Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-12-01
Important Revelations.

Early last February (says the Baltimore Amer
ican,) Congress called for documents from tn
State department as to the policy OF this Govern
ment In relation to the island of Cuba. In July
large number of instructions and diplomatic de
spatches were sent in, covering the years from 10
22 to December lS4S These valuable documents
it seems, just now only see the light for the frs
time though they have been five months on the ia
BILE of Congress, where they remained, accordin!
to the Intclligencer, six or seven weeks wit GU
being opened.
The last six documents are within the admins
tration of the late President Polk. The object, o
course, was the purchase of the Island of Cuba
The offer was made by President Polk, entirely
on his own responsibility, and, though vast sun
of money was rendered, it appears that the Elk
ecutive did not deem it necessary to ask the con
sent or approval of Congress for so large an enter
prise and expenditure
The correspondence is too voluminous for oul
limits, but we give the following synopsis OF it by
the correspondent of the Baltimore Sun:
This is in every respect remarkable document
containing the views of American statesmen on
that important subject, from MIR. Adams and MIR
Clay down to Mr.. Buchanan.
! The universal theme is that the Island is valua-
BILE to the United States-that 1t is an Important
military and naval station-that it would increase
our revenues, give us the command OF the gulf
and-so-forth, and So forth.
1t also appears that all American statesmen of
note agreed on not suffering any European pow
er, save SPAIN to take possession of Cuba, and thai
we have been more or less DESTROYS of acquiring il
by purchase and cession. The last letter on the
subject, by Mr.. Buchanan to Mr.. Saunders, oul
late Minister to Spain, says :-"The fate of this
island must ever be deeply interesting to the peo-
ple of the United States. We are content that it
shall continue colony of SPAIN" Then, expati-
ating on the value of the Island, he says:
desirable, however, as the possession of the
Islands may be to the United States, we could not
acquire it except by the free will of Spain. Any
acquisition not sanctioned by justice and honor
would be too dearly purchased" Mr.. Saunders
it seems offered the Sanish government a certain
price "a hundred millions of dollars believe) fol
It, but in his last letter TO Mr. Buchanan, states
that the minister of foreign affairs, in Madrid. an
swered him most positively, ''that 1t was more
than any minister dare to entertain any such prop
ositon that he believed such to be the feeling Of
the country, that sooner than see the Island trans
ferred to any po,cer, they would prefer seeing il
sunk into the ocean,"
do not learn that Spain has changed her view
on the subiect-on the contrary fresh troops are a.
bout 10 be sent from Spain to reinforce the garrison
of the Island.
In the course of the several conversations be
tween Mr.. Saunders and the Spanish Minister, the
latter stated that the revenue received in Madrid
from Cuba, was 100000. Mr.. Saunders says
the foreign debt of Spain is $40O,000,000, and
her domestic debt $500 900 ,000,and that she sup
ports at home, an army of $4,000 men, in Cuba
one of 10000, and distributes among the colonies
another of $4,000 This Indebtedness, and the
cost of such force, induced him to hope thai
Spain might be led by her financial difficulties, tc
accept his offer; but things had gotten to such a
pitch that all thought of paying principal or inter
est had lung been abandoned. The English were
pressing heavily while the negotiations were going
on. One great stumbling block in the way, MIR
Saunders thought, was tho Queen Mother, gree
DIV, avaracous old woman, who derived conslde-
rable income from Cuba, being large sharehod
er in gas stocks and other companies He proTo-
A Washington letter in the N. Y. Courier
says
The publication of the documents concerning
Cuba, communicated by the State Department &c
the House on its requsition last summer, have
caused no little sensation. The fact that MIR. Polk
had made distinct offer to purchase Cuba for an
immense sum of money has been generally under
stood for five years past In great transaction OF
state the mere amount of money involved does not
usually command much attention; but 1t must be
admitted that the outlay of $l00,O0O,O 900, carry
inc with it an annual addition to the taxes and ex-
penditures of $5,000,000, would be paying most
extravagantly for any advantages which our Gov
eminent could expect to derive from the possession
of Cuba Indeed, the first effect of annnexng Gu
ba to the United States would be to deprive the
Treasury of most important resource In the du-
ties accruing upon the imports of sugar, molasses,
rum and coffee Cuba is valuable to Spain as a
revenue producing province, and so it now is to
us, but when brought into the Union, our Govern
ment must substitute taxes upon other articles or
interests yielding an equal amount. Perhaps, how
ever, the expenses of war which might be occa-
stoned by the attempt TO take possession of the
coveted Island by violent MEANS would much ex-
coed even the large sum now offered.
In reading Mr. Buchanan's despatch one cannot
but reflect upon the quiet and summary manner in
which the Executive under takes to consummate,
upon his own administrative authority, a scheme
fraught with such vast consequences. since the
Senate is, by the Constitution, empowered to adj
wise the making of treaties, as well as to consent
to their ratification, it would have seemed due to
that august body that it should have been consult
ed upon the expediency of making this offer
But it does not appear that that was done.