Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-06-09

ueIend nor 10 recover nj that tune there vas no
question Of slavery or Of abolition involved in the
controversy. Tho country belonged to Spain y
was n wilderness, and slavery was the established
law OF the land. There was then no project for
carving out nine slave States, TO hold eighteen
seats in the other wing Of this capitol, in the TRAN
gle between the mouths and the sources Of the
Mississippi and Bravo rivers. But what was our
claiml Why il was that LA Sallc having dicov-
cred the mouth of the Mississippi, and France kav-
ing made n settlement at New Orleans, France
had RICH, one-half the sea cost from the mouth
OF tho Mississippi to the next Spanish settlement,
whicl, was Vera Cruz. The mouth Of the Rio
Bravo was about half way from the Balizc TO Vera
Cruz and so as grantees from France of Louisiana
we claimed to the Rio del Nortc, though the Span
ish settlement Of Santa Fe was nj the head of that
river. France, from whom VIC had received Lou-
siana, atrrl, discaimcd ever having even raised
such, prctension. Still we male The best of,he
claim HAT could, and finally yielded it for the
flofldas, aud for the line Of the 42d degree OF
latitude from I'll" source ol the Arkansas river 10
the South sra. Such WIS orr claim; and y6umny
Judge how much confidence Mr.. Monroe could
a,,. III its validity. The great object and desire
OF the country lhrn WIS 10 obtain the Floridas.
1t WAS General latkson's desire and in that con-
terence with me To which have heretofore aus
drd, and which il is said l,c does moi rccoect, he
N'lih ~ Hlt iiihi NJ INtIs NsFf
moi IN our possessions, there could be no safety
ior our whole Southern country.
hut, sir suppose Nou should annex Texas to
these United States another year would not pass
before YOU would lave Ia engage IN n war for tho
conquest Of the Island OF Cuba " hat is tho
condition of that Island 7 Still under the NOM
nal protection oi SPAN. And what is The condition.
OF Spain lnrscl +! Consuming her own viIals in n
civil war for the succession to tho crown. Do
Non expect, that whatever may be the ssue OF
thai war, she can retain even the nominal pos
session Of Cuba After having lost all her CONT
mental colonies IN \orhand South America, Cubs
viii stand in need Of more efficient protection and
above all, the protection OF u naval power. Sup
pose that naval power should be Great Britain.
There is Cuba at Your very door; and il
YOU spread Yourself along naked coast, from,
the Sabine to the Rio Bravo, VIA, will he your
relative position towads Great Britain, with not on
" Jamaica, bn Cuba and Porto Rico in her hands,
and abolition Tor the mottoto her union cross OF 81.
George and .>ain, Andrew Mr. Chairman, do ,on
think am rcadng.on fantastic grounds Let me
tell YOU piece oi history, not ia, remote Sir, many
years have moi passed awnv since M internal rey,-
luton IN ; pam subjected that country aud her king
for short time 10 the momcntury government OF
the Corlcs. That revolution was followed by u
mother, by which, under the auspices ofa French
Ferdinand the Seventh was restored TO n despoiic
throne; Cuba had followed the fortunes of tho
Cories when they were crowned with victory, and
when the counter revolution came, the inhabitants
Of the Island, uncertain what was To be their dcs-
tinaion, were T. some time IN great rcrpeAity
what 10 do for themselves. Two considerable
parties arose in the island, one ol which was for
placing it under the projection OF Great Briiain,
and another was Tor anncNIng u Ia the COnicdera-
lion Of these United States BY one OF iEcse par
ties have reason to believe that o,criurcs were
made to the Government OF Great Britain. BY the
other knop that ovcrtures made to the
Government Of the United States. And further
know that secret, thoueh irresponsible assurances
were communicated to the then President OF tho
United States, as co,plrg from tho French Gov
eminent = that they were secretly informed than tho
British Government, had d, ,ern,,ned 10 take pos
session of Cuba. Whether similar oyerturcs were
made to France herself, do not undertake 10 say;
but tina, MIR. George Canning, then the British
Secretary OF State Tor Foreign Affairs, was under
no invohslcrablr alarm, lest under the pupilage
OF the Duke d Angouene, Ferdinand the seventh
might commit TO the commander OF a French ma
val squadron the custody OF the Moro Castle, is u
circumstance also well known 10 me. 1t happen-
ed that jus, about that time French squadron of
consi cradle force was fitted out aud received sail
ing orders for the West Indies, without formal CON-
muncaiion of the fact 10 the British Government
and that as soon y it was made known to him, lie
gave orders to the British Ambassador at Paris ,o
demand, in the most peremptory tone, what was
The destination OF that squadron and special and
positive disclaimer thai IL intended even to Wis
! il the Havana and this made the occasion Of
mutual explanations, by which Great Britain,
France and the United States, no, by tho formal
solcmnity Of a treaty, but by the implied engage
mcnt OF mutual assurance, "f intention, gave
pledges ofhonor to each other, that nei,hcr them
should in the then condition OF the island take it, or
the More Castle, its citadel, from the possession
OF Spain. This engagement was on all sides faith
fully performed but, without it who doubts that
from that day TO this either of the rec Powers
might have taken the island aud held it in undi,.
putcd possession!
Atihs time circumstances have changed-popn-
lar volu,ons both in France n Great Britain have
perhaps curbrd the spirit Of conquest in Great
| Britain and France may have enough to do to
govern her kingdom OF .Alciers. But Spain is "a
gain con,uscd with civil war fer the succession
c, lonirs both continents of America. 1t is n-
possible that she should hold much longer a shadow
Of dominion the islands of Cuba and Porto
Rico nor can those islands, in their pre- sent con-
dition, form independent nations, capable Of pre-
tccting themselves. They mus, for ages renain
at the mercy of Great Britain Of these Quilted
States, or of both Great Britain is even now a.
bout to interfere in this war for the Spanish sue
ccsson. lfby the utter imhecility OF the Mexican
! this rovnlt af TaxuS xi,,ull Io,,I In.