Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-09-08

HE CUBAN QUEsTIoN.-W 9 often see,
Tin the articles written about Cuban nffairs,
and especially the, part taken by some Of
our countrymen in the late movement
thai reference is made TO ihe Laws of Ma.
TONS, And we are told tha. even by those
laws, without reference to the treaties be.
tween our government and other countries,
AID the laws made in pursuance OF those
,reaties,-- people Of our country are
not al liberty 10 disturb or modest q neigh.
boring people, who are in no way in,erler.
ing with their rights and privileges. This
we regard as most infamous doctrine,-
utterly at-varianee with the whole tenor Of
ur'institutians-and one which the fathers
of our Constitution never would have sane.
TONED. What are the implied assertions
contained in ita Simply that we,-who
were once SO weak as to implore the lovers
OF liberty every where TO como and ioin
our dropping standard, and aid US in gain.
ing our independence of power to whom,
under The Laws Of Nations, we were SUBJ
subject should now deny The truth of the
very frst pfinei Piles on which we relied for
success, and tell the world that we were
willing 10 perform a track, in order to
gain our own independence; but. having
now become srong and powerful, we are
willing to act with the despots and ,yranis
of the world, in helping to bind our s,rug-
Cling fellow-men, or TO strike down any
who may 60 forward and tell the oppressed
Of the way, and to aid them in gaining that
way. That, though we profess to be Re.
publicans and Democrats, and to hold up
The torch of liberty to ligh, the world, we
are, notwithstanding, willing 10 assist
despot in binding heavier chains about the
necks of the oppressed, because we have
become one among the nations Of the
earth; and may therefore act our will.
But what are these LaDs Of Nations?-
What voice had the American People in
enao.ing those laws? When was held the
Convention Of the People or their Repre>
sentatives, that sanctioned thems The
Laws Of Nations are nothing more than
collection Of naasims rendered venerable
by long naoaarchical sanction. There
has been nothing added to them since WE
had an existance as people,; and as we
are peculiar people," as we differ in al.
most all respects from the"rest of fmankind,"
being made up of those who loved liber-
" better than monarchy, from among all
natlons,-those maxims, taken as whole, |
were never designed for cur government;
and should be utterly discarded by US
This is sound American doctrine; and is
what should be communicated to the world;
hat they may know our determination as
| People to aid those who are struggling 10
'e free in every part of the world; and
hat we will throw ourselves between them
md their tyrants, whenever the occasion
hall offer for doing so; and more especial
y will We do this upon the whole vast
Continent Of which our country forms q
,art.
When the Laws of Nations shall receg-
NE every people us entitled to the enjoy-
nent of their separate and equal right TO
liberty andeindepe ependence,- they shall
Utterly deny the right of the strong to ap.
ropriate 10 themselves the country of the
,enk; and when those who have been
anded together under them for centuries,
q order to sustain tyranny and oppression.
nd to enslave the millions, shall recognize
he truth of the doctrine that all men have
right to the enjoy ment of equal civil and
oIitical rights and that all have a right
} seek fer happiness in any way accord.
lg wilhaheir own ideas, restrained only by
sense Of duty TO their iellow-men,-then
ut not ill then, will the People Of the
Tnited States be bound to regard the Laws
Nationss because till that moment shall
rive, those laws Will be.found in opposi> {
on tothe spirit Of our free insl itutions; and
,onld therefore be disregarded by this
sopie and this Government, and BY all
Lhers who shall strive to maintain the
lessings Of civil and religious liberty
'ittsburgh Post.