Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-08

Union from the pers OF tnat Crisis and preserved our
neutrality
But the President has graver objection to entering
into the proposed convention. He has no wish to dis
gse the feeling that the compact although equal in its
terms would be very unequal in substance England and
France by entering into it, would disable themselves
from obtaining possession of island remote from their
seats Of Government belonging another European Pow
err whose natural right to possess it must always be
good as their owns distant island in another hemisphere
and one which, by ordinary peaceful course Of things
could belong to either Of them 1.-THE present balance
ofpower in Europe should be broken up Spain should be-
come unable maintain the island in her possession and
England and France should be engaged in death
gle with each other Cuba might then be the prize Of the
victor Til these events all take place. the President
does how Cuba belong to any European Pow
er but Spain,
The United States, on the other hand would by the
proposed convention disable themselves from making
acquisition which might take place without any disturb
OF existing foreign relations, and in the natural
der of things The Island of Cuba lies at our doors. 1t
commands the approach to the Gulf Of Mexico, which
washes the shores of FIVE of States It bars the
of that great river Rhch drains half the North Anne
can continent and with its tributaries forms the largest
system of internal water communication nthe world 1t
keeps watch at the of our intercourse with Cali
fornia by the Isthmus If island like Cuba be-
longing the Spanish crown guarded the entrance Of
the Thames and the Seine and the United States should
propose convention like this to England and France,
those Powers would assuredy feel that thu disability
umed by ourselves far less serious hn that which
we asked them to
The opinions of American statesmen, OF different times
and under varying circumstances have Uttered the
desrabeness Of the acquisition Of Cuba by the United
States Territorialy and commercially it would in
hands be extremely valuable possession Under GER
tain contingencies it might be amos essential to our
safety STILL for domestic reasons, on which, in COM
muncaton of this kind it mghtnot be proper to dwell
the President thinks that the incorporation of the island
into the Union at the present time although effected with
the Of Spain would be hazardous and
lie would consider its acquisition by force except in
Just with Spain, Should ecnt greatly to be de-
precated take pace,) disgrfe to the civilization of
the age
The President has given ample proof of the sincerity
with which he holds these views He has thrown the
whole force of his constitutional pwer against all illegal
attacks upon the island 1t wouh have been perfectly
easy for him, without any seeming neglect of duty, to
allow projects of formidable char gather strength
by connivance. No amount of oblauy at home,
barrassments caused by the ndscrons Of the Colonial
Government of Cuba have moved him from the path of
duty in this respect The Captainden of that island
officer apparently of upright and conciliaory charac
ter, but probably used to military command than
the management of civil affairs has IN punctio in
ference the purser of private steamship who seems
have been entirely innocent of the laid to his
CHARGE refused allow passengers d the mails of the
United States to be landed from vessel having him
board This certainly is very extraordinary mode of
animadverng upon supposed abust of the liberty OF
the press by the subject of foreign Government in his
native country The Captain-General Is permitted
by his Government three thousand mills off hold any
intercourse with the Unite States. He is
subject in degree the direction Of the Spanish Minis
at Washington and the President has to choose be-
tween resort force to compel the abandonment Of
this gratuous interruption of commercial intercourse
(which would result in war; and delay OF weeks and
months necessary for negotiation with Madrid with all
the chances Of the most deporabe occurrences in the in
terva and all for trihe that ought to have admitted
settlement BY an exchange Of between Washington
and the Havana The President however has patiently
submitted to these evils and has continued faithfully to
give to Cuba the advantage those principles ofhe pub
lie law under the shelter Of which she has departed in
this case rom the county Of nations But the incidents
to which aule and which still in train are among
many others which point decisvey to the expedncy Of
some change in the relations Of Cuba and the President
thinks that the influence Of England and France with
Spain would be well employed in inducing her 50 to
modify the administration of the government Of Cuba as
to afford the of prompt remedy for evils Of
the kind alluded TO- which have done much TO increase
the spirit Of unlawful enterprise against the island
That "a convention such as is proposed would be q
arrangement to be swept away by the
irresistible tide of affairs in country is, TO the ap
prehenon of the President too obvious to require la
bored argument. The project rests on principles app
cable if all Europe, where international relations
in their basis Of great antiquity slowly modified for
the part in the progress Of time and events and not
applicable to America which, but lately waste Is filing
up with intense rapdy, and adjusting on natural prin
cpes those territorial relations which, the first dis
coyery Of the continent were in q good degree for
tuitous.
The comparative history Of Europe and America, even
for single century, shows this In 1852, England,
France and Spain we're not materially derept in their
political position in Europe from what they now are
They ancient, mature consolidated States, estab
shed in their relations with each other and the rest Of
the worldthe leading Powers Of Western and Southern
Europe Totally different was the state Of things in
America. The United States had existence as peo
pie. A line Of English colonies not numbering much
million Of inhabitants, stretched along the coast
France extended from the Bay Of St. Lawrence to the Gulf
Of Mexico, and from the Aleghanes 10 the Mississippi
beyond which, westward the continent was wilderness
occupied BY wandering savages and subject to conflict
ing and nominal claim the part Of France and Spain
Every thing in Europe comparatively fixed; every
thing in America PROVISIONAL incipent, and temporary
except the law Of progress which is organic and vital
in the youth Of States Of individual struggle
between the provincial authorities Of England and France
for the possession Of petty stockade Mt the confluence Of