The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1879-08-30
CUBA.

We do not want the United States Gov
ernment nor the colored people of this
country to forget that in the island of Gu
ba, just few short miles from our own
free shores, negro slavery still exists, in all
the inhuman and horrid barSarity which
Spaniards only know how to make it.
American slavery was bad enough, but by
the side of its twin brother of Spanish
birth, its victims were reclining on fow-
ry beds of ease.
The Spanish race, who were the origina-
tors Of all forms of slavery, Indian, Afri-
can and otherwise, on this continent, are a
blood-thirsty, and in many respects, bar
barous people. The fact that bull fight
ing is the principal national amYsenent,
is sufficient indication of the brutal
tastes of the race. The additional fact
that the old inquisition- still holds its
court and has its victims, is further In
dication of the barbarity of the nation.
Shortly after the discovery of America
mineral wealth of great value was found
to exist, in nearly all parts of the conti
nent. The Spaniards, bent on accumula
ting great riches and returning to Spain tc
enjoy it, were quick to utilize the native:
for mining purposes. Whole tribes and
nations were enslaved and made to toi
hard, day and night, in the gold and sill
yer r"ines of Mexico, West Indies, ant
Peru, to the end that licentious Spanish
debauchees might return home to reve
and riot in the laps of luxury and ease.
But the aboriginal race of America wa
not hardy one; and their ranks were s,
fearfully decimated, that one by one, trib,
after tribe, nation following nation, the,
dropped out of existence; until finally th
blood-thirsty money-getting Spanish pi
rates, were confronted with the fact tha
they were without laborers to produc
their wealth. A robber, however, from
his instructive traits of character, is th
quickest of men to devise means to extri
cate himself from dilemma, 1t was s
with the Spanish robber in this case
| He knew that to the South of his ow
native home, lay large continent. teen
ing with a people of a robust, hardy an
lOng-lived race, who, STEPPED in degrad
ing ignorance centuries old in existence
would be an easy prey to his barbarous dc
signs. With burglar, to think is to ac
one follows closely upon the other. Withou
delay the piratical galleys of Spain were o
for "Africa's SUNNY clime," to rob he
of her dusky sons and daughters. for tn
purpose of carrying them across the ocear
to take the place of the unfortunate an
ill-starred aborigines, who had been extel
minated by these cruel adventures, i
their beastly hunt for riches.
The African came and took the natives
place, in the mine and on the plantation
The rigors which had destroyed the latte
far from being relaxed. were increased, til
burdens from being iightened were mad
heavier; but the negro, constitutional
prepared to undergo hardships and priv;
tions, thrived under the deep and dir
lead of oppression which he bore. Instea
of sinking to the earth and disappearin!
as had done his hapless predecessor, he liz
ed, increased, multiplied, and became nj
merous.
u other nations joining in the reckle'
and piratical scramble for wealth, bot
|, the newly discovered continents and I'll
adjacent islands were, in course of tim
supplied in large part, with laborers draw
from the fertile African tribes Not OF
nation which sent emigrants to the ne
, world escaped the contammating infuen,
of human slavery. All fell victims to i
. seductive wiles.
But as civilation grew apace, thinkil
3 men of the most highly enlightened N
' tions began to see the enormous and mo
strous iniquity of the slave system. Th'