Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 66, No. 410, December 1849Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 66, No. 410, December 1849
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
England, now, that the white natives of Cuba look for aid or
countenance in any future effort for independence. It is to
America that they now turn their eyes; and America takes good
care to respond to the wishes that are secretly expressed in
those regards."
These are the opinions of a man several years resident in Cuba,
evidently a shrewd observer, and who can hardly be suspected of
misrepresentation on this head; and we do not hesitate to place
confidence in them in preference to the rose-tinted accounts of the
Madrid _Heraldo_, and other official prints, according to which the
present happiness, prosperity, and loyalty of the Havaneros are such
as were never surpassed in the annals of colonies. Mr Madden, we
have seen, is of opinion that the Creoles and resident Americans, if
guaranteed from foreign intervention, are of themselves a match for
Spain, and could throw off her yoke and defy her efforts to reimpose
it. What, then, would be the state of affairs, if three or four
thousand Yankee volunteers, who, by themselves, we suspect, could
give occupation to all the disposable part of the sixteen thousand
Spaniards in garrison, were suddenly to drop upon the Cuban shore, by
preconcerted arrangement with the disaffected? In 1849 this has been
within an ace of occurring; in a future year, not very remote, it
may actually occur. What would Spain do, when news were brought her
that the red-and-yellow banner was replaced by the speckled bunting
of the States? Would she declare war against America, on the strength
of the war-steamers she has been lately building with her creditors'
money? Brother Jonathan, we suspect, would mightily chuckle at the
notion, and immediately seize Puerto Rico, and perhaps make a dash at
the Philippines. But the Spanish government, loud as they can bluster
when sure of impunity, would hardly render themselves so ridiculous.
No; in the hour of their distress they would piteously look abroad
for succour, and turn their discomfited countenance to the old ally
to whom, in their brief day of seeming prosperity, they forgot their
numerous obligations. It is our belief their appeal would not be
made in vain. But although this country, being great and powerful,
could afford to forget its cause of complaint--as a man overlooks the
petulance of a froward child--it would be right and fitting that an
_amende honorable_ should previously be exacted from Spain, and that
humiliation should be inflicted on her arrogant government, for an
insult which, let them mis-state the circumstances as they like, was
far from justified by the alleged provocation. And moreover, before
a move was made, or a note transmitted by the British government
on behalf of Spain-robbed-of-its-Cuba, a solid guarantee should
unquestionably be exacted for an equitable and speedy adjustment of the
claims of the ill-used holders of Spanish bonds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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