The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-09-10

tnparIte treaty for the protection Of Cuba 1t
Is followed by an interesting nots from Mr.
Champion to Lord Clarendon
Lord John RusseHI 10 Mr. Cr1rpton.
Foreign Office. Feb. 10, 1853.
Sir: Lord Mhmesbury received, Just before
leayii Office. the no,e addressed to you br Nr.
Everett, aud left it for the cpnsdcraiion Of his
Successor.
n The absence from London Of The smbassadoS OF
France hns hitherto prevented that communca.
i''n brtwten the t~U governments which the
circumstances Of the proposal made jointly re.
qrned
have now to INFORM you Of the view which
her Mag.siy government take 0! Mr.. Eyerett's
tsj y ~ car overture.
f,fs doubtless perfectly within the competence
of the American government to'reject the pro
rosal that was made b, Lnrd MsImcsbury and
NJ. Tig", in reference to- Cuba. Each govern
n,nt viii then remain as free as it was before
to take that course winch lis sense o! duty, and n
rtgafd fur the interest Of It's people, may pre-.
stIIte.
! shnuld have satisfied my Obligations as Sec
retary 81 State by this Obvious remark. had not
Mr. Everett entered at large into arguments
WHICH the simple nature Of the question before
hn hardly reeuled to require
The governmental Of Great Britain ana France
when they made this proposal to lhat Of the Unit.
cd States. were fully aware o( the growth Of
power aud extension Of territory which have
marked the progress ~ the United States since
the period of their independence. Tn, ab.orp
ti"u 0r annexation uf Louisiana in 1903 Of Flor
ida III 1912, of Iczas IN ls54, and Of California
IN 1913, bad not escaped them still less did
, they require 10 be reminded Of the events Of Tive
seven wears war or Uf the MEXICAN war.
! 1t occurs 10 her M,jesty. government, there.
! fore. TO AK f"r "hat purpose are those aiKu.
menls introduced with 30 much preparation, and
urged with 20 IN Icb ability
II would appear thar the purpose. not fully
vowed but hardly concealed. l. to procure the
adm 's-'on ofa doctrine that the United States
have IN inierrst m Cuba to which Great Brit
AIN and France cannot pretend. In order 70
meet this treter-Ion. 1t ts Decessory to set forth
the character ofthc two powers who made the
FIR N question. and the nstnre of that ofcr
Mr. Everett debates, IN the outset Of HE despatch
| that Nh. Umleh y atr- would net see with III
difference the I-lund Il Cuba fall into the pos
=, -.ion Of any other European government than
Spar ,<s
The two rower. most likely to possess item
solver of Cuba and most fore ldsble to The Unit
ed s,sts. ar. "a .at Britain and France.
Great Britain /. in pn.s,s,ian by treaty, OF thr
island of Trinidad WIN ia in the last century was
.
a colony Of SPAN: France was IN pnSsesSon at
the commencement o(thi, century, oi Louisiana
by voluntary cession from Spas ihe'e Two
powers, by their naval resources, a,e IN iact ihe
ouy powers who could be rivals with Tue Uh't
ed States tir the possession of Cubi wen
these tSo powers are ready voluntarily to dr,
clare, scvcraly aud collectively that they vi"
not obtain or maintain for themselves, aud ex-
elusive cuntiol ovet the said I'll nd OF Cuha) upr
assume nor exercise any dOEl nlon over the
SAME
Thus, If the object Of the Uhted States were
Ia bar the acquisition Of Cuba by any European
sta'. thl- Convention would srcure that object,
But II II Is Intended, on the prt Ok the United
Siates, to maintain that Great Brtian and France
have no interest IN tho maintenance Of the pres
eut MotHs quo in Cuba, and that .hc United
States have alone u right to a voice 10 that
matter, her Majesty. government at once refuse
to admi, such claim Her Majrstys po.s-ss.ou,
in the West Indies alone without us',ilpg on the
importance to Mexico aud other friendly states
Of the present di'tributon Of power, give her
Majesty ar iuteres; IN this question which she
cannot f1rcgo.
The possession, oE France in the American seas
give a similar interest to France, which no doubt
will be put forward bv her government Nor Is
tins right at all nvaiiIated by the Argument of
Nj. Everett, that CuOa IL 10 the United States as
a. island of he mouth Of the Thames or the
Seine would he to EnslaFd or France,
The distance ofCub, from ths nearest part Of
the territory ol the Uni,ed States. viz, from the
southermo-t part of Florida, is 10 miles.
An island at an equal distance from the mouth
"f the Thames would I've placed about ten miles
north Uf Antwerp in Belgium; while an island
NJ the same distance from Jamaica would be
n Cpt NJ in rul la
Thus there are no grounds for saying that the
poses ion Of Cuba by Great Britain or France
would be- nienacing to the United States, but
that It's possession by the United States would
not he 80 to Great Britain.
There is one argument Of the United State,
Secretary of State which appears to her Majesty's
government not only uuiounGed, but GisQpiet.
ing
Lord Iampsbury and NJ de Turgot put for.
ward ns reason for entering into the proposed
COMPACT the attacks which have lately been
made on the island " Cuba by ldwless bands Of
adv"nturrrs from the United States, and with
the av"~rj design ~ taking possession Of that
island 10 this reason Mr. Everett replies IN
these terms: The President is convinced that
the conclusion Of such treaty instead ofputting
stop To these lawess pruceedlngs would give
\ new aud powerful impulse to them
The government If great Britan acknowledges
with respect the conduct Of the President in dis.
ivowlng aud discouragetng the lawless attempts
here referred To. phe character of those attempt
indeed wa' such "A To execute the reproba lion
of every civilized state. The spectacle of bands
Of men collected together in reckless disregard of
treaties, for the purpose Of making from the
ports Of the United States n piratical attack on
the territory ofa power IN amIty with their own
state; and when there. eniesvorng by armed
invasion to excite the obedient to revolt and the
tranquil to disturbance. was a sight shocking, no
doubt, To The just and honest principles ct the
President
But thu statement made By the President, that
convention duly signed and legally ratified. en-.
gagIng to respect the present state Of possession
in all future time. would but excl these band.
OF pirates to more vmeent breaches of all the
laws # honesty and good ishborhood. i. a mel.
anchoy avowal for the chief of great state
Without d'sPutlng it. TRUTH her Majesty gov.
eminent NAV express hope that this state Of
things Will not endure and tha, the citizens OF the
United States. while they justly boast Of their
institutions, will not he insensibe to the value Of
these eternal laws sfright and wrong, Of peace
and friendship, anda of duty to our neighbors
which ought to guide every Christian ration.
Nor can people so enlightened fail to per
ceive the utility Of those rules for the observance
OF international relations which for centuries have
been known TO Europe by the name Of the law
of Raions. Among the commentators On that
law, some Of the most distinguished American
citizens have earned an enviable reputation and