Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-01
THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA.

The Speeches made in the Senate on Thursday
week upon resolution to call upon the Executive
for copies of the papers in relation to the PROPOSE
ton made to the United States by the Governments
of Great Britain and France to enter into Trpar-
lite Treaty for the safeguard to Spain of the Island
of Cuba, cannot have failed to attract the attention
of our readers, and of intelligent men all over the
country.
Considering the position of the leader in that de-
bate, (Mr. Senator MASON, of Virginia, and chair
man Of the Committee on Foreign Relations,) the
emphatic language employed by him on this occa-
sion is honorable not to him only but to his State
and to our common country. We do not agree
with him, as our readers know, in his anticipation
of benefits to accrue to the United States from the
acquisition OF Cuba, on terms no matter how fair
or how equitable as between this country and the
present owner of that Island We concur, on the
contrary, in the sentiment Of the PREsDENT;who
cannot perceive any advantage to arise to the United
States from the possession Of that territory which
is not outweighed by prospective evils But we
must be allowed to offer our thanks to the honor
able Senator, who, representing truly, we believe,
the sentiment of his great State, pronounced dec
sive condemnation of Flibusterism in general, and
its false logic and pretences in the following pas
sage Of his speech
9Tne honor, the dignity, the good name Of Anne
RIGA for all time to come demand at the hands of
{ the American people, not only that they should
not sympathize with or encourage, but that they
SHOULD Indignantly frown upon and suppress any
b,, in fo from
Spain any part of her possessions they
be stimulated by political ambition or by spirit
of speculative marauding on the part of those who
engage in il"
Nobly done, Mr.. MASON
Nor are the thanks of the country less due to the
venerable Senator from Michigan, General CAss,)
for his grave rebuke of the folies and extrayagan-
ces of those among us who seek to avail themselves
of the ghtest fumes of popular sensibility to fan
into fame notions conquest subjugation, and an
nexation, upon every incidental misunderstanding
which occurs in either our commercial or politica
intercourse with foreign Powers. We do not en-
tirely agree with Gen. CAss, any more than with
the Senator from Virginia, in his views Of the poll
cy of extending the dominions of the United States
or of acquiring, even amcably, the Island of Cuba
But we do admire the truly national and patriotic
spirit which runs through his Speech, and soften.
things in it which we cannot wholly digest In tn,
explanation with which he accompanies it, the doc
trine of "Manifest Destiny" even, becomes les
revolving in our apprehension Of it.
With regard to the dominions of the United
States, are they not already wide enough? And
as to acquiring Cuba in any way, the judgment ut
tered from the tomb by the spirit of the great
Statesman of the Soutn does it not ring in ears
"CUBA is TO US FORBIDDEN FRUITW
Our object is not, however, to enter into dis
cusson of this question, but to direct the attention
of our readers to the preceding columns in whicl
they viii find mastery argument from under tn
Editorial head of paper (the Charleston Mercury
to National questions, but has walked up from it
long repose, Con such questions) and discussed TIM
Cuban question in manner and spirit to show how
much talent as well as common sense it has long
suffered to lie comparatively idle.