e world,
runs between New York and Havana, also New Orleans and Havana. By this
means all important intelligence reaches Cuba in advance of any other
source, and through this country. By the telegraph, Havana is brought
within three days' communication with New York and Boston. All
important advices must continue to reach the island through the United
States, and the people must still look to this country for political and
commercial information, and to the movement of our markets for the
regulation of their own trade and commerce. New Orleans has become the
great centre to which their interests will naturally tend; and thus we
see another strong tie of common interest established between the island
of Cuba and the United States.

Naturally belonging to this country by every rule that can be applied,
the writer believes that Cuba will ere long be politically ours. As the
wise and good rejoice in the extension of civilization, refinement, the
power of religion and high-toned morality, they will look forward
hopefully to such an event. Once a part of this great confederacy, Cuba
would immediately catch the national spirit and genius of our
institutions, and the old Castilian state of dormancy would give way to
Yankee enterprise, her length and breadth would be made to smile like a
New England landscape Her sons and daughters would be fully awakened to
a true sense of their own responsibility, intelligence would be sown
broadcast, and the wealth of wisdom would shine among the cottages of
the poor.

In the place of the rolling drum and piercing fife, would be heard the
clink of the hammer and the merry laugh of untrammelled spirits. The
bayonets that bristle now on every hill-side would give place to waving
corn, and bright fields of grain. The honest Montero would lay aside
his Toledo blade and pistol holsters, and the citizen who went abroad
after sunset would go unarmed. Modern churches, dedicated to pure
Christianity, would raise their lofty spires and point towards heaven
beside those ancient and time-eaten cathedrals. The barrack rooms and
guard stations, in every street, town or village, would be transformed
into school-houses, and the trade winds of the tropics would sweep over
a new Republic!

[Illustration: CHARACTERISTIC STREET SCENE.]

FOOTNOTES:

[52] English authorities,--Sir F. Buxton in the van,--declare that the
extent of the slave trade has but slightly diminished, while the
restrictions under whic