"Untitled," Civilian and Galveston Gazette, December 28, 1842
Summary: The editor gave some opinions about the future of Cuba. He predicted that, because of the abolitionist tendencies of England and the weakness of the Spanish government, the planters of Cuba, especially Havana, would want to break out into revolt and either declare independence or join the United States (but never join Britain). Called Cuba a beautiful island with a ton of potential, and completely dependent on slave labor. Believed it was inevitable that Cuba would break away from Spain before too long.
The remarks below are from the New York Herald. We labor under the impression that there is considerable truth in the statements here put forth, although a good proportion of the tales circulated by the Herald are the work of fancy and imagination. Great changes in the feelings of society generally, in Cuba, are undoubtedly taking place, and the time is not far distant, we verily believe, when that fine island will declare itself seperated from Spain and assume the proud position of an independent State. The apprehension that Cuba will ever be annexed to England is totally groundless. Cuba can prosper alone by the continuation of the Slavery System, and to that system Britain is deadly hostile. Should the inhabitants of Cuba seek a change in government, their feelings and desires will lead them to the United States. We do not despair of seeing, even in our day, the Island of Cuba, one of the Statets[sic] of this free Republic. Stranger things have happened.--Tropic.
From the character of our private intelligence from Havana, we learn that a great and intense excitement--silent and quiet, but the more intense for its silence--pervades all the planters, merchants, and intelligent proprietors of that charming island--and that apprehending a transfer may be made to England of the sovereignty of the Island, or at least the possession of Havana given up through the necessities or intrigues of the Spanish Government at Madrid--apprehending all these designs, and jealous of the recent conduct of the British Government, and their own government, under that influence, they are begining to entertain thoughts of entire revolution and final separation from the Spanish connection, at no very distant day. The conduct of the British authorities, the weakness of their own Government at Madrid--the intrigues of the British abolitionists in Cuba--all concur in causing this deep and intense excitement to increase throughout the island--and particularly in the city of Havana, which is the strohgest[sic] fortress in this hemisphere and which in possession of the British would cause, by proximity to their abolition doctrines, one of the most fearful issues that ever took place in the Southern States.
This feeling of discontent in Cuba has been heightened by the movements of the abolitionists in England and the low prices of the colonial produce of late years. The feeling is gradually increasing, and where it will end no one yet tell. Cuba is one of the most fertile, healthy; beautiful, rich and lovely islands on the face of the earth. It is a perfect paradise. Its population is about 1,000,000 or more, but it could support in comparative luxury, a population of 10,000,000. Its wealth Is, however, dependent on slave labor, and if that system were destroyed it would soon run wild as it was in former ages.--These foreign attempts to interfere with its peculiar institutions are causing great discontent; and the prospect of following the example of the United States, of Texas, of all Spanish South America is getting stronger every day.
Source Copy Consulted: "Untitled," Civilian and Galveston Gazette, December 28, 1842, p. 2