AFFAIRS OF CUBA.

Southland Times, Issue 1729, 18 April 1873, Page 2 (Supplement)

AFFAIRS OF CUBA.

(From the London Times.) The startling news from Havannah that the Government of Cuba, through the Commissioners of the Public Debt, had resolved to sell all slaves not employed on plantations, and also the shares of stock cornpaniea aud other moveable embargoed properties belonging to ad- , herents of the revolution, reveals to the whole world, as nothing else could, tbe real character of the issues involved in the civil war in that island. Whatever may be thought of the general policy of confiscating the personal property and real estate of insurgents, the proposition to sell tbe slaves who may be caught running round looseinthe insurrectionary districts betrays a tendency towards a j relapse to barbaric customs which, in this j age of progress, must be regarded as. in j the last degree startling and atrocious, j It shows that tbe much boasted loyalty of the Volunteers and Spanish adherents in Cuba is based on slaves and doubloons, and reveals, as nothing else could, the I real tenure of Spanish dominion iv the : " ever faithful island." The policy of the j Home G-overnment in Spain in reference j to the new slave-selling programme j adopted in Cuba will be looked for witb much interest, and will go far towards determining the final results of the struggle for independence. If the Cortes sanction it, the sympathies of the whole civilized world will be freely given to the revolutionary movement, with the ulti mate results of an extension of material aid from innumerable sources. If, on the other hand, it is repudiated and overruled, as it probably will be for very shame sake, then the Home Government will be powerless to enforce it, and the attempt to do so will alienate the bulk of its adherents in Cuba. And on this point it is to be observed that the Home Q-overnment has often measured strength with the "volunteers," and always with the result of being obliged to defer to their brutal instincts and prejudices. It will be seen that the position of the Spanish Government is beset with immense difficulties. Ita true policy would be to adopt the bold course of giving Cuba a Constitution which would enable it to manage? its own local affairs in its own way, somewhat on the plan adopted witb so much success by England iv British America and Australia. But Spain is hardly strong or rich enough, and still more, it may not be wise enough, to adopt this bold policy. So it is probable tbat tha Cuban chaos must continue for an indefinite period, until the baser elements are eliminated, or uew unes Introduced, whicli will determine tbe final result.