The sun., 1873-06-20
CUBA LOST TO SPAIN.
Opiniep- OF Mini-,er.Casteiar and:Other span
irb statesmen.

From the World.
MADRID, May 25.-On the Cuban ques-
tion 1 found schor CASTELAR, more disposed TO
rcticence than on other points. Probably his
ministerial position hindered expressions wnlch
might embarrass bis successors In their relatons
fully the position Of cuba not only with Senior
CASTELAR,. but also with his abolitionist friend,
sehm viscarrondo, who, repeatedly quoting
Emilio gave me the means to supply many
blanks In the Foreign Minister'S personal state
mcnt. further h7d the opportunity OF SPEAK
the Foreign ONCE. and also with a spanish
diploinattst of very high position and long ex-
pcrience, whose nalno ! am compelled to with
"Our difficulty in Cuba Is this" said tho
sneaLer t9 me " the insurgents whom we are
Cubnns who are said to he warning for us are
"1he Insurgents want emancipation they
want liberty and political right Their political
programme is ours with slight modification (;
but unfortunately Tor us they cry
DEATH TO SPAIN ="
"The party who are nomnally for Spain are
against progress They are against the abolition
OF s,ayery they are against US. ,,, r
men who hold similar political views to our
selves viii have none OF our Goyernnent. Ths
not only do not hold our Views, but they will
obey none Of our orders unless such orders hap
pen p..,,o to suit their own purposes, ,,.u. ,.,
and belongs to past age and To the worst spe-
cies Of despotism. We are willing to reform it,.
tionists TO entirely destroy It,"
1--WE are prepared to recognize Cuba az a free
federated State. with equal political rights to
those enjoyed BY the provinces Of CASTLE, Ma
varre, OF Andalusia- We believe there is an
dependence who would gladly submit on those
terms. Unfortunately, those who nominaly
represent the Government are not only utterly
to make and the reforms we are Inclined To In.
augurate, but they are actually strong enough TO
utterly disregard all orders coming from Madrid
They have money. and we have none. They
order their own arms and are even more IN re-
bellon against us than the so-called rebels wit h
world We at Madrid are pdttc. pS ctin'tnn In the
governmental crimes of Havana without power
"Thc insurgents will trust no promises Of fu-
ture reform. They have been so often deceived
authorities will do nothing to encourage them
to expect they will be fairly treated"
may add that, entirely against the view OF
sESoR viscARRONDO,
who regarded the abolition OF slavery and the
concession If federal rights to the Cubans as a
cure for all evils, the shrewd and far-seeng iT,-
Iona ist Of whom have spoken told me Cuba
/ l. lost to Spain II Ia now too late to hope to
rctr eve lost ground, and, a. the Cubans are pre-
pared to pay very handsomely for the r.cogni-
ton of their indepcndo onCe, the wisest thing for
us. IL we could forget our national pride, would
, be TO take their money and part from them more
am'cablv than we could remain with them"
Sehur CASTELAR, spoke to me very decidedly on
tn" abolition of slavery In cuba. lie said that.
npart from the principle 70 which he wa dcyot-
which had attended the PROCLAMATION uf tho
emancipation law Of the 2id of March in Porto
Rico. lie assured me with Just pride that very
many Of the slave owners In Porto Rico had re-
fused to accept any compensation for the loss Of
their slaves, and that the newly freed laborers
were working under contracts made I'm the best
! possible spirit on both sides.
Ny own opinion, after talking with politicians
Of all culors, - that spain has no more chance oi
regaining her lost authority In cuba than George
/ IN. had of converting l!eniamin Franklin into
/ that even advanced Madrid politicians are pre-
pared to DO enough 10 justify the cuban indie
pendence In submitting. Still further, | doubt
-supposing the Madrid Government were wise
! enough TO adopt a policy sufficiently large "a
/ win the insurgents whether they have shad.
! ow ~ chance that the Cuban authorities would
! concur. The spanish Cuhans are rsdrtionHdfrs,
with last century ideas. They are too far gone
] for imurOyeineut CHARLES BRApLATGU.