New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-23

the only civilized country which uphold;
slavery in its territory. L may be truly
said that 1t is not Spanish territory, since
wherever slavery exists can not be Spanish
soil. And yet in Cuba we see al
tranpled on despOticallv. and q system OF
slavery il force which Is q disgrace TO any
nation y
In che Senate on the eighteenth OF DC
tOber, Senior EdWardo Benot said:
few years ago knew .I'tIe Or nothing
of colonial questions. /! was aware only
that in the colonies slavery f1urished, and
the generous spirit OF this age made me alb
hOr and curse our infamous colonial sys-
tim. But the minority OF the constituent
Cortes allotted to me the special study OF
the Cuban end Porto Rican estimates. ana
| | then saw that Spain sustained IN the An
TILES a shameful crime that pervddes every
thing corrupts everything. exercises over
| everything a deadly influence, ana dis
| honOrs as throughout civilization.
In speaking of Cuba this gentleman SAID:
| Cuba is grooming under the scourge OF
| arbitrary power. No code. no cOn--itu-
| ti0n. the principles OF modern law are
| trampled in the dust. and the ancient laws
are Gisregarded Children are inundated,
| Judgment il passed on the dead, the limo
cent suffer tor the guilty, human ears are
| fried and eaten the only power is brute
| force, the vile greed OF bad officials, and
the infamy If pirates and slavers. The in
| alienable rights of the Cuban5 have been
! torn from them by unrighteOus, tyran-
meal and IniquitOus lava, and they
had the right to protest, which they have
done N sle first instance, and then it was
| very natura! | now enter
into the black question. Spain has reserved
TO herself the sad privilege Of upholding
slavery, but the fact is, my lords, that ever
since April, 1863, the insurrectionists have
made a constitution, and III one of its ar
| ticles is deCreed the immediate abolition of
| slavery. The lHsuIrectlonlsts from the very
| fact OF being SO, have let their slaves 90
| free, but the government, in virtue of the
extraordinary proceeding OF appropriation,
| has been converting these freedmen into
| slaves, and their number has already
J reached the respectable total OF fifty thou.
sand men or more. What, then, does the
/ government intend 20 do with these fifty
| thousand slaves, and why does Spain keep
| free men in slavery, thus making slaves of
| men that are free instead OF giving freedom
| 20 slaves! Iu speaking of article five of the
| preparatory act for the abolition of slavery,
| this gentleman said: 1.-The article admits OF
no doubt, and declares that all slaves, who
from any cause belong to the State, shall be
free In speaking of the present system Of
slavery on the island of Cuba. he said
Formerly the parents could purchase the
manumission OF an unborne child for twenty
five dollars, and for double that sum could
emancipate child under one year OF age:
this right is now denied them, and they are
subjected 20 a sergitude which 10 an
opprobrious ag.ravation OF the old slavery
Q
Formerly the guardianship OF children
belonged to parents, now i. belongs 90 the
slave owner. Formerly the owner of slaves
born since 1917, the year when the treaty
was signed with England, was at any time
exposed to the intervention of o humane
authority, which might say. ''set that L gro
at liberty, pay the laborer his hire, and re-
compense him and his children for Che
harm you have done then. in depriving
them OF their freedom. w.iie you answer
for your crime as a pirate and a SLAYER
The STAKEHOLDER OF today can TRANQUILITY
live on the toll of his negroes, by virtue of
a Spanish act organizing slayery-a law or
ganizing crime. ia defense of the Cubans
for thus uprising agains: the Spanish 60
yernment, he said-lpstead OF saving as you
propose 20 say, IN effect CAbans lay
down your arms, and we. who have never
fulfilled any of the promises we have made
you, will give you back the rights that We
could never deprive you Of We should
say: 'Cubans, here are your rights, now
lay down your arms, and LEI u embrace
and be brothers. living happily together in
the bosom of our national unity"
On the sixteenth day OF October. 1872,
Senior Gala said: There tCdba} in a
Spanish province and with Spanish sub
ects Il am not sure whether the negroes
are so considered, | should almost imagine
not. seeing the barbarOus treatment they
are subjected toy, during the rule of a de-
mOCFatlc government, government that
recognizes the unconditional and inalien-
able character of right. liberty Of the sub
ect is subsrlnated to enable US civilized
t,a.. al
obtain our comforts and our luxuries in
exchange for the blood ami tears o! poor
negroes. who have 30 rights at all. Can
there De sal. 20 be spark OF liberalism IN
a government which allows ping e s.sye
to ye5t in Cuba
IA the House %. Representation OF. the
fifth OF October. lo1:. senO. OTen5e said:
" Slavery Is IN every way Incompatible.
n0t On. with the interests OF the Tevolu.
ticu. but also the honor OF Spain.
|, i. most urgent. then, that we should
abolish slavery at one blow. adopting al
tn. came Ilme the necessary measures for
the preservation OF order and the protee.
ton of respectable vested interests"
In the Spanis. Congress, on the four
teenth OF October, 1872, Don Nicholas Sal
maron, delivered d speech on this subject.
and said: Il come In the name of right, for
the welfare of the colonies, and TOR the
sake Of our own honor, TO ask you to hasten
at once to abolish slavery without indem-
nifty; TO say to Cuba that you give them
these reforms Of your own accord; that our
soldiers carry at their bayonet points lib
erty for the blacks. who uphold and help
the instruction. Grant to the CubanS the
assurance that i'll the future they shall live
like free people. at liberty to unite their
destinies to those OF Spain. which hence
forward should have 70 other wish than 70
geek to educate them and tit them for the
noble life Of modern civilization. And this
contamination, gcntlemcD. instead of Spain
aspiring to be the organ of Latin America
IN the old continent, and bringin. hither
word OF the democratic institutions,
only pOsSiUl. in those countries, which
have obtained their independence by
breaking the bonds OF monarchy: instead
of contributing more than any ot tue ma
tons Of Europe 10 prepare the union and
alliance OF the Two continents. whereby we
might in time say to America, tour errors
and faults are now eXpiated: we oppressed
and pIundered you. and our power decaysi,
your civil discOrds being still standing con
demuatiOu OF our rule. but heuceforward
we will work more than ever to spread
among you European civilization, and by
thus sowing liberty and culture IN hlth-
crtO prescribed race. we shall emulate the
AnglU-SaxOn in contributing TO the aggTan-
dizpment OF the new continent, where
high community of people prepares a more
elevated civilization.
In the Spanish Congress. oa the tenth Of
October, 1872, ashamed of Spain for her
Uplolding OF slavery on the Island OF Cuba,
Senior Sanroma said: Il must confess, gen
t.emen. that every time | meet foreigner
face to face, who cruelty reminds me that |
belong to d country which still has bonds
men and allows slavery, my face bushes
with shame, and | would fain have in my
hauds-in these poor. weak hands-strength
enough To crash at blow-at one great
blOw-Jhat three tailed standard that YOU