New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-01
The Outlook for Cuba,

A Washington special to the New York
Herald says:
1t is not remarkable that tbe Cantaip
General of Cuba should know the details of
the new effort to revive the Cuban Question
in Washington, when they have been fully
talked over in the hotels by active Iobby-
lists. The plan as here developed ia az f3I.
lows: Three years ago number of wealthy
Cuban planters were suddenly expatrlated.
their estates seized and the owners com.
PEELED to leave the country. They went to
New York and sold their property in due
form to a number of wealthy merchants
stipulating that they should receive a Ger.
tain sum annually from the revenues of the
plantations. These have been the subject
OF much diplomatic correspondence, result
ing in the nominal owners receiving recOg.
milton. Our government thereupop made
issue with the American owners, that
since the abolition of slavery it was incon.
sistent with the claim of American citizens
to hold slaves on foreign territory. Since
the Virginius affair and the instructions to
Minister Cushing, our government has made
it direct issue with Spain that the abol Ii.
tion of slavery and eventually the indepen-
dence of the island should be constantly
urged. The American property holders.
thinking that the Presidents last message
gave them an opportunity to renew their
appeals for Justice, combined recently with
the leading Cuban sympathizers, of whom
Aldama is the head, to revive the claims of
Cuba to belligerent rights, and at the same
time to enforce this claim as Justice to the
enslaved, inasmuch as the abolition of
slavery is one of the things guaranteed by
the Cubans on the recognition of their in
dependence. 1t is known here that Senator
Carpenter, on the part Of the Senate, and
General Butler, on the part Of the House,
have always been ready to advocate the
claim of Cuba to recognition and bel
ligerent rights when it could be brought
before Congress. Besides, a number of
leading bankers and brokers in New York
joined in the new effort, assured that tthere
were millions in il" if the President could
be induced to send in a special message
some time in January referring to his an
nual message, and the additional informa-
tiOn to be placed in his hands as q basis for
such message. The New England interest
also has been worked up by enlisting the
old anti-siavery sentiment, and the Southern
influence, especially that of the States of
Mississippi and Louisiana, was brought to
bear upon the new organization. The last
element was the Washington lobby, armed
with new Cuban bonds, TO run fifteen years
from the date of the independence of the
island, the principal and interest to be paid
from its pledged customs revenues. With
this combination the President was to be
reached; the new expeditions now fitting
Oat were to carry 1900 stands of arms and
to be under the command of Aguilera; the
President was to receive detailed state
ments of the progress of the revolution,
the advance made by the insurgents, and,
in answer to the charge that they have no
seaport, they were to allege that seaport
could not be maintained without navy.
and until belligerent rights were accorded
there was no hope of the insurreotiOnlsts
having place where they could communi-
cate with foreign nations. 1t could hardly
have been expected, nor is it kno Wn, that
the Junta now meeting in secret cared to
have their purpose known to the Spanish
authorities. The State Department has, no
doubt, been fully aware of what has been
going on for several weeks past, and now
that 'Concha dislikes mysteries" it remains
to be seen what the administration will do.
Without regard to the filibustering expedi.
tions, it is probable that the friends of free
Cuba and the friends of the slave-Or, in a
word, the active and determined advocates
of the policy of the administration, as laid
down in Mr.. Cushing's instructions last
February-are about to publicly ask the
President to aid them in bringing about the
ends so forcibly nrged by Secretary Fish in
his letter to Minister Cushing.