an other European
classes, whose liberty is only nominal." If this assertion were true,
what becomes of the famous declaration, in the former proclamation, that
the time had arrived to make the life of the slave happier than of the
white European laborer? If this assertion were true, that "good time"
had not only arrived, but passed away, and his measures for the
improvement of the involuntary bondmen were actually supererogatory. The
owners of slaves are, moreover, assured that they shall not be disturbed
in the possession of their "legitimate property," and that the
government will conciliate a due regard for such property "with the
sacred fulfilment of treaties."

It is very evident that the Creoles are doomed to be the victims of
Spanish duplicity. It is notorious that many thousands of slaves have
been introduced into the island, for a series of years, with the
connivance of the government, when they had it in their power, at any
time, to stop the traffic altogether. The vigilance of the British
cruisers was baffled by the assurance that the Africans thus brought
over were apprentices, Spain never hesitating to deceive an ally; and
now, when compelled to keep faith, in a desperate emergency, she betrays
her own subjects, and throws the penalty of her own bad faith on them.

A gentleman residing in Cuba writes: "No one can be here, and watch the
progress of things, without being convinced that the ultimate object is
the emancipation of the slaves of the island transported subsequent to
the treaty of 1820, which will comprise four-fifths of the whole number;
and no one who is an attentive observer, and with his ears open, but
must be satisfied that there is some other powerful influence brought to
bear on the subject besides Spain. Take, for instance, the late order
for the registration of the slaves. The British consul openly says that
the British government have been, for a long time, urging the measure.
But it is not only in this, but in every other step taken, that the
British finger is constantly seen. A thousand corroborative
circumstances could be cited. Cuba is to-day indebted to Russia for
being free from this calamity. But for the emperor's obstinacy, there
would have been an English and French fleet that would have enabled them
to carry out all the measures they have in contemplation."

With relation to the intermarriage of blacks and whites, our informant
says, "Many marriages have been performed since