect too much. In this country SLAYER,
existed for more than two scores of year
after our existence as n nation becam,
certain. q In Spain the republic is threat
ened by many factions. one of which, I'm
der Don Carlos, has just received thu
blessing of the Roman Pontiff. The in
auence Of the Roman Catholic church il
Spanish politics, however. is an uncer
tain one at best, gre -
II the Spanish republicans are in earn
esttheyscan promulgate this bill in Porto
Rico at once, and thus earn the reputa.
tlon of being consistent defenders of the
rights Of men everywhere. The bill once
set in motion, il in measure self-acting,
and might take full effect whatever hap
pened in Spain. At any rate 1t would be a
good example for Great Britain, which
has not yet succeeded in putting down the
''labor traffic" in the South Pacific Ocean
and would give moral strength to the eff
forts how making by the British and 9th
er governments to suppress the traffic il
slaves on the west coast of Africa
RA1@ ~ a---L..------------
RAILROADS. AND POSTAL SERHICE
Several of the railroads centering il
New York having notified the Postmaster
General that they will not admit the GOV.
eminent postal cars to their trains after
the first day Of April next, the subject was
before the Cabinet meeting held on the
25th. 1t was found to be difficult and
important question, for which no solution
has yet been devised. The bulk of the
mails will continue to be carried by the
railroads, but it will entail delay in the
delivering Of mails all over the country
which will be very injurious. Mr. Creswell
says it win greatly enbarass the postal IA
eilsties in New York, inasmuch as the
present Post Office is not large enough to
hold the carloads of mail matter which
daily arrive in that city. and that if mat
ter had to be assorted and distributed in
the city instead of The cars while in motion
it would delay the mails in some cases two
or three days, and would require a large in
crease of employees and another building
as large as the one now used. The ques-
tion as to the duties and obligations of the
railroads and all other sources of trans
portation to the Government was discussed
and also the power Of the Government in
the premises. No decision was reached.
bat it is the hope and belief among some
Of the Cabinet officers that the railroads
viii recede from their position.
$. The Washington Chronicle discusses
the subject in a recent editorial in which
Il says:
,"Should this threat be executed it would
cause great Inconvenience to the public. But
the Government would not be without rem
edy. The Constitution confers on Congress
the. authority to establish post offices and
post roads. 1t has declared al railroads to be
post roads. Its right to provide for carrying
the mails Is not disputed. And the Govern
fnent may take private property for the pub
lie ase' by providing just compensation
e There may be no existing law authorizing
the Postmaster General to take railroads and
relling stock, and to run mail trains on Goy-
ernment account. But il the railroad compa-
MIA sfa a pofr AL To nab