PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 



23 



subject ; but the condition of the two countries is so 

 distinct, that it has given rise to natural political 

 necessities and relations, or affinities, on the part of 

 Cuba, which are separate from, and not unfrequently 

 opposed to those of the Spanish monarchy ; the one 

 being wholly a European power, while the other, 

 through her great productions and commerce, has 

 natural relations of a purely American character. 



The essential political interests of the island are 

 antagonistic to those of the mother country. While 

 the Cortes and the crown have frequently declared 

 that Cuba does not form an integral part of the Span- 

 ish monarchy, but must be governed by special laws 

 not applicable to Spain, and persist in ruling her 

 under the erroneous and unjust European colonial 

 system, the growing wealth and increasing intelli- 

 gence of the Cubans, lead them to aspire to some 

 share in the elimination of the political principles 

 under which their own affairs shall be administered. 



A like antagonism exists in the economical rela- 

 tions of the two countries. While the people of 

 Cuba are not averse to the raising of such revenue 

 as may be required for the proper wants of the 

 State, in the administration of which they may par- 

 ticipate, they complain with a feeling of national 

 pride, that fiscal burdens of the most onerous kind 

 are laid upon them for the expressed purpose of 



