National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-20

and wise action on the part Of the Spanish
cOrtes looking toward emancipation In
Cuba. A law was enacted ia 1870 declaring
all children born Of slave parents In Cuba
after July OF that year free; all slaves who
had attained the age Of GO fee, aud all
other slaves free so soon ms they should
reach their Goth year.
But Senior Gamazo's plan established the
old Roman law OF patronage. BY an act
which ne had urged through the cortes on
the 18th Of February, 1880, the slaves Of
Cuba were freed under certain conditions
and restrictions. These conditions sought
protection for the slaves AMI justice TO the
masters The masters were compelled to
register their slaves with the mayor or
highest civil officer OF the district IN which
he resided, and cedule or freedom paper
was furnished each slave. The master was
then required to pay his slaves wages aud
furnish them with food, clothing, and suita-
BILE shelter for a specified time. II the mas
ter failed 10 comply with the requirements
Of the law In this respect the government,
without waiting on the slow process OF the
courts, could step forward and enforce
specific performance. The masters could
not say TO their slaves, you are free, there
fore, 90 out into the world and provide for
yourselves. The slave under this noble
law had an opportunity Of earning wages
for six years; aud, 10y time and experience,
was being gradually prepared, for an intel
On the other hand, the eX slave could not
say, | am free, therefore, | will 90 where
please; but the master was protected In his
enjoyment Of his slaves labor, 30 long as he
paid him wages and complied with all the
requirements Of the law. To abolish this
system Of patronage on Oct. Z, 1886, Maria
Christina, queen regent Of Spain, Issued her
royal decree, emancipating all the slaves In
the Island Of Cuba, and thereby invested
them with absolute freedom.
By the last census taken In Cuba, In 1919,
the population of the island was ,42I,G5l 81,
and the slaves had decreased to the small
number OF l7l,0s7
In brochure issued from the press Of
the Hampton Normal School, the author, In
speaking Of Spanish emancipation, says
page 81: "By this act 303, 900 were freed
10 1870, 2S7, 900 In 1873, aud 100, 900 In 1876.
Prof. n. b. Webster, of Virginia, estimates
that In 1889 5000 will become free by this
act, aud In 1928 slavery will be extinct In
the Spanish colonies" This Is a very re.
markable statement II 363,00O slaves
were emancipated In 1870, 2s7 900 In 1873,
and 1000 IN 1876, as a problem III mental
arithmetic 1t may tie asked, How many
were still In bondagef This question can.
not be answered, because the author has
never condesCended TO tell his readers how
many slaves were IN Cuba in 1870. The
largest number OF slaves ever In Cuba in
any single year was I36, i95, in 1871; and
the smallest number, since 1917, was III, :
0S7, In 1879. Now, 1863 900, 2ST, 600, and
10000 equal $4,000, making AZ, 505 more
slaves than were ever IN the island! Aud II
professor Webster's figures for 1882 are
added-75, 000-there would be 4S7, sos more
alauag than halH In ('ubu ulmngt
a million in excess Of any statistics In pos.
session of the colonial office at Madrid.
Such ilagrant disregard Of the record
would cause history to degenerate into the
merest fable.
entertain no pessimistiC view Of the
governments of the civilized world
There are but three great epochs in
human history, YESTERDAY, To DAY, AM
TOMORROW. 10 yesterday belong past
events; to day Is that section OF time God
gives to solve problems involving human
happiness, aud tomorrow will bring to full
fruitiOn the honest hopes and faithful work
of to-day. We have seen the end Of human
bondage among Christian nations, and II
| will not be long ere the evil will he
abandoned by heather nations. The great
problem OF to-day Is that presented by the
brcadwinners OF the world Dollars and
cents are the facts underlying all cfIOrt
| to civilize and ChrlstianiZe mankind
Mems bodies must be made comfort
able before they can reason about theil
souls; they must have the material cOndi
| lions friendly to high culture before they
can intelligently deal with questions affect
ing their spiritual welfare. 1t is charitabl,
to feed the hungry and clothe the poor, but
It is Christianity itself to render to every
man what Is Justly his due. II Is one thing
for great state to eNpunge slavery from
its statute books and To place thereon law
extending to the people thus enfrauchiseI
the rights Of citizenship, but 1t Is quite an
other and different thing to protect then
In the lawful exercise OF those rights.
The most radical reconstructiosist II
America cannot complain OF the ch aracte
of national legislation In favor OF the freed
men, but everybody knows that in most o
the southern states the rights OF the negro
race are not only not accorded to them, bu
actually trodden under the remorseess iroI
heel OF Bourbon despotism. In Europe, II
South America, and In the Dutch, English
Spanish, and French islands the enamel
pated negro enters Immediately into tn,
enjoyment Of all his rights as free subject
In those countries there has never been an!
organized armed resistance to the operation
of the laws OF emancipation; no politica
fraud, intimidation, or assassination. TIT
law, once promulgated, is everywhere anC
for all time cheerfully acquiesced In. Their
is no patroniZing reference to "prevlou
condition. on one hand, or violent opposi
ton because of II on the other a citizel
of Germany, France, England, or Spain Ia
citizen wherever wind blows or water flows
A citizen in the United States may be fow
In the west, fish In the east but flesh
bleeding flesh In the south.
There Is no British subject so black, Fl
ignorant, SO poor, but what her majesty
entire land and naval force are available b
enforce and protect his rights. But here Il
this land of boosted liberty they burn plain
tiffs alive in temples OF justice because the
are black and believe In the principles q
the Republican party! God grant that tn
Republican party may believe more sin
cerely In the doctrine Of human rights; and
when II returns to power again, as 1t surel
will, make life, liberty, and the pursuit u
happiness living reality in every state ant
territory In the Union. The malevolen
race feeling sti,l alive ut the south was r.
Gently made disgustingly conspicuous Il
the city Of Richmond, where mob OF ily
thousand white citizens menaced the pre-
ceedings Of lawfully assembled conven
ton Of American laborers, because negr
delegate occupied front seat In publ
building. But this feeling cannot lon
defy the enlighted spirit Of the nine
teenth century, for few NOR
such violent paroxysms of negrophobia an,
race malice will expire. over its gray
will be written; "7he dog il wdS that dieo
tie man he g0t reR"
II great party, through duplicity, cor
servatism. and cowardice, abandon th
freed people OF the south, there is sti
another hope for them. see star /
the east, coming out Of the Ion
and discOnsolate night of race
wrongs; il rises not TO set amid tempest q
cloud, but to merge its silver rays into th
golden beams Of glorious sun yet to shin
upon the negro race In America. Tn
great question Of to-day is organized labol
and the negro of the south, being tn
laborer of that section Of the country
comes into this mighty movement. Til
great organization is outside OF partit
and independent Of them. 1t know
no creed, race, or party; and at Las
-