Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-12-30

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temen the designs Of the incoming President
At least hoped to hear what they themselves
think of this policy. Are they individually, IN
favor of it or against it No one mas presumed
to avow his own thoughts.
Now, would say to those members, you were
sent here to represent The people. Franklin
Pierce was elected TO carry out anc execute the
laws which we enact-n0t to represent the voice
of the people in enactng laws. God has given
to YOU the powers Of thought aud reflection lie
has given TO YOU Judgment and conscience 1t
is your duty to exercise those judgments and
obey vour own consciences-not to wait Tor
General Pierce TO tell you how to act and what
10 do. nor to obtain instruction on these subjects
from The incoming President, or from the mem
bers of his Cabinet. fyou do this, you are not
REPRESENTATIVES Of the people, but OF Gen. Pierce,
WHO will take care to represent himself. II you
do this. Won will not deserve the name OF free
men. No gentlemen, you and were cnmnls-
stoned to ayow the popular will OF the nation
and God forbid that we should wait to receive
instructions from any other human being
But as have Remarked no Democrat has
as vet minated the policy of the incoming
administration in regard to Cuba; and us the
country is desrous OF understanding what thlt
policy will be- will volunteer to speak for the
President elect Laughter.l As my colleague
in the Senate Yesterday remarked, am Dem
oerat by the graceofsGod free and independents"
and as have no donbt as to the policy of Gen
4eral Pierce, will give my opinion as to his
coafse on this subject. If he be the man--lhe
statesmanAthat take him to be, he will neither
saw nor do anglhiag about il. He will leave it
! - ..l. Ia, COLL e. tho nf
one of his predecessors who, in his inaugural
address. declared our tile to the whole OF Oregon
10 he etear AtDd UNREASONABLE, aud when the
British lion Began to grOyvl aud show his teeth,
our President backed out OF his position and
surrendered one hat to British rule. No, Gener-
al Pierce will not be likely to follow such an
example. lie will look thoroughly into this sub
ject before he COMMITS himself in regard to it.
1t is certain that former administrations and
portion Of The people of the United States
have long coveted Cuba, and would gladly now
wres it from the control OF Spain, if they could
do so with safety The object for which they
would do it. have already adverted to. But
an omniscent, all-wise Providence has thrown
around the consunnallon of that great national
crime sucn dIiicultes aud embarassments, and
positive dangers, that IN my opinion it will meyer
be perpetrated
The first and only mode in which we can hope
to obtain Cuba is by peaceful quiet purchase
Suppose the Spanish Crown should consent to
take 100000, 00O as proposed by Mr. Bucha.
nan, for The transfer of Cuba to this Government
and our President should stpnIate to pay it
would yet say 10 the Spanish Coltes, and tC
British and 10 French statement, that not one
dollar OF that amount can 60 to the pc session
OF Spain until this House shall mako the appro
prntlon. | wish them to understand that the
people here are he source Of all political power.
and Their representatives control the Treasury
OF the county.
Now, SIR, what beliil will the people of Ohio
or OF any free State, receive by the annexation
OF Cuba, for which they are to be taxed t
such large amount? The first effect wouIC
be to bring to this Hall eleven Spanish member
to enact laws TO govern our people. Those
SpanIards will be lgnnrent of our language
bred and educated under Spanish despOtisn un
acquainted with our Institutions; men who neve
exercised The right Of suffrage, and who have
no Just views OF Tree governments. do no
think the influence OF uuch men in this hal
would be worth 100000 600. But SPANS
popuIOton OF Cuba would not only be brough
INTO full political ASSOCIATION with our people, blu
they would come into the Union with great ad
vanlages, Influence, ana power over or nghl
and interests than we ourselves possess. Thei
lnAggnce Under our Constitution will be proper
toned to tho number OF their slaves cOuntn
five OF those newly imported Cuba negroes, fres
from the African cofst equa IN mOrol aed polit
cal influence to three of our free citizens of th
Nortfti ss-abtt the holder of five OF those slave
Will yield the same influence Yin the Fedora
Government WHICH four of ouk northern uanr
Now, let those representatives who really
thluk their constituents to be worthy of only ont
fourth part Of the moral and political inhuenc,
to which those Cuban shareholders are entitled
vote to give the 500 100000 to degrade the
constituents and posterty to the level of those
Cuban slaves. Sir, deny the right and the
constitutional power Of this government thus tC
degrade and disgrace the ireemen of Ohio
VIII nv Democratic colleagues, or INV whir col.
leagues, take issue with me on this point Wi
either OF those parties lnscllbe Cuban annexa
ton upon Their banner at the next election? Ye
sir, until the people consent thus, to disgrcc
themselves and their children IN coming time
this Insult to our dignity cannot be consunmated
WlIl not such proposition stir up agitation
But, sir, we have merely commenced upon tn,
difficulties which surround aud embarrass
the purchase OF Cuba, The eight hundred
thousand slaves of Cuba were mostly born in
Africa, and imported to that Island They are
desperate and have little regard for human life
For many years past the military forse required
to hold item in subsection has been estimated at
twenty thousand men, or twice The military force
now maintained by this government
Ihe annual cost OF maintaining such an army
IN that Island would net probably fall short OF
S2O,UOO OUO; and the expense of civil govern.
nent' including lighthouses, local legislation, pay
OF members OF Congress, &c, would not be less
than S3,00OO00. While the revenue, under
our laws, beng assessed only upon imports
would not exceed $2500000 Thus, there
would be net annually expenditure OF more
than S2OOOOC00 over the revenues ofthe Island
to hold their slaves in subsection. That amount
would be drawn mostly from our laborlng men
OF the States. Aud now ask, in all kindness,
how long do you believe the laboring people OF
Ohio wond consent to pay troops at that rate to
stand sentinel over the slave drivers of Cuba
while they lash these degraded minions into
submission
Bnt standing army Of twenty thousand men
will not be sufficient to maintain this system o
| oPpi'o9'Ou' IHdI lSlduu now imports some
thirty thousand African slaves annually. They
are ig0oraf, ae& stupid; they have no common
language, and are incapable OF any cuncerted
movements for freedom. BY annexing Cuba ia
the United States, this foreign slave trade will
be cut off, aud the supply OF victims will then
be drawn from our sIave-tradng States This,
sir, is the great object for which anncxing is
sought. 1t will enhence the price Of human
chattels IN our Northern slave States But here
again. God has thrown around this gigantic
crime danger which cannot be avoided. These
slaves will be more enlightened they will speak
the English language, which is spoken in all the
British Islands. They will have some knowledge
OF their rights, and Of the means OF OBJ aiming
theta.
Nor will they wait for leaders to guide them
in the work Of achieving their liberty The
whole eight hundred thousand free colored PEG
pie IN the neghborng Islands will sympalhlze
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