The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-24
THlRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
THURSDAY. December %, 1882
SENATE.

Messrs. CAsS and BORLAND supported the
motion, and argued that the adjournment over of
n fe" days IN each week expedited rather than do.
layed business, by allowing committees TO mature
The measures necessary for Legislation,
- he MOTION was agreed to,
FoREI0N RELArioss-UUBA
Mr., MASON submitted the following resolution
RFsnirsd, That the President OF the United Sta ties
communicate To the Senate, if in his opinion not
lntonpAuhV with the public interest copies OF tb :
""aiciAl uVtcs received from the Ministers cf
rraWr ann England inviting the Government OF
the ni'Si States Ia become u party with Great
Btlt"ln an1 F'anCc a. Hiparute Conventiur, n
virtue 81 winch iho three powers should generally
and collectively 0isclaim, now and for the future.
all IntcntlNn TO obtain possessron OF the Island OF
Cuba. and should lind Themselves to discounte-
nance all attempts 81 that effect the part OF every
power or Individual whatever" And OF the reply
thereto on tho part Of this Governnent referred to
IN hls s"uual message TO the two houses OF Con.
gress or the 9th instant.
Or. MASON. Mr.. President, the suh;ect in re-.
gard 10 nc this resolution calls for nfUrma ton
10 Ight To our notice in tue annual message Of
the President 10 both houses of Congress, al the
commencement OF this session. The Precedent
o'lngs ~ our notice the invitation which was re
"sIved from the Ministers oi England and France
The language OF the message In regard to that
need nui read, but will read the sentence which
!o'oSf: This invitation has been respectfully de.
'Ened, for reasons which it would upy too IN uc
space in this communication TO state in detail. but
which led Ine TO think that the proposed aaur.
would be Of doubtful Constitutionahty. ImpCli,ic
and unaveiling."
s. much OF the message which mas reference I.
me snhlect !: purely pagaiye fSsn tese Of
paragraph. however, expresses the iudgmep; o
the President upon the subj ect matter, and I viii
read it,:
81 have, however, in Common with several of n, :
PRED s'ors' directed the Ministers of France aud
hhg'hnu to te assured that the United Stutes en-.
tertaln no designs against Cuba; but that, on Ia.
eoh'a'y' should regard its incorporat into
me on'op at tie present time as frsught with
serious Terii "
Mr.. President, if any further evidence were he
cess.ry 10 satisfy this country that the eyes Of III.
two great maritime and commercial power. o.
Europe have been directed, with increasing inter
est 70 the relation borne by the continent Of North
America to the lsland Of Cuba, it would be turn.
ished by he TACT disclosed in the ye to which
this resolution refers The relation which the
Island OF Cuba geographically bears to this coun
try 10 ouch, that almost ever since we became
nat!on II has been looked upon with tic deep.
est lntc'est by all our satesmen. The Island
81 Cuba !les in the gateway Of the Gulf OF
mexico; and oil our statesmen, OF every political
coinpicxiCn, from the foundation of the Govern
ment To this day, were admonished thereby tina,
The vigilance OF this country must never DO relax
IN regard TO the political condition Of that Island.
but there is something more, which apprche II 4
has led these two great European powers to MAKE
I" tia country It proposition which they knew
~hent they made il would be declined. They knew
that eli; because tie whole history Of the political
ancc OF such an invitation; but they have made i,
WIN this know ledge, and informed by H..
Presidtnt that il has been declined
SIR The rcasons for making il, apprchcud are
not too da'c 10 be open 20 the search of those who
arrronVc-san with past history II has been the es
tah!ish"d policy thu country, made known in the
'hCst prcn, frank, and undisguised manner to all
tef iOwcTa OF Europe that Will. the lola I'd of Cuba
remained province, dependency Of Spain, y e
ehouId IcVtr interfere with it but that. il ever any
a'noi'toua or erasEing potcntate should attempt,
'iN+r ny ta?lne Or 10y treaty, 10 take the Island
- CuUa from the possession Of Spain, il would be-
c"Lc this country, cost what il might, to interpose
Ard to Wey"nt -. Every cOGu;ryin Europe knows
shat Whct, then, hIs led TO this inyitati oip,I,
ee1'eHd"I BY the tw" great, ro"eriui maritime nc
tnns of Europe France md En- lahd-at this time?
Mr.. Precid' n, can trace il 10 but enc cause; a
De ic On the part OF thee governments that there
Is a tendency in the popular mind in this country
on Iniinaton,
avn he:c tree 10 mountaineering as | DO
sccii"u o. tha cvuntry,l appr, bend, as Deeply in
trested IT. the future relations ot Cuba to th8 con
Nnent Is GTy Other in my VIacc, az n Sera,o,
''ch the South, And upon my rcsponsltG!Ity n, n
s'at"sMmn of hnerico, that am content that Cu IA
sE"! rei"sin in VIC posees-ou II Spain, unless /,
can hr acquired from her by voluntary ce.sion ON
her part, or unless the people Of Cuba hy their
o"i' "c', -hsl rcvcr the political conncxlon with
yer European mother, ana voluntarily propuce an.
t.'1utU on.
sir. The honor, the dignity, the good name of
AMERICA r all time 10 GONE u ma nds at he ia nds
ui the Ann ne an people, not only shat they should
not symphthIze with nor encourage, but that they
should 'udl@non,iy fro~n upon and suppress any
h"'fp's, W ,ioleuce in arY form, D. Wrest from,
ep'h auy cotton ( her la wtul posse ssions v ne.
tier II b" stimulated ty political ambition or by q
. !lt OF speculative iEarnuding On the part Of
those who engage in il.
Ihe pGilCy o. TING country, Us | have saia hns
o'en ai.!.ouhCcd to all Europe. Spain il weak
po~"r and II Is fortunate for US and for our p.,ce
'ni e Ia" ne with he coDnent OF Europe she is 20
Cubi lie her property ho fully, exclusively, and
eh'itciy her property, as Oregon or New Ole xico
- "uro, and any attempt, whether made by in
div dunIs III vio!stIon Oi the awe Of their c,un
tty or made by the Government in its pc II
TIC capacity, ~ disneInDeT Cuba from SDan
would larnlsh, forever iaruish, our natiu,,i
iA'i". SO, ! know Of safrr guaran,r.
"a our own national righ,s, and the riehi4
OF the States in their sovereign cauncity than Il
"h'ifm ara sciupu!ous rcgtTi 10 the right
OF others. Bat, Mr.. hesirnt, the invitation thus
gwen by thos" two powcrs acting iDntiy prone.
ing on tf!r part trPati:c nion ui the Ii nee
governments II dlsC lam NV and forever h",,at
ter any pu'prie .! SECURING Cuba hy any In%ru,
Imports more enlarged meaning than Its Ism
guhgc would convey. should read its lncari1,y
thds: frahcc and England believe Mat the Doe,
session OF CIha hy the United States would b,
lrauRft with onsrqAenCcs injurious to them md
tn't"''c they give us 10 understard BY this form
OF coHHuni'aton that they are III league TO ore.
F'h' ~, Nov slr, treating II thus, have this 80
~: We have ale ady indicated our policy To- lie
uba alone; and secondly to regard the glts Of
- am, We knO" that in the lulrcs5 of tnIo the
~, n'' VIII r'Icn and iaiI from tue parent stem
Nh'n "at U1.e shall come ia political condition
WIZ 'nis c'ni!nc"t IL In'vnab!r. lnteriercGco by
other na"In may haslen tnie event, Tut the com.
oincd Powera OF Europe cantOt prevent
iHlS' ar ia luii' and thn& an ineligible r.
ply to a"y queGtun Of European iutcrf.Ttuc, with
tie i"Ini, al condition ui Cuba.
Or, "h) IN DOUBT Tut that IL" acqui,lti9n o. !
uJ" ~ the United States, ID ga alton OF time
-'Iy purely QUESTION # time. In the progr,gs !
81 1 g. ~ tlIi Tffiaf rF