Thoughts upon the incorporation of Cuba into the American confederation : in contra-position to those published by Don José Antonio Saco

              THOUGHTS upon the Incorporation of Cuta into the American Confederation, in contra-position to those published by Bon Jose Antonio Saco.
INTRODUCTION.
^<£ I should advise persisting in our struggle for Liberty, though it were revealed from Heaven that nine hundred and ninety-nine were to perish and only one freeman of a thousand survive ancl retain his liberty. That one man must possess more virtue and enjoy more happiness than a thousand slaves.
4 Samuel Adams.”'
For some time past the leading patriots of Cuba have proclaimed, in loud and solemn tones to the people of this land, the dangers which Surround them. These dangers portend a terrible calamity to the latter, unless they arouse from their lethargy, and destroy, at once, the pernicious causes, which a political and social system, corrupt since the time of the conquest, has gone on preparing, against some fatal mo merit, the direct results to human life, and to the interests and civilization of the Colonies. A fatal hour like this sounded for St. Domingo, in 1792 ; a little period afterwards for the lesser isles: and to-day the bell is ready to toll the funeral knell of Cuba, its hammer being restrained, as it were by a single hair, like the sword over the-head of Damocles.
Among all the published' writings which, as just remarked, have proclaimed to us our seemingly fatal destiny, none have captivated our attention, given birth to so many fears, or produced convictions so deep, as those of our fellow patriot. Don Josh Antonia Saco ; because, according to our perception, no one has entered so fully and profoundly into the local questions; no one presented so forcibly the positions; no one adduced arguments more solid and irresistible ; accumulated data and documents more exact, or more to the purpose and incapable of refutation. Thus it is that with just reason the writings of Saco had reached the highest point of influence and charm among Cubans;
and acquired for him the deserved reputation of a liberal writer and advocate of human progress.
Through all his productions, but more especially such as take date since the fearful and suspicions policy of General Tacon embodied and incorporated in the Spanish Constitution the exclusion of the ultra-marine provinces in the national representation,—subjecting these to a regimen more arbitrary nnd retrograde than has been known in America since the publication of the Code of the Indies : throughout all his writings, we repeat, we have had announced to us, with prophetic foresight, the frightful catastrophe that is to plunge Cuba into that abyss of wretchedness and ruin, which appears to he the lot of the islands of this Archipelago—unless our metropolis, guided by a policy evincing more prudent forecast, shall save us from the dangers that envelop us
The same holy and patriotic purpose prompts, Don José Antonio Saco to bring to the light his last production, the title of which is—“ Thoughts upon the Incorporation of Cuba into the American ConfederationBut, according to our mode of viewing this question under present circumstances, this publication, falls short of its object :—on the contrary, it prejudices the only plan and means of salvation that I'revidence has reserved for Cuba and her people ; and we have therefore proposed to ourselves to attack the errors into which, for the first time as it appears to us, this profound Cuban has fallen.
It could not have caused to this illustrious exile more indecision when he took up his pen to write his u Thoughts upon the In corporation ,r than it has to ourselves when preparing to impugn them. Accustomed to regard faco as the oracle of Cuba; to follow him as the master of the purest political and moral doctrines, we have not been able to forget our own littleness, nor failed to feel how daring it is for one with s.0>