25 JANUARY 1890, Page 3

The American correspondent of the Manchester Examiner affirms, with a

great profusion of detail, that Mr. Blaine, the Secretary of State, is endeavouring to purchase Cuba from Spain, and with :that view is favouring the Repub- lican Party in Madrid, and even stirring up insurrec- tion in the island itself. It is added that in conse- quence of these intrigues, the American Minister in Madrid has found his position intolerable, and has sent in his resignation. The story does not look true. Mr. Blaine may possibly be annoyed by his failure to induce the Spanish Government to favour his Pan-American Congress ; but he could not commence intrigues of this kind without the favour of a powerful party, which we do not believe to exist within the Union. The South, in the days of slavery, attempted several times to secure Cuban independence, in order to create two more Slave States ; but the Whites of the Union are now entirely indisposed to add millions of Catholic and black voters to the general body of electors. They could have con- quered San Domingo, with the full assent of the civilised world, in General Grant's time, and they refused to do it ; and they are carefully sparing Mexico, which lies powerless at their feet.