, 1874-12-08

to indulge her national rnpaoity to tho fn1log
extent. spntn lives upon hor posaosslons In
the West Indies. sho exacts mainly froru
Cnba aud Porto Rico tho expcnaes Of thd
Jlomo Government, Of tho intorucoino wars
aho has constantly on hand, md OF
lilo hortlos Of acnlayags and loaforu
whom sio exports to tlseso islands aftor tl,oy
havo become tao vilo and Idle oven to 1.-Two iff
spain. To do this Spain las imnoscl tho
most cxorbtant duties upon exports aud iu,-
ports in tho islands, aud, ly rcason of tho
espeoinl advantage she has had over tlo
United States Government, hna blcd our
country, not only for her own bonct1t, but to
tho great benefit Of those countries which
llavo refused to submit to her exactione.
Flour, 1ncal. ealt meat, buttor, and cheese
we could havo supplied 10 Cuba mud Porto
Rice, IN any amount they could have con.
sumcd, ind at q much lower price than they
could havo obtained 1t from Spain or my
othor country, has frequently had to bear so
1ergo m import tux in Cuba, that it was
eheaner to soud barrel Of -four from New
YORK to Caaiz, in spnin, and there, after pay-
!ng the Spanish duty, trnnsship to Havann,
tnah 10 ship 1t direct from New York to the
.slana. 30 persistent aud conscicnco1ess has
oPan shown herself in all her dealiuu,
"'tn tho United States, TINT, whom Congrosy
put coffee OH tho FREQ list and reduced tho
tax on sugar and n1olassea, seafu immediately
put an export duty upon these staples Il,
Cupa equal to tho entire reduction in thu
United States. In this why wo lost ct least
s2o'ooo, 200 Of revenue, only to pay an cqucl
amount to spnin. The details Of those dis
eliminating duties would reveal a most ,,.
blushing System Of nnfairnoaa aud oxtort;on.
but tho whole may bc readily comproheudcd
in tho general Insertion TINT VIC aro forced to
pay Cuba md Porto Rico noarly seventy
millions in gold per annum which VIC cou1d
pay off in our products Of the field md work
shop Il 1t wore not for spain's rapacious Dis.
elimination against lis.
The whole Spanish question will be forced
upon Congress at IN cazly day through tho
Virginius afFair. This opens up tho entiro
situation. Tho seizure of the Virginius and
tho massacre Of her crew were the diroct re-.
suits Of tho barbarous policy of Spain toward
cuba. It Is this systematio oppression and
cruelty which is tho cause Of tho rebellion of
tic Cuban patriots, and also Of the active
sympathy folt for tac,n by honest people in
all parts Of tho globo. It is Illuminating to
feel that We afe contributing aeventy millions
ayoar in gold to sustain slavery, to keep down
people TINT havo easned their froodo.u.
and to mako q comparatively small
island, thousands Of miles distant from
Spain, pny tho bulk Of tho e1peneeg
Of the Homo Government It is not possible
to separate this phnse Of the question from
tho other. So long az Spain sanctions cruel.
ties that would havo disgracod the dark ages
60 long as she insists upon retaining the ot:i.
. oaa system of human slavery and SO lorg
as hLo persistontly makes tho people of tho
United Suites contribute so enormously to
; the support of hor oppression and cruelty,
thero will be n disposition to furnish tho Gu
bans with sympathy aud succor And when
Spain fails to atone for tho barbarities which,
she practices upon tho citizens OF tho United
States, tho opportunity is fair one for talIin1
tho whole question into consideration, and fo,
demanding guarantee Of fair commercial
dealing from nation that will not otherwise
observe the moralities and docencios Of inter.
national Intercourse. The President hos nc!
gono any too far when ho declares that The
: interests Of humanity and civilization demand
) that tho Cuban question bo settled, and wc
hopo TINT Congress- will have the courage tt
meet the whole question in nanncr becom
ing our dignity as q nation, and equal K
the commercial abuses as well as the porsont.
outrages we hayo suffered at tie hands 0;
: Spain.