PRELIMINARY ES8AT. 91 



Lorenzo, in St. Jago; and of Gen. Lopez, m 1848, in 

 Cienfuegos. The flight of Gen. Lopez and others to 

 the United States, upon the premature discovery of 

 their plans, first induced the patriots of Cuba to look 

 to the people of this country for assistance ; and the 

 fact that they have found sympathy and aid here, is 

 the natural result of a community of political aspira- 

 tions and interests, and of the great American neces- 

 sity of resistance to the open and covert assaults of 

 European policy, upon our institutions and their 

 influence. 



We have alluded to this stereotyped European 

 statement, and argument of the Cuban question, 

 because we consider it aimed, not at the simple 

 question whetjier Cuba shall remain Spanish or not, 

 but against the extension over new territories of 

 those principles of government, which are so suc- 

 cessfully maintained here, and of our political theo- 

 ries, which are viewed with so much dislike by the * 

 advocates and defenders of European kingcraft. We 

 deem the question of the future social condition and 

 political relations of Cuba, as not only of pressing 

 and vital importance to herself, but as intimately 

 connected with the peace and progress of our own 

 confederacy, and through that with the ultimate 

 success of the republican theory of government. 

 t The idea that Cuba will some day belong to the 



