The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-25

sion of The island, and hold ii American STATE.
an American province
The southern States on the Gulf would never permit
Spain as matter OF revenge in the OF revolution
by the Creoles 10 abolish slavery in that island with
view TO the destruction of the planters They cannot
permit such an example TO be successful Their
shores. The instinct OF sef-preservaton is too strong
This measure threatened during the invasion OF Lo
pez succeed long slavery exists in the
United States; and any attempt oil that Sort either by
SPAN or any other power, will be followed by an mme
aie seizure OF the island, either by this government oI
by the slave States on the Gull OF Mexico There is no
principle OF International law that would require great
government like the United States TO permit itself TO be
thus assaed through small colonial dependency OF an
other and distant power England has been very prompt
10 protect herself from like dangers by once taking pos
session OF the point OF danger Ii Cuba had been ne AZ
her possessions she would have seized II long
since on half the provocation.
On what principle do the British hold Gibraltar, Malta.
and several other strong positions which give them con-
troll over the commerce OF the world Why. they have
assumed them being necessary TO the potecuoh OF
their commerce. Upon this question OF necessity.
the policy OF the government is well settled IT Cuba
should pass from the dominion OF Spain to that OF
any other power The danger be apprehended TO thus
country and It's institutions from the acquisition OF Cuba
by any other power well the intrgues OF England
in relation The subject have been pointed out and made
for more than thirty years These dangers were sug-
gesed by Mr.. Adams while Secretary OF State IN 1922,
in his official dispatches to our minister 10 Madrid In
his despatch to Mr. Forsyth, he says:
much attention. and has become OF deep interest 10 this
Union. From the public DESPATCH and other papers which
will receive with this you will perceive The great and
continued injuries which commerce is suffering from
pirates issuing from thence, the repeated demands made
the exertons bur partially etecua of our own naval force
against them From various sources. intima-
uons have been received here that the British
have II IN contempla obtain possession Of the island
There is reason also TO believe that the future
political condition OF the island is subject of much
anxiety and OF informal deliberations among nhab
ltants that both France and Great Britain have political
agents there observing the of events, and perhaps
endeayoring to give them diff .rent directions"
In his despatch of April, 1879, Mr. Adams again com
ments upon the designs OF England with reference
to the island upon the mpossiblity oil it's inhabitants
an independent government, alleging that
:. their only alternative of dependence must be upon
Great Britain upon the United States" In comment
ing upon the necessity of Cuba to the United States
he says:
and OF this country, the geographical cai, moral
and political relations formed by Nature. gathering pro-
ing forward to the probable of i, the
short space of half century, is scarcely possible re
slst the conviction that the OF Cuba fed
eal republic will be ndis TO the continuance and
Integrity Of the Union itself"
After Mr. Adams elevated to the presidency be
his policy in relation TO Cuba, which
repeated to minister to Spain in 1926
by his Secretary OF State, Mr. Clay In 1927 minis
ter 10 Spain, Mr.. A. H. Everett gave information to the
government OF an effort of England TO revoutonze Cuba
based upon despatch of the Spanish minister at Lon.
don. The Spanish minister admitted to Mr. Everett that
his government had received information of the efforts OF
Eng land Mr. Everett says his despatch of December
II, 1927:
al then mentioned Mr.. Salmon that according
which the government the United States
under the protection of Great Britain but that the form
OF Independence 10 be adopted, in order
the United States would not OF coure be deceived
artice that they could not view with indifference these
movements Of the British government considering IT, as
pass into the possession Of or unde. the o'erioh o.
Enr nnnkye nf thar
Mr. Van Buren, as Secretary of State, in 1929, in his
despatch minister 10 Spain, alluded TO the designs
OF England and France with reference 10 Cuba ana Porto
Rico With reference 10 the Importance OF tue FORMER
to the United States, he said
The government Of the United States has always
looked with the deepest interest the fate Of those Is
lands, but particularly Csba Its geographical position
which places almost sight OF our southern shores and
gives II the command OF The Cult oil Mexico
and the West India seas It's sale and capacions haipof
rich productions exchange Of which f1T our sur
plus agricultural products and manufacures consttute
of the most extensive and valuable branches o. our
foreign nsde render II OF the utmost Importance 10 he
United States that change should take place Ia us con
diton which might innHousy affect onr political ana eon
meIcial standing in that qusre. oher consldefatlons
connected with certain class al our popnlaton make IL
tempt should be made In that island 70 throw OH me YOKE
Spanish pendence, the first effect oil which would be
sudden emancipation of a numerous slave population
the result OF which coud but be very sensby felt
the adj jacent shores OF the United States
Mr. Forsyth Secretary of State, in bis despatch in
ls40 repeated the views Of his predecessors and warned
minister 10 be the lookout against the designs OF
England on Cuba OF which the government had been
advised. Mr. Webster, in his despatch as Secretary OF
State TO our minister to SPAN, says !:
The archives of your legation will show that the
subject OF the supposed designs the island OF Cuba
by the British government is by no means new and you
viii also iud that the apprehension OF such project has
not been unattended 10 by the Spanish government
In January ls43, Mr.. Webster unica,ed TO our
consul at Cuba the contents of communication which
he had received from "hghly respectable source" as
TO renewed designs OF England upon Cuba The writer
kes statements about the designs OF the British min
slry and British abolitonlss, TO bring about evou-
ton in Cuba and erect II into "black military Tepub-
lie under British protection" He remarks, says Mr.
Webster sf this scheme should succeed, the influence o
Britain in this quarter, Is remarked, will be unlimited
With six millions of blacks in Cuba, and eight hundred
thousand in her West India islands, she WILL II said
strike deaih-blow at slavery in the United States. In
uenched Havana and San Antonio posts impregnabe
Gibraltar she will be able 10 close the two entrances io
the Gulf OF Mexico and prevent the free passage o
the commerce OF the United States the Bahama banks
and through the Florida channel" And although Mr.
Webster says the government neither endorses nor re-
ecs these views they are so stated by him as to show
that they made deep impression on bIs own mind
II s apparent from all this correspondence that ls the
settled policy OF the government that Cuba is not TO pass
from Spain without coming under our own jurisdiction
and that the island is not in position TO permit II TO Dc
an independent government without making dangerous
10 our commerce. institutions, and national safety Since
this correspondence, immense Pacific commerce has
arisen which passes within sight OF Cuba
very accom- pllsbed officer OF the navy, Lleutenan
Daxhren, in his report the subject OF touhca'ions
has expressed opinion, which is obviously true, tbat
with all the Notifications place on our coast, WI
with Cuba in the possession Of hostile government In
J.ad Cuba far more than Gibraltar