The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-08
MR.. EvERErT'S LETTER TO MR
CHAMPION.

nate, the President has sent IN The correspoh
dence between the American government, ano
the Ministers Of England and France reta"'e
TO the proposed tripaitite treaty for the p'esei-
walton Of Cuba to Spain, and portion OF 1t Is
published in the National lnteliigencer. Ii
commenced with Mr.. Webster, and was termi-
mated by Mr.. Everett, whose letter Is dated
December first.
MIR. Everett saws that the President concurs
with his predecessors, who could not see, with
Indifference, the Island of Cuba fall into the
hsnds of any European power, thong h not from
any dissatisfaction at the increase of territory
thereby made, for France, within twenty years,
ACQUIRED vast domain in the North of Africa,
and England, in the same time, has added
greatly TO her territories, without creating any
sensation in the United States. But the case
is different with regard to Cuba, the possession
of which, by any European power, would in
;erfere with international relations and create
Just alarm here, v it'll regard II the intentions
of such power, in this country, where 1t would
be viewed in the same light that the acquisition
OF an important island in the Mediterranean
WUutU Dc III VI nv P'NPo"~0
convention proceeds on the principle that we
had no more interest in the decision Of the
question than France or England: supposl-
ton altogether unsupported by the facts OF the
case. The President declines the alliance for
several reasons. LIST. The treaty would as
sursdly be rejected by the Senate. I'd This
government, warneI by Washington and JET
ferson, has always been scrupulously careful
in forming alliances. That formed witr France
in 1878 was the cause of very nearly dragging
us into the wars the French Revolution TWEEN
~ years after, and did, in fact, create war
with the French Republic. Sd. The alliance
would be altogether unequal. England and
France would bind themselves not 10 take pos
session of remote Island, whereas, the United
States would bind themselves never to take
possession of an island directly at their door,
eyen,though Spain should lose itby the chances
of war, OF though she might be willing to sell
il, or thought it might be taken in open wurfare
with her by this country.
The position Of Cuba is such, that it CON-
mands the approach to the Gulf Of Mexico, by
which FIVE Of our States are washed; bars The
entrance of The Mississippi, which, with its
tributaries, affords the most extensive system
of internal water communication in the world,
and keeps watch at the doorway OF our com
inunication with California by the Isihmus.-
If an island like Cuba, belonging to the
crown of Spain, guarded the entrance OF the
Thames and tue Seine, and the United States
should propose convention like this TO Eng
-lsss ,ssut t9nr ursabInty assumed by ourselves
was far less serious than that which we asked
them to assume" The President has thrown
the whole force of his constitutional power
against the illegal attempts TO seize Cuba,
while il would have been easy for him,
by neglect, to elbow these attempts to have
become extremely formidable, and this he has
done in spite of obloquy at home, and difficult
tie thrown in The way by Cub1 herself The
Captain General is allowed TO hold no diplo
matte intercourse himself, and is not subject to
the direction Of the Spanish Minister. The
extreme Inconvenience of this arrangement was
severely felt on late occasion, and the Presi.
dent proposes that France and England shall
exert their influence to have it altered
The proposed conventions rests on principles
applicable to Europe alone, where information.
al relations are of great antiquity in their
bases, slowly modified by time and events. 1t
is not applicable to America, which was late
Iy wilderness. and is now filling up with in. |
tense rapidly, and adjusting, on natural prin-
ciples, those territorial relations, which, on
the first discovery Of the continent were, in
great degree, fortuitous. The history of Eu-
rope nd America, for the last century, proves
this. France, England and Spain, hold pretty |
much 1.-THE same reluive positions now that
they did in 1852, but how different is the case |
with America. Mr.. E. 'akes a rapid glance |
at the history Of the latter continent, in that |
time-its mighty changes, and the unesualled |
Developments Of this country. He asks if it |
10 possible that Europe can behold il with jea |
lousy. and farther, what would have be |
come of the starving millions of the latter. |
but for the outlet afforded them by US? He |
contends that il would be far better for Spain |
herself that Cuba, which she employs 10000 |
troops and spends $12OOO,OOO annually to keep
IN subsection, should belong to US, since the
trade she would be sure to have with her
would, as 10 the case of Gres Britain with re :,
gard TO us, repay her ten fold for her loss O 8
territory. As long as she is in possession of
Cuba, 1t will be impossible to put down the |
African slave trade. American progress could |
be no more impeded by such convention as |
this, than the flow Of the Gulf stream could be |
stopped by throwing a dam from Cape Flori |
da to Cuba. Twenty years hence, neither
France nor England will wish Spain TO retain
Cuba.
The.leiter of MIR. Everett represents the Pre-
sident as strongly opposed to the acquisition
of Cuba on any terms, but he thinks that such
a convention as this would en- ourage, instead
ofprcventing, uala wful enterprises. No admin.
istration Of rhis government could stand 6ay,
under the odum of having stipulated with the
great powers Of Europe, that in no future
time, under no change of circumstances, by
no amicale arrangement with Spain, by no act
oi war, should that calamity unfortunately &C. |
eur, by no consent Of the inhabitants of the |
island should they, like the possessions OF |
Spain on the American continent, succeed in |
rendering themselves independent, in fine, ty