National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-07
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE.


ceived informing the American public that
10, 900 additional troops are soon to be sent
by the Spanish Government to the Island
Of Cuba for the purpose Of subduing the
pending instruction. How often similar
information has been communicated to the
same public, In 9 similar manner during
the past six years, we will not pretend TO
say; but Its repetition at this juncture, when
we have news that the insurgents are max
ing great Roadway, and are, in fact better
off than ever before, is, to say the least
significant Divided only by narrow straits
from our own country, it is no wonder that
the Cubans have made the effort to
plant the flag Of freedom on their
soil; but 1t IA strange that they are
the last people remaining on the Amer
lean continent who have acknowledged
allegiance to Spain, 70 successfully rebel
against her tyrAnnical impositions. The
condiuon Of dependence upon Spain which
existed for generations amon0 '1s Amer1'
can Spanish possession mas been severed,
except BY CUB and Porto Rico, and there
ssemS 20 be q manifest destiny that these
two important dependencies win soon assert
their entire freedom from the so-called
'home Government Cuba has never been
recognized as an integral part Of the Span.
ish Government either BY the monarchy or
the republic and ssmi-republic which have
succeeded the monarchy. On the contrary,
she has been treated as dependency from
which, until the present rebellion began,
the Madrid authorities were accustomed to
draw for funds almost without limit. Even
to-day the so-ealled republicans Of
Spain refuse 70 grant to her people
equal rights with the citizens
Of that country, and notwithstanding
repeated promises that they shall enjoy the
privilege of representation in the Cortes,
they are ignored and have no volce in the
control of their own affairs. The promise
of representation, if It had been faithfully
kept might have effected compromise
with the insurgents. which, coupled with
the pledge 10 abolish slavery, would have
satisfied the demands Of the people Of the
United States that the cursed institution
shall no longer exist on the American con-
kinent But the Spaniards have been blind
to every generous feeling and to every sense
of justice They have been arrogant in
their colonial policy to such an ex-
tent as to bankrupt the depleted treasury
of the island, 70 discount its resources
for generations to come, and finally to i'm
pose upon the American public, through
internal taxation ct Havana and elsewhere,
the setual burden of carrying on the war
against the patriots.
The San Francisco Chronicle, In discuss
ing this mistaken policy, says: 1.-THE
colonies Of Spain have been her ruin.
"While her own vast mineral possessions
"have remained untouched for centuries,
cher people have been demoralized by the
possession of wealth for which they had
mot worked. The riches Of Peru, wrung
"from the labors of subject race, like an
"unearned fortune, served only to encour-
"sge extravaganza, prohigscy and idleness.
"And now it seems as If the Spaniards were
"on the point Of losing the last important
colony they possess on the shores Of
America. The Captain General of Cuba,
knowing that he cannot expect any rein
"forcemsnts from Spain, has recon-
"mended' that grand levy, en- n1dsss,
should be made in order to carry on the
"war against the republicans. The Cuban
Volunteers are very brave fellows, but they
"prefer the comforts Of the seaports to the
"discomforts necessarily attending q fight
with the rebels in the interior of the
"island, and the Captain General is there
" fore obliged to appeal to the remaining
population to submit themselves to con-
"scription by lot. History repeats itself
"The same appeal was made when things
"were at their worst and when they did
"not mend, in South American possession
"of Spain, just before Chile and Peru
established neutrality-suspicious.. But this
"is not the worst sign In Cuba. A con-
" scription of slaves to serve as military
"lAborers, has been ordered. The masters
"are, it is true, promised compensation
"under certain conditions at the end Of the
"war, but meanwhile the slaves take q
"short cut to liberty and desert to the
enemy. To make matters still worse,
"the Volunteers, who swagger about the
"streets Of Havana and Santiago, refuse to
abe paid with the deprecated paper cur
"rency for periodically parading them
"selTes for the good of the country. The
"slave-owners are naturally irritated'
against the Government by the recent
measures affecting their interests, and 1t
''seems probable that the Independence Of
"Cuba viii, ere long. be established. not
'by the strength Of the rebellion, but in
consequence Of the weakness Of the
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