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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Pcnnington , a young gentleman who enlisted as a private in the 7 th Hussars , which took l > art in the brilliant charge at Balaklava . Now , once open the promotion from the Tanks to commission , toy the removal of the reluctant two hundred , and we should have many a gentleman who cannot get his commission by purchase or favour entering the ranks to fight his way to it . Young Pennington became an able soldier in six weeks : it would be the business of gentlemen in the ranks to set examples of zeal , smartness ,, and high feeling- to the " common men" around them .
A correspondent of the Daily News has already pointed out the fact , which we have more than once insisted on , that the Drilling Act , which forbids mustering for drill , is a breach of the Bill of Rights , which secures to Englishmen the right of bearing arms . A disarmed people is not a free people . The efforts for meeting 1 the enemy would restore the English people to freedom ; would prepare them for recruiting their own forces abroad- ; and would place us once more in that healthy ¦ condition where men fear no enemies , envy no rivals , and do not disdain to be led by the best man among them .
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CUBA . AND GROKSTADTThe " Lone Star" is behind a cloud . The subject of Cuba presents itself under an unwonted obscurity . The reports from all quarters are contradictory with each othei % and with the accounts received from the same -quarter . Let us look a little into the actual state of things , and we shall not only
understand the matter , but see that there is an interesting romance to be read in the contempoi-avy events of that great island at the mouth of the Mississippi . See where it stands ! The great river , which is the water-shed of all the middle of North America , pours itself into a marine basin , with Florida on its left' hand , Mexico on its right , and with Cuba , for an immense breakwater .
Such is the position . The report from Spain is , that the Democratic party is resolved as any other party , to repel the overtures of the United States for a peaceable purchase of Cuba . As at present advised , therefore , we understand that Spain will not yield the island ; and ifc must fall to the United States then , by the chances of war and forcible annexation . America has never yet resorted to forcible
annexation . President Pierce , who has put an extinguisher upon the order of the Lono Star , speaks mildly of Cuba , and refei's to hopes of purchase > when Spain tells us that those hopes are vain . The great Union , therefore , flags iu its Cuban resolutions—that is , flags officially . Yet the Lone Star is not dead . The Southern States are looking to annex Mexico as well as Cuba . " If we obtain Cuba and San
Domingo , " says the Southern Cross , " could control the productions of the tropics , and with them the commerce of the -world , and with them the power of the world . "We must ally with Brazil instead of courtly England ; occupy Cuba as the key to the West Indies , nnd place African slavery beyond tlio roach oi fanaticism abroad or at home . With firmness and judgment we can open up the African slave emigration to people the noble region of the tropics . " Such ideas are still fermenting in the mind of the Southern States ; while tho Lone Star , suppressed within tho Union , prepares for action outside tho . border . And because
official America falters in grappling with tho Cuban question , directly , candidly , nnd vigorously , there is a chauco than an illicit annexation may atain the development of tho grout Republic with territorial spoliation , and defeat the far-seeing philanthropy of Clay—undoing in Cuba what has been begun iu Liboria .
What does Cuba herself say ? Nothing very distinctl y ! Cuba is delighted at present , for the twofold reason that General Concha , a tolerably upright man , as Spaniards go , has been restored to the Government , and because his restoration gives the opportunities for great festivities . The Cubans love amusement ; they are an indolent race , and their great purposes end idly . Cuba is a cigar , the purpose of whose existence is to end in smoke . Concha was sent to assoilzie Spain , by giving- genuine effect to the anti-slave-trade treaties with Spain ' s allies . He has set about his work well —that is , from the Cuban point of view . He has swept away some of the foolish laws of his predecessor , Pezuela .
" There was a recent decree , for instance , " says a correspondent in New Orleans , " which enabled the Government officers to go on the plantations , and to carry off all negroes recently smuggled , or supposed to have been smuggled , into the island . This gave rise to great abuse . Such officers appeared suddenly on an estate , had the negroes brought before them , and took away all that did not spealc Spanish , declaring them to be ' Bozales' ( new negroes from Africa ) . Wow , it is often the case on some estates that negroes never learn Spanish for five , six , or more years , and it has happened that hundreds have been , taken away from their lawful owner who had paid for them , thereby causing him a loss of hundreds
of thousands of dollars . And such negroes are not better off for that . The officers , and especially a rascally cousin o Pezuela ' s , Jacobo de Pezuela , often disposed of such negroes again , and the money went into their pocket . At most they are given away as ' emancipados , ' when they will be free ^ tfter a certain number of years if faith is kept with them ; but even in such cases much bribery is practised by those who wish to obtain such negroes . This Pezuela was a closet philanthropist , and not fit for his post if he has not , which is not to be believed , shared profits with his cousin , gaining , on the other hand , the flattering acknowledgments of Lord John Russell in Parliament the other day . "
Concha is a man who disapproves of " nonsense , " either pro-slavery or anti-slavery . He will suppress the importation of slaves in faithful observance of the treaties ; but he will not the inore disturb people in the possession of slaves : and in a recent decree he has told them so . Pezuela was dangerously , subversively conservative , of high slavery views j Concha trims , and Cuban destinies appear , for the time , to be in repose .
Yet there are signs even witliin tho island that all is nob dead although Lopez is ; and although the order of the Lone Star seems so . We all remember Lopez—that Cuban who could resist a party of regulars within the island , and live , wandering in the country even after his army had been destroyed . The manner of his death will be remembered , and it has a present interest . Iu his wanderings , Lopez met a man called Castaneda , who gave him shelter and food , and then shortly afterwards introduced a dozen fellows , who made
Lopez prisoner , and delivered him to the Spaniai'ds ; and , it will be remembered , he was publicly garotted three days afterwards . Castafxotla had previously been known to Lopez . Tho man had emigrated from the Canary Islands ; he was very poor , used to cry eggs in the street , and ho bore a disrcputablo character . At one time ho was accused of pig-stealing , and Lopez , a compatriot , wns instrumental in saving him from being 1 sentenced to work in a chain gang . It was thus that Castuficda showed his gratitude . He was , however , well
paid for his treachery . The Government , , howover , gave him grants of land , a dozen or two of enmncipados—ncgroos released from captured vessels , who work out a nominal apprenticeship which never expires ; was appointed a Captain in the army , was admitted to kiss tho royal hands in a visit to Spain j and was lately promoted by Concha . Ho was a cunning 1 dog , that Castnnoda ; for on his visit to Spain , when ho had tho beatification of kissing tho royal hand , ho gave ono of tlxo royul childrou a dollar ! Think of a free bouovolonco , to that
amount , received by a Spanish prince ! Castaneda was a man of intelli gent investment , and yet he was not appreciated everywhere . The evening of the 12 th of October last was unwholesome for him . He was enjoying himself at a cafe at billiards ; the room was full of people , and there were numbers also on the verandahs outside . The house is situated in one of the most frequented thoroughfares in the town of Havanna . CastafLeda was chalking his
cue , a sharp explosion was heard , and he fell . A bullet had pierced his head behind the ear ; he uttered neither word nor groan ; those who stooped to lift him up found he was dead . The place , we have said , was crowded ; but not a soul professed to have seen , to know , or to have followed with even eyesight the assassin . One traitor betrayed Lopez to death wandering in the open island , and that one traitor found that he could not be safe in the most crowded coifee-house of Havanna .
The Cuban question seems to be in abeyance just at present ; it is perhaps just the turn of the ebb and flood tide , and the island does not move in its destined course up the Mississippi . Opposing influences seem for the moment to be equally balanced ; but there is a Power which might take advantage of the present state of things , and make the Republic a present of the island of which the chief enemies of that Power gratuitously and needlessly desire to debar the Republic . Attacked in Crohstadt , Russia may retaliate in Cuba , and avenge in the Gulf of Mexico the injuries sustained in the Gulf of Bothnia .
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. THIS DEPARTMENT ! , AS AL 1 OPINIONS , HOWEVER EXTREME , AEK ALLOWED AN EXPRESSION , TltE EDIXOlt StHCESS . tilH . Y HOLDS H 1 W - SEI . P EESrONSlBLK FOlt NONE . ]
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LORD PALMERSTON'S PJtOTEGE IJST HAMBURG . ( To tke Editor of the " Leader . " ) Hamburg , Dec . 23 , 1854 . Stn , —Perhaps it may be news to some of your readers that every Englishman arriving at the socalled ( C Free city of Hamburg" has to undergo a special examination before the British consul to " pcj'mission to live"' in Hamburg or Altona ! To prove how completely this locality is under ltussia ' s sinister
influence , I may mention that an Englishman ( from Newcastle ) , who has been in the coal trade near Hamburg for eighteen years , told me that " he did not daru to subscribe to tho Patriotic Fund for fear of giving oiFence ; " and to show that patriotism is not in the ascendant among the resident English here , tho munificent- sum of 5 £ was subscribed by tho British consul to tho Patriotic Fund . Ishould premise that Colonel Hodge ' s salary in upwards of 1500 / . per annum , ami that ho is an Irishman , and owes his appointment to Lord Palmerston .
No no but those who have resided iu North Germany civn bo aware of the intense ( although somowhnt dissembled ) Hussiau feeling that prevails . Only tho other day I was rudely accosted by a Dane or German , who vcpvosiched mo as an Englishmanas ono of that nation who had " entered the House <> / Jtutisia 1 " Would it be safe ( to take no other objection to the Enlistment Bill ) to talie men from suclui neighbourhood as thin ? Would thuro not bo a reasonable prospect ui their deserting to the enemy ? Rely on it our archenemy , tho liypocrilieal Czar , would
desire no moro favourable ineusur ' cj than the establishment in England of a foreign band of mercenaries . Tho autotjrut "has his foot" in every northern Court , and wo luivo helped to foatcr a system l ) y which Jiiifwia Ihih made them his vassals . Foreign moruunurk-H , ii" not Wusslun lugions , can only bo reasonabl y uxjujctcil in thin pavt of Germany , whore even her Majesty ' s representative is bo lukewarm in thu deadly struggle now being fought out of civilisation ver . Mtn barbarism . I am , sir , your obedient servant , Mattuisw IIunuv J ? Mi * t ) E .
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There is no learned man . "but -will confess He hath much profited by reading controversies , his senses awakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , at be profitable for him to read , why should it not , at least , botolerablefor his adversary to write . —MilTO'ir
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^ December 30 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 1237 "
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 30, 1854, page 1237, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2071/page/13/
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