yet she
tacitly connives at its continuance, and all the world knows that slaves
are monthly, almost weekly, landed in Cuba. Notorious is it that the
captains-general have regularly pocketed a fee of one doubloon or more
for every slave landed, and that this has been a prolific source of
wealth to them. The exceptions to this have been few, and the evidences
are indisputable. Within a league of the capital are several large
barracoons, as they are called, where the newly-imported slaves are
kept, and offered for sale in numbers. The very fact that these
establishments exist so near to Havana, is a circumstance from which
each one may draw his own inference. No one can travel in Cuba without
meeting on the various plantations groups of the newly-imported
Africans. Valdez, who strenuously enforced the treaty obligations
relative to the trade, without regard to private interest, was traduced
by the Spaniards, and by their management fell into disfavor with his
government at home. O'Donnell deluged the island with slaves during his
administration, and filled his coffers with the fees accruing therefrom.
Since his time the business has gone on,--to be sure less openly, and
under necessary restrictions, but nevertheless with great pecuniary
profit.

At the same time the Spanish authorities have, while thus increasing the
numbers of savage Africans reduced to a state of slavery, constantly
endeavored to weaken the bonds of attachment between master and slave,
and to ferment the unnatural hatred of races with the fearful design of
preparing another St. Domingo for the Cubans, should they dare to strike
a strenuous blow for freedom.

We have thus seen that the Spanish crown is directly responsible for the
introduction of slavery into Cuba, and that crown officers, invested
with more than vice-regal authority, have sanctioned, up to this day,
the accumulation and the aggravation of the evil. It is now clearly
evident that the slave-trade will continue so long as the island of Cuba
remains under the Spanish flag. The British government have remonstrated
again and again with Spain, against this long-continued infraction of
treaties; but the dogged obstinacy of the Spanish character has been
proof against remonstrance and menace. She merits the loss of Cuba for
her persistent treachery and perfidy, leaving out of the account a long
list of foul wrongs practised upon the colony, the enormous burthen of
taxes placed upon it, and the