Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-03-06
The Queen of the Antilles.


Spain have ruled with despotic power
over the destinies of the people of
Cuba, and, until recently, over all
Mexico, Central America, and a large
portion of South America-their title
to the same having been acquired by
the sword, and the subsequent grant
of the Pope of Rome. During all this
time these vast possessions have been
treated by them as the Gland of
Ophir,n whence their Golfers were re-
plenished, and their courtiers and adj
herants rewarded by office, with carte
blanche powers to oppress and eat out
their substance. This policy contin-
ued uninterruptedly down to the year
1776, when the North American colo
nies of Great Britain startled the
world by their manly Declaration of
independence. From that time the
Spanish colonies took courage, and
began to consider the situation. The
G9ita de Libertad enunciated in 1910,
at the small town of Moselia, Mexico,
by the patriot HIDALGo, was the re-
suit, and since that time all the vast
continental colonies of Spain have sue
cessfully thrown off the Spanish yoke
and entered upon the experiment of
Republican government, with varied
success. In all these great struggles
our Government granted no material
aid, but individuals did, and the elo-
quence of CLAY in Congress, in behalf
of these struggling patriots, was as
an "army with banners" In proper
tion as the power of Spain decreased
on the continent, it was concentrated
on the "Queen of the Antilles" which
was always held as her base of opera
tions against her continental colonies,
and down to the present hour she
holds that beautiful island within her
enfeebled grasp, Notwithstanding the
numberless unsuccessful attempts of
her patriots to throw off the CALLING
yoke. These frequent niscarriages
and failures, instead of crushing out
the spirit of liberty in that island, have
been the "blood of the martyr in
their cause" Hence
for the last five or six years, has the
wall of the patriot been waited across
the waters of the gulf to our shores,
and re-echoed from valley to hilltop,
and from city to hamlet, calling upon
US, as the great conservatives of Liber-
ty, to reach them an assisting hand
Their pathetic appeals have reached.
the hearts of nine-tenths of the people
of this Republic, and yet our Govern
ment seems so absorbed in it's own
dirty schemes of personal agrandize-
ment, that their appeals have failed to
attract its attention, and these
struggling patriots, almost with
in hailing distance of our shores,
are left to the tender mercies of the
Bourbon butcher Viewed only in
6 national point of view, this question
demands the prompt and serious con-
sideration of our Government. This
island lies almost within the lips of
the mouth of the Mississippi, and is
the natural key to its commerce-a
river that, including its tributaries,
drains country capable of feeding and
one-half the civilized world.
In the possession of effete Spain, Cuba
is, at least, living menace to this
in the possession of great
naval power it would be humiliation!
But, says the casuist, it will never fall
into the hands of great naval power.
Are we sure of this? Politically, Eu-
rope this day is Vesuyius, ready to
burst forth at any time. With heavy
balances to adjust, we see war with
rapid strides approaching from every
quarter. Russia is again turning her
attention to "the sick man of Tur-
key" and England is Jealous of her
possessions in the East; France is
abiding her time and awaiting her
opportunity, whilst Prussia is prepar-
ing for every emergency, and Austria,
writhing under the disgrace inflicted
upon her few years ago by BIS
MARCK, is sullenly awaiting the turn
of events; and effete and revolutionary