From the Examiner, 8 June.
THE ATTACK ON CUBA.

forty years ago.

It may be worth describing the exact resources of the island. Its whole length lies close on the northern tropic. The average heat of its climate throughout the year being but 70 degrees, while the greatest heat of summer is but 84 degrees, or

sympathizers that thirty years ago aided the continental colonies of Spain in throwing off the yoke We entertain no very high idea of the imme- of the mother country! Cuba, in fact, seems enterdiate success of the American marauding expedi-ing on the career which its sister colonies began tion against Cuba. The attempt is, in newspaper phraseology, premature. There can be no doubt, indeed, that Cuba is fast Americanizing; that the young of its planter-race are sent to the United States for education, more than to Madrid; and that the island is weary of having some millions sterling pumped from it annually to pay the extrav-10 degrees less than that of a Bengal summer, agant army and court of Spain, as well as to enrich a succession of greedy governors from the mother country. The offer of the United States, therefore, to annex rather than conquer; to leave self-government to the annexed state, and at the same time afford it protection; is one of the most tempting offers that can be made at least to a planter-race.

The

In Cuba, however, there are three classes decidedly opposed to such a scheme of annexationthe military, the clergy, and the negroes. soldier and the ecclesiastic would lose his statecalling and his state-maintenance, and would be degraded at once from the highest to the lowest ranks of society. As to the negro, the dominion of the United States would forever rivet his chains. In such a state of things, the Spaniards have it certainly in their power to save the island from American conquest and annexation. They have but to emancipate the negroes, and offer them the boon of emancipation in prospect; and the black population of Cuba would soon rise to defend their liberties against the designs of the Americans.

nearly in the same latitude. Its climate, therefore, is fit for Europeans to live in; and, in winter, when it falls to 60 degrees, to work in-fit to work in; indeed, throughout the year, at a few thousand feet above the level of the sea. In extent Cuba is more than one third part larger than Ireland; and, with a soil in many places eminently fertile, it possesses every variety of surface, from land nearly on the level of the sea, to mountains 7,000 feet in height. From Florida, the nearest of the states of the American federation, it is not distant above 150 miles, or twelve hours' steam navigation. The population has doubled within the last twenty-five years, and is at present estimated at 1,400,000; but this magnificent island, justly enough called the Queen of the Antilles, might easily have ten times its existing population without being overpeopled.

The success or failure of the present expedition will depend mainly, as we have said, on the conduct of the Creoles-in number about 600,000. If these be loyal to Spain, success is hopeless; but if they are disaffected, as the invaders seem But Count Mirasol, the present governor of firmly to believe, there might possibly be a differCuba, is not a man to resort to extreme measures ent result. Mr. Stanley, indeed, in his lately of this kind; which, however they might serve published letter to Mr. Gladstone, has stated that, Spanish predominance in the island, would an- by the information which he himself obtained in nihilate the planters and their wealth, and with his recent visit to Cuba, there were in the island them the taxable materials of Cuba. The question" thirty thousand men, well paid and officered, the is therefore to be discussed on other grounds. flower of the Spanish army;" and with thirty The number of the marauding party is variously thousand men, good fortifications, and the negro estimated, but it would seem that about 2,000 (that is the working) population not adverse, men have landed on the island. The nominal resistance to any rash invasion would be easy. But commander of the force is Lopez, a Creole of con- the Creole and American invaders cannot be of tinental America, but a Spanish general, who served Mr. Stanley's opinion, or they surely would not in the late civil war in Spain. General Quitman, have undertaken their enterprise; and, most likely, one of the American heroes of the Mexican war, they are better informed than he is. A more is, it is said, to join the expedition on the an- serious bar to success is the fleet which the Amernouncement of its first success. As to the body ican government has sent to those seas. Its of the invaders, they are of as various nationality duty will be to intercept free intercourse between as the armies of the Crusaders; there being among New Orleans and Mobile, and such points as the them Anglo-Americans, Spanish Creoles, English, invader may hold in Cuba; and, without the succor Irish, Scots, French, Poles, and Germans; but the to be derived from such intercourse, final success spirit which animates the mass is that of republican to the expedition would appear to be impossible. America. There is not among them a man who, Let us see, however, what would be the conseeither in the character of rebel or pirate, is not,quence of an American conquest of Cuba, supposby the incontrovertible law of nations, amenable to ing it possible, to the parties directly or remotely hanging or shooting, at the option of his captors, interested. To the Cubans, the advantages of anshould he fail. And yet how little such bucca- nexation to the great republic are in some respects neering adventurers differ, except in their greater obvious and undeniable. It would be an exchange numbers, better organization, and avowed intention from depotism to freedom, from stagnation to prosof annexation to the federal government of the perity, and from paying an onerous tribute to United States, from the thousands of European keeping their money in their own pockets. To

America, the advantages are by no means so obvi- | been signing a treaty renouncing all conquest in

ous. The sovereignty of Cuba would give them needed ports and harbors, with the command of the Gulf of Mexico; but it would burthen them with increased territory, which the Americans do not require, and with an additional 600,000 to be added to their present overwhelming burthen of four millions of slaves. In the main, although the possession of Cuba be coveted by the slave-holding states of the south as a counterpoise to California and New Mexico, we are quite satisfied that it would tend far more to weaken than to strengthen the federation.

Central America, the natives of the United States, inhabiting Central America, have shown a determined resolve to acquire both independence and dominion there. Those in Panama, and on the line between it and Chagres, refuse to obey the local authorities of the region; and in a little time Panama, and the present passage across the isthmus to California, will be virtually in the hands of the United States. We can conceive it to be therefore quite possible, apart from the special case of Cuba, that a necessity may arise for all the European States who have possessions and interests in As to European powers, England may be sup- the West Indies, to see how far the progress of posed the power most deeply interested, and by an American ascendency should be submitted to, and American annexation of Cuba she would at any at what point encroachment may be stopped. In rate obtain suppression of the Cuban slave trade, any attempt of this kind the powers of Europe and of course have a larger commerce with a well-would have the aid of the better class in the United governed than an ill-governed country. As to any States. Such a thing, however, should be effected contemplated possession of Cuba by Britain herself, by a demonstration of all European powers, so that is what no sane government of this country unanimous and concerted as to preclude the idea of could ever anticipate. The United States of war. It should be simply a combined movement America would certainly not endure the occupation, to vindicate the right of the old world interests by a great naval power, of an island with fine har-not to be altogether trodden down in the new. bors, barring and domineering the Gulf of Mexico, of two thirds of the coast of which, destitute of good harbors, they own the sovereignty. England, moreover, could not, like Spain, exact a tribute from Cuba; she would be simply burthened with its military occupation, and she would have to emancipate the 600,000 slaves, which 20,000,0002. would not effect. Some have indeed fancied that the British creditors of Spain have a specific lien on the surplus revenue of Cuba, but for this supposition there is no foundation. If, sooner or later, Cuba should be destined to fall into the power of the American republic, any present meddling on our part could not possibly hinder such a consummation, although impotent interference might lead to trouble and disaster. We are clearly in favor, therefore, of non-interference.

From the Spectator, of 8 June. BAFFLED once more, or not, the Cuban expedition from the United States is really one of the ugliest incidents of the day-likely to endanger the peace of the world, certain to do cruel mischief.

The object of the expedition is low and bad. There has long been in the United States a hankering for the possession of Cuba, partly in the fierce lust for territorial aggrandizement, partly in the idea that the island would be a useful outpost of defence against aggressions on the Southern institution of slavery; and negotiations for the purchase of the islands were carried on with Spain some time ago. It is quite possible that the result of possessing such an outpost would be the very reverse of what the covetous Americans desire, and that, instead of retarding, it might hasten the emancipation of slaves, even on the continent but the negotiation, we surmise, was given up by Spain on the score of national pride, and the objection of other European states to the cession of so important a post in the West Indies. The present aggression is not a renewal of that natural movement, though it partakes of the arrogance in which the Model Republic is apt to indulge: it is a buccaneering sally, dictated by much ruder purpose. The body of" emigrants to California," as the members of the expedition are called, consists of "loafers," disbanded soldiers of the army that invaded Mexico, and vagabonds of every kind. The instigator of the attempt, Lopez, is a Venezuelan adventurer, who has been in the The circumstances of this American expedition Spanish service, and who professes to desire the give rise, nevertheless, to very serious reflection. freedom of the Cubans from Spanish monarchical It is plain that the Mexican war has created in rule it is possible that he may be actuated by America a buccaneering class, a spirit which the some republican motive, but more probable, if we government cannot check, and which will continue judge by the canting style of his proclamation, to devote themselves to the acquisition of neighbor-that he is under the influence of mere personal ing lands. Whilst the cabinet of Washington has ambition-that he is willing to be the client of

As to Spain, she has no interest in Cuba, except in so far as the colony contributes to pay a handsome tribute into her half-bankrupt exchequer, reckoned, besides occasional forced loans, at 200,0007. But the tribute is justly one of the main grievances which has led to Cuban disaffection, and is, therefore, under any circumstances, not likely to be lasting. Soon, indeed, Spain will be without any other colony than the Phillippine Islands, and none the poorer or weaker for that. The possession even of those, which now contain two millions and a half of subjects, chiefly an oriental population, she owes, not to attachment to the sovereignty of the mother country, but to the moral power exercised over a converted people by the Catholic priesthood.

the United States if that make him the first man in Cuba. Plunder and profit, of one kind or other, are the motives that draw this horde of marauders to Cuba, eight or ten thousand strong Heaven pity the unhappy island! Even if they fail, what mischiefs may not follow-what bloodshed on the spot; what outrages; what vengeful sympathy in the United States, involving perhaps even the well-meaning government!

We of England are in the habit of accounting for such anthropological phænomena of the Transatlantic world, by saying that they have no "aristocracy," and no reverence for the traditions and sentiments which are better than written law: which is partly true. But it is not enough to account for the evil when it assumes this palpable and active shape—when it oppresses whole races, and sports with states. It then becomes a "moster;" and if it be unchecked it is because in Europe our chivalry is defunct.

WITHOUT question, the most momentous subject discussed in Parliament this week has been the Bishop of London's Ecclesiastical Appeals Bill. in the late Gorham case—that of some competent The bishop proposed to supply a want sensibly felt authority to declare what is the doctrine of the Church of England; but he deprecated the notion that his bill was suggested by that measure: he has had its main object in view for three years. He would have obliged the Judicial Committee of Privy Council, in ecclesiastical appeals, to refer any question of religious doctrine to the whole body of bishops, for that purpose convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, or his locum tenens; the Judicial Committee being bound to 66 report" the declaration of the bishops to the sovereign. The second reading was opposed by the Marquis of Lansdowne, with a variety of pleas-that it was it would reflect on the judgment recently delivered a"dangerous" and "alarming" innovation; that by the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in the Gorham case; that it would encroach on the royal prerogative; that it would alter the "comprehenFor, if it succeed, the mischief will be gigantic sive" character imputed to the Church of England before it can be cured by its own reaction; and at the Reformation, &c. The marquis seemed to every effort should be made to prevent success. select, with careful fidelity, precisely those objections which do not apply to the Bishop of London's The Federal government of the United States is bill. not only bound by international law, but by posi- it was manifestly neither an object nor an effect of As to the comprehensiveness, for example, tive stipulation, to prevent any such aggression the Reformation: that change proposed to continue on Cuba; but will it be able to enforce that pre- the apostolical succession expurgated of Romish vention? President Taylor had already recog- errors; a process which added Roman Catholics to nized the obligation to act, by sending out ships the number of schismatics. The bill does not touch to intercept the expedition; but they are sent too the royal prerogative. But it does vest a power late. How can the government act in ulterior Moreover, on the whole, the public, not refining in the bishops, of which the public is very jealous. stages by what machinery in what method? over much, is rather glad of the Gorham decision, Doubt on these points will probably be thought and will mainly side with Lord Lansdowne's objecjustify the plea of inability, and the marauders will be suffered to have their way.

tions. So the adverse vote of 84 to 51 is final for the present. Lord Lansdowne's suggestion, modYet any European government may hesitate to ified by Lord Brougham, to make it a matter of undertake the troublesome task of controlling the regular appointment that some bishops shall sit with the Judicial Committee as assessors in ecclevagabonds of the great ungoverned, perhaps un-siastical cases, purports to supply the same want governable, republic, hitherto unchecked in its that the bishop would have done, in a safer way. aspirings. The task would be the more difficult If Lord Lansdowne carry out his implied promise, for being undertaken singlehanded. What, then, time will show whether it will be effective in recan be done, practically? One course, which storing stability to the doctrine and constitution of might be taken, would demand qualities that in the established Church.-Spect., 8th June. these days are rare among statesmen—tact, vigor, THE Berlin correspondent of the Morning Chronand the influence that is possessed by hearty flesh-icle writes-"We have new religions about once and-blood appeal to conscientious motives in fellow-the house of a wonderful child who wrought miraa month. There were almost riots last year round men. "Civilization" is crushing this last motive. cles. Herb-doctors advertise that the moon is in In this question of Cuba, European interests are engaged many such: Spain's own territory is at stake; England, France, Denmark, and Holland, have territories which would be imperilled by the new neighborhood; these states are manifestly engaged in a common interest to defend Cuba. And the great countries we have enumerated have European allies; possibly, also, allies across the Might not Mexico be secured on the side of such a coalition? Brazil regained to English friendship? Cannot even the Federal govern- CASES of madness are unusually frequent at Viment of the Union be urged to its duty of main-enna just now; indeed, insanity seems to have taining the international police-law against pirates and buccaneers? Or will Lord Palmerston, forgetting all but the fanaticism in fashion, seek only to preserve the modern idol, a false and traitorous peace?"

water.

the favorable quarter for swallowing their compounds. Dream-books sell well. Old women are frequently being taken up for fortune-telling with cards. The papers described only a few days since a

6

man who has made a handsome fortune as a consulting conjurer, without once falling into the hands of the police; which speaks volumes for his tact, but he saw none but respectable and educated' people. If details could be gone into, some strange facts of this kind could be catalogued against the city of intelligence.'

assumed the character of an epidemic. No fewer than thirteen persons were carried into lunatic This strange occurrence has drawn to Vienna sevasylums in one day last week, from Vienna alone. eral medical men of ability, desirous of investigating its cause.-Vienna Leller.

SHORT ARTICLES: Bunker Hill Battle, 111; The Two Robins, 118; Easter in Poland, 140; News of the Week, 143.

PROSPECTUS. This work is conducted in the spirit of Littell's Museum of Foreign Literature, (which was favorably received by the public for twenty years,) but as it is twice as large, and appears so often, we not only give spirit and freshness to it by many things which were excluded by a month's delay, but while thus extending our scope and gathering a greater and more attractive variety, are able so to increase the solid and substantial part of our literary, historical, and political harvest, as fully to satisfy the wants of the American reader.

Geographical Discoveries, the progress of Coloniza ' (which is extending over the whole world,) and Voyages and Travels, will be favorite matter for our selections; and, in general, we shall systematically and very fully acquaint our readers with the great department of Foreign affairs, without entirely neglecting our own.

The elaborate and stately Essays of the Edinburgh, Quarterly, and other Reviews; and Blackwood's noble criticisms on Poetry, his keen political Commentaries, highly wrought Tales, and vivid descriptions of rural and While we aspire to make the Living Age desirable to mountain Scenery; and the contributions to Literature, all who wish to keep themselves informed of the rapid History, and Common Life, by the sagacious Spectator, progress of the movement-to Statesmen, Divines, Lawthe sparkling Examiner, the judicious Athenæum, the yers, and Physicians-to men of business and men of busy and industrious Literary Gazette, the sensible and leisure-it is still a stronger object to make it attractive comprehensive Britannia, the sober and respectable Chris- and useful to their Wives and Children. We believe that tian Observer; these are intermixed with the Military we can thus do some good in our day and generation; and Naval reminiscences of the United Service, and with and hope to make the work indispensable in every wellthe best articles of the Dublin University, New Monthly, informed family. We say indispensable, because in this Fraser's, Tuit's, Ainsworth's, Hood's, and Sporting Mag-day of cheap literature it is not possible to guard against azines, and of Chambers' admirable Journal. We do not the influx of what is bad in taste and vicious in morals, consider it beneath our dignity to borrow wit and wisdom in any other way than by furnishing a sufficient supply of from Punch; and, when we think it good enough, make a healthy character. The mental and moral appetite use of the thunder of The Times. We shall increase our must be gratified. variety by importations from the continent of Europe, and from the new growth of the British colonies.

The steamship has brought Europe, Asia, and Africa, into our neighborhood; and will greatly multiply our connections, as Merchants, Travellers, and Politicians, with all parts of the world; so that much more than ever it

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LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.-No. 323.-27 JULY, 1850.

From the United Service Magazine.

THE LEVANTINES.

No phenomenon in Eastern society is more remarkable than the character of the Levantines. We mean, of course, to designate by this name the Christian inhabitants of Syria and Asia Minor, who emigrate in pursuit of gain to all parts of the Turkish empire. From time immemorial the great body of this motley race has been unwarlike, and therefore degraded, because it appears to be a law of nature, interpret or account for it how we please, that all the great or ennobling virtues of humanity cluster round the sword. The moment a nation ceases to be courageous it ceases to respect itself, and of necessity becomes Epicurean, cringing, servile, and base, which the Romans sought to express by making valor and virtue synonymous.

variably for the worse, until it has at length come to consist of a mere bundle of superstitions, incapable of inspiring manly thoughts or generating a taste for virtue or morality.

Travellers in the East, at least of late years, have bestowed comparatively little attention on these small and uninfluential communities. In Egypt, for example, we have the Copts, among whom no European has lived, with whom none has much associated, and of whom accordingly little is known with certainty. The Mohammedans, their masters, are incapable of comprehending them at all, and there appears to exist some barrier between them and Turkish travellers which has hitherto rendered their internal domestic life a sealed book for all the populations of the West.

But unquestionably the most extraordinary seetarian populations are to be found in Syria, whose manners, customs, belief, history and origin, are To this circumstance chiefly we must attribute up to this time enveloped in impenetrable obscuthe small progress made by Christianity in west-rity; we allude to the Druses, the Ansarians, the ern Asia, for the Moslems generally are enterpris- Maronites, the Ismalieh, the Yezidis, and several ing and brave, which renders them unwilling to become converts to a creed that on all sides around them they behold associated with weakness and pusillanimity. Compared, however, with most of the Christian nations of Europe, the Mohammedans themselves, in many parts of the East, are corrupt and effeminate. It is only to the Christians in the bosom of their own empire that they are superior, which suggests to us an explanation of the degeneracy of the unfortunate Levantines. Historically, we know, that on the first proclamation of Islamism the Christians of Syria displayed great valor and intrepidity, and contested inch by inch the ancient dominion of their religion. But, subjugated at last by the fortune of war, and reduced to the condition of a subject race, they ceased altogether to cultivate the manly virtues, and took refuge in pleasure and the worship of

mammon.

Throughout all the old provinces of the Ottoman empire, you find scattered here and there among the believers in the Koran, small Christian populations distinguished from their neighbors chiefly by their speculative belief and some few peculiarities of costume. To the casual observer they scarcely stand out at all from the general multitude. The same in features, in language, in secular pursuits, in superstitions and general bearing, they would appear to have no unchangeable characteristics to difference them from their neighbors, if we except that timidity and fox-like cunning, which weakness is everywhere constrained to put on when it has to defend itself against power. Their creed almost inevitably shares their fortunes. Corrupt from a very early period, it has gradually undergone numerous changes, inVOL. XXVI. 10

CCCXXIII. LIVING AGE.

other strange fragments of nations, whose very locality it is sometimes hard to fix. Here would be an interesting field for the researches of a philosophical traveller. Volney did something to throw light on the subject; but when he travelled he was deficient in learning, and afterwards, when he had acquired a much more extensive and masculine erudition, the prejudices and fantastic theories of the times in which he lived interfered to prevent his applying it with effect. Most of our own travellers are too ignorant to venture upon the topic at all. They are content with following the beaten track, drawing agreeable sketches, and interesting the idle part of the public with sentiment and flimsy speculations.

A volume, by Mr. Bayle St. John, has just made its appearance, which reveals to us that portion of Levantine life that is to be found in Egypt, whither the emigrants carry along with them all the superstitions and most of the peculiarities of their native country. Indeed, they may in some respects be considered as natives on the banks of the Nile; Lower Egypt being morally, as well as physically, little more than a prolongation of Syria towards the west. Mr. Bayle St. John arrived at Alexandria about the middle of 1846, and, instead of lingering, as is the custom, among the Frank population, now very considerable, located himself at once among the Levantines, and became to all intents and purposes a member of their society during two whole years. This afforded him an opportunity, enjoyed by no former traveller, of observing all the circumstances in the

*Two Years Residence in a Levantine Family, by Bayle St. John, author of "Adventures in the Libyan Desert," &c. London: Chapman & Hall, 1850.