Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-09-03
her wealth, as hers would share in our lib

Cuba unrolls her majestic length along the
whole front of the Gulf of Mexico, and with
her western cape almost touching Yucatan, while
the northern side looks upon Florida, she closes
up the Mediterranean Of America-and with it
twelve hundred miles Of our coast--to every
unfriendly power. A narrow strait that inter-
venes, and locks up the Gulf like harbor, alto
gether our own, il the bold coast and match
less bays Of Cuba are at our command. Be-
hind her, and outside this magnificent soaring,
half of which is already our own by the gain
of Texas, from the Sabine to the Rio Bravo lie
the poweress islands that England protects
Powerless even if she could add Cuba to the
list OF their colored populations and utterly in
significant If she fails in this, and Cuba becomes
the southern outwork Of our confederation.
But if it does not please the United States
to buy, or if it does not suit Spain to sell us
the Key of the Gulf; it will not the less cast
off the yoke and escape becoming an appanage
Of England, by rushing into revolutions. The
St0tu quo of which we hear so much, is impossi-
bic anywhere under the falling thrones of Eu-
rope, and most impossible with alert, oppressed
discontented Cuba. She has the wit to find, and
the money to buy friends abroad besides her
numerous phalanx of patriotic sons, educated in
the United States, and ready, at the price of
their blood, to endOw their mother-soi with free
institutions. So, even to the last, there is but
a feeble chance of England gaining Cuba: and
without this finishing gem in her American chap
let, she will soon weary Of all the rest. With
the hope of Cuba, the value of Canada is mex
tricably twined; and in losing the one, she will
not be far from abandoning the other to its fate.
When Cuba achieves and Canada accepts in
dependence, which may very well happen before
1850 runs its course, they will think of anuexa-
tion to our strong, well knit and experienced
confederation: but each will have a distinct and
opposite argument for admission.
Canada will present her fisheries, her coal
mines, her free and hardy population, and final
ly will offer as her most tempting dowry an
ocean boundary, the publication of our CONT
nent from kingship, and perfect exoneration
from frontier forts and standing garrisons and
Canada will be accepted.
Cuba may cost more exciting struggle than
Canada; but when she asks admission, there
will be place and a welcome for her at the al
tar of confederation. There is one reactive OBJ
lection, which in time will become valid against
demands for annexation. Though not yet utter
ed, it may find its first expression when Canada
and Cuba stand together at the threshold of the
Union; but it will not prevail to their disfavor
III Will ilO ElSl-
BILE effect on the popular thought until the ocean
has become the only limit to our republic
When the whole North American continent is
ruled by one congress, and sea linked with sea
through the severed isthmus, all, all under the
undisputed sway of our eagle, the satiated peo.
pie will declare against any farther dution OF
the comparative rank and consequence of the in
dividual states. They would not have them toe
numerous to be felt sngly. This argument has
not yet occurred to the anti-annexionists, and al
present it would be thrown away but in the
ripeness of time it will be conclusive and vcto.
rious against farther division Of sovereignty
When our ocean boundaries are complete on
every side; when no other nation presses u
gainst our line, and forts and standing armies
have faded from our system when the Mexican
Gulf is encrcled by our territory alone, and Gu.
ba, the closing gem of this imperial ring, nobly
bars its entrance to every foe and holds faithful
watch and ward over this our own exclusive in.
land sea, with all its two thousand miles of coast
!. and harbor; the outlet of twelve thousand miles
of internal navigation--and is herself the centre
and crossing point Of our newborn monopoly
Of the trade beyond the Pacific when the con.
tinents are rent asunder to make channel fol
the revolutionized commerce of the orient to
, pour its ineXhaustible wealth into our Golfers
when our selfprotecting steam marine shall ride
, supreme on the welded oceans, Independent OF
our extinct "regular navy" to great and toe
just TO fear or make aggressions; when the in.
sane and fraricidal strife of sections shall have
yielded to defined principles, founded on broad
er fllial love for the Union, and deeper res
pect for the obligations of the federal compact
then the march of annexation will be stayed fol
it will have reached the dividing line of the con
tinents, and our flag will reign over the unior
of the oceans.
When we have attained all this, and with il
t the un9uestioned attitude of the first nation o.
t the earth, then, and not before, the people will
; be prepared to say, eve have satisfactory boun
| daries and sufficient domain, and henceforth We
;. will refuse to divide and weaken the individus
r force and dignity of our States. Among 81
: many partners in the sovereignty, a single mem
D ber becomes too inconsiderabe." At this poin
n annexation will cast anchor, on what she con
n sders the natural bounds Of her inheritance
a but she will not pause, or be turned from he
n course, until she accomplishes her destiny
s If no Mexican war had intervened to bring he
Y to US, with sacrifice and violence, Californi
s would have come to our arms as soon as sh
was ready for us or we for her, without blood
s shed or expenditure Those gold.mines when
ever discovered, would, all the same, have allure
y to them thousands Of our citizens, with thei
= rifles their press and their constitutions. nm,