Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-11-01

and the latest memorial Of a brittle glory.
When Cuba is wrenched from Spain, then
will Spain be poor indeed And, if our
Transatlantic reports prove true, this con-
summation is not distant.
There are but two Powers in the world
who could occupy the island with profit;
but there is none which could occupy it
without dishonesty. The two to whom the
occupation of Cuba would be profitable are
Great Britain and the United States of A.
merica' The former has sort Of equita-
BILE lien upon it for the money which she
has lent to Spain. The latter has not even
this right to it. Both are equally able to
make themselves master Of it by force. In
the hands of either, perhaps, its eventual
fortunes might be the same The posses
sion Of it by Great Britain would crush
slavery and the slave trade Immediately in
the western seas In the hands of the A
merican Republic it would aggravate the
causes of dlssentiOn between the Abolition
lists and their opponents; and by the men
ace Of rupture insure compromise in IA
yor of the slaves. But TO neither can it be
annexed without treachery or injustice, or
the combination of both.
II is true tina the President has officially
and authoritatively discouraged the project
of Cuban annexation 1t is true that he
has warned the free corps of armed adven-
turers, with which the eastern ports were
rife, that the occupation or invasion Of ter
ritory belongingtO friendly Power is a
violation, not only Of international, but Of
American law Ii is also true, we believe,
that these dissuasives and prohibitions are
not merely formal and illusory. We are
inclined to believe that General Taylor has
scanned with correct eye the prospective
dangers of enlarging the territory of the
States beyond the legitimate boundary Of
the ocean, and that his apprehensions are not
unfounded. But this, unfortunately, gives
no assurance to the world that the central
Government at Washington will continue
to maintain paciii; tone, and repudiate
the prize of conquest. The Government
Of the United States is weak Govern
ment. 1t is often forced to follow where
it wished to lead; to obey where it ou4 hit
to command. WhereSRr the Ministry are
not the willing and avo~ed servants of pop
ular passions and popular ignorance, they
ultimately become their reluctant instru-
t ments The policy Of the Cabinet is Of
tener decided by the rapid movements of a
resolute faction, and the clever schemes Of
nnprncipled adventures, than by the
counsels of statesmen, and the advice Of
legislators.
There is always in the States, large
body OF loose, reckless, and daring men, to
l. whom all peaceful occupation is dull, the
g amusement of home politics vapid, and the
wide plains Of the Missouri and Michigan
e narrow and confined. They cast their eyes
|, about the surrounding regions for novelty
D and excitement. Texas, Mexico, Califor.
e MIA, Mosquito or Cuba-lt is all the same
to them Neither land nor ocean bounds
j" their desirs aud their curiosity. They
i, are troubled with no unnecessary scruples ;
:" they have phiosophic indifference to trea-
ID ties; they have comprehensive ardor Of
re acquistiveness. If an opportunity offer it
If self for extending their travels and improv-
e ing their fortunes in another land. they
Z wIIIlngIy seIZe II. Iney care lltIie Nf
proclamations from Washington and notifi-
:, cations from the White House. They have
=. shorter and reader way of solving state
' problems than is known TO dplomatists and
urists, They put themselves into compu-
D, nlcation with the democratic or constitu-
ID tional or some other party of a neighbor-
D. ing and friendly State-they send owe. de-
f. tachments of sympathizers-they organize
4. a conspiracy among such troops as the de-
Mt genenerate colonies Of Spain or the unset
{. tied republics of the New World boast OF
is then, when all is ripe, fresh detach-
; ment of invaders, open and avowed, bursts
:, across the border, antes itself to the lor-
mer bands of sympathizers, corrupts, d.
', vldes, or masters the native soldiery, and,
~ taking one of the native commanders for
ne its head, proclaims new constitution, OF
y at once, annexa ion. The Cabinet al
s. Washington has no option but to acquiesce
n in this abrupt policy, Or else to endure a
in " Young America" on its frontiers, with all
~. the insolcnce and all the RIGHTEOUSNESS Of
r. youth. Having objected, discouraged, and
Of forbidden, as long as it could, it is obliged
;. at the last hour to sanction by its authority
~ and solemnize by its ceremonies, the victo
'" ry which it denounced, and the acquisition,
IS which it deprecated. .. .-
Oy Such bids fair to be the course of action
IA in Cuba. For some time past there has
ds been in Cuba party friendly to America
es, as there used to be in the lonian colonies
C. parties friendly to Sparta, and in the Dori
an colonies parties friendly to Athens. L
would be visionary TO suggest the motives
bo which inspire the American faction in Gu
la Whether the Cuban planters thinA
-: that that they would get more slaves, ant
'' thus cultivate their soil more cheaply; o.
We that the African slave trade would be sup
NJ pressed, and that they would sell the
1t slaves more dearly under the government o
he the States, it is idle to ask. Suffice it Il
les say, that there does exist in the Spanish
nd Colony, party friendly to American rule
st and that American patriotism is not likel
,Is to reject the advantage of such an alliance
ro How far the desire of such aggrandlzemen
'" has spread through the Republic, we know
not but the history Of recent invasIons tell
w. US, that when the idea of conquest has ono
Is been bruited about by Iumor-when it ha
ne been seconded by the public press Of A
of merica-and when the politics Of the OBJ
ey noxious state are favorable to interference
id, that the period of aggression is not re
he mote. Any or no pretext for rupture vii
,ur suffice and the abduction of Juan Rey
We together with the subsequent trial of tn
Spanish Consul at New Orleans, supple
ample materials for discord, which Amer
can cupidity will clutch, and American di
plomacy may recognize.
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X. STRANGE MORTALITY IN BLACK RIVER
- LA Louisiana Paper says, that many O
H. ,l.r,o,, on QfocG u ;yar Loya loo, ,h