Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-10-10

TX,
truth.
In order 10 establish for France and England an
equal interest with the United States IN The condl-
ton Of Cuba, you say: Great Britain is IN posses
sion by treaty of the Island of Trinidad, which, IN
the last century, was a colony of Spain. France
was in possession at the commencement of this
century of Louisiana by voluntary ceSSlon oil
Snain.'' II is true that Span was compelled by
France to cede Trinidad 10 Great Britain by the
treaty of Amiens. II, while this cesslon was IN
agitation any other neutral power, ut there was
any other,) had exerted themselves TO defeat it,,
and had invited you and France to bind yourselves
by perpetual compact never to acquire IL the m
ference, apprehend, would have been regarded
as worse than gtatuitous. cannot see why we
have not as good right to obtain, IT we can' from
Spain, the voluntary cession of Cuba, as you had
TO accept the compulsory cesson of lTlnidad' Nhlch
is by position and strength the Cuba oil the sou IN
eastern Antilles. 80 rs
France was, as you say, atthe Beg , o. Inns
tary cession Of Spain. This nnssss.;n however,
(nominal at best) did not = i IVS .;,1 en-
months after France had sold Tonis;ona to the Tini
ted States for eighty MILL joS co.. on5 Il Iost
cd only from the SOth of November to the both Of
G ne Object of France in acquir-
interior of this county; nm b;st n need NOT saw
us menaclng TO your North American possessions
as to the United States. Is il noss;bie Won can
Ill.LLk suCh ,possesSion of Louisiana for such
FutPoSN su"tS.Sht SIound on the part of France
Tor interfering with our relations with Cuba? Nav
she, European power, without consnIting ms. oh
saiI Io opaln In 1900, cession of hnlf the hab-
taOie portlon of North America-a cession which
tnrew her lor fifteen hundred miles on our western
and mol only shut out from the Pacific,
out eh@blsd her to close the Mississippi; and 1t is
SO Very unreasonable in us to decline her invita-
Ioh TO bind ourselves for all time, not to accept
the ceSsion of an island which lies within thirty
nse leagues of our const2 Does she even derive
her night thus to control our relations with Cuba
IN 1858 from her twenty days possession of Louis
lana IN lS03s What can be clearer than that,
whateyer right accrued to her from that three
weeks possession, (Which was mere ceremonial
aaIr to give form to the transfer of the Province
10 the United Stntes,) must have passed TO us by
that transfer, followed by our actual possession
and occupation for half century?
You observe that "Lord Malmesbury and NJ.
Iurgot put forward as a reason for entering into
the proposed compact, the attacks which had been
made on the Island of Cuba by lawleSs bands Of
adVenturers from the United States. and with the
design OF taking possession Of that Island"
and TO this reaSon-you add-''Mr. Everett replies
in these terms:" "The President is convinced that
The conclusion of such treaty, instead Of putting
stop 20 these lawleSS proceedings, would give a
new and powerful impulse TO them" and this ar
gument you call "not only unfounded, but disqui-
eting.''s -,z ~ 5...e-sa-r - 81
Alter acknowledging, rather colby, think, the
conduct OF the late President in disnvowing and
ulSSOuNdBlIS lH6 enterprises TeleIteu TO-
you reproachfuly pronounce my remark just cited
ga melancholy avowal for the Grief of free
State; and you seem TO intimate, without express
ly saying so, that it implies, the part Of the peo
pie of the United States, an inyensblity "to the
value oil the eternal laws of right and wrong, OF
peace and friendship, and of duty to neighbor,
which ought to guide every Christian nation."-
You also take occasion, in reference to the same
/ remark, to impress upon the people of the United
States 'fthe utility of these rules for the obServ
nj NAL oh
Ties have been known to Europe by the name of the
law OF nations. Among the commentators on that
law (you continue) some of the most distinguished
American citizens have earned an envisble reputa-
lion, and it is difficult to suppose the United States
would set the example of abrogating its most sa-
cred PROVISIONS"
suppose no one in Europe or America will
think the intended force of this rebuke mitiguted
| by the diplomatic reservation contained in the
last olines. Let us then inquire for moment
lift is well deserved.
The expeditions to which YOU allude as calcu-
lated to excite the reprobation of every civilized
State,'' were fiScontenanced by the President, in
every constitutional and legal way. The utmost
yfglance was at all times employed; but, Unhap-
PLY for the adventures themselves, without eff
feet In this there is matter neither for wonder
nor reproach. The territory of the United States
is but little less than the whole of Europei while
their population is not quite equal to that OF the
United Kingdom, and their standing military force
small, and scattered over an extensive ltonter.
Our Government, like that Of Engln"d, is one of
law; and there is great similarity between the
laws of the two countries which prohibit military
expeditions against the possessions of friendly
Powers. In fact, your foreign enlistmentact Of
1919 was admitted by Mr.. Canning TO have
I been founded, in part, on our neutrality law OF
the preceding year. OF the two, l believe our
laws are the more stringent; bu: 1t is somewhat
difficult to enforce them in both counties.
These expeditions, got up in the United States
by a Spanish general, and supposed to Indicate a
lawieSs disposition on the part OF the American
people, comprised very small number oil per-
sons, some OF whom were foreigners, enjoying the
same freedom of action in the United States that
refugees from every part of the continent enjoy in
England The same Ieproach which is cast up
on us, for these expeditions IS, at this moment,
cast upon Egland by the continental powers
Events which have occurred in London, since your
dispatch was written, Strikingly illustrate the Diff
ficulty and the risk under constitutional govern
ments, Of preventing abuses of that hospitality,
which it is the privilege and boast of such gov
ernmentS to extend to all who seek it.
There is no doubt widely prevalent in this
country, feeling that the people of Cuba are
Justly GsalTected 10 the Government of Spain.. A
recent impartial French traveller, NJ Ampere,
confirms this impression. All the ordinary polit-
zeal rights enjoyed in free countries denied to
the people of that Island. The Government is
in principle, the worst form of despotism, viz: alb
Solute authority delegated to military viceroy,
and supp Ited by an army from abroad. speak
oil the nature tune GOVeInLleHlI anu HOL Vi Ine
InviduaS by whom it IS administered; for have
formed a very favorable opinion of the personal
character Off the present Captain General, as of
one or two of his predecessors. OF the bad faith,
and the utter disregard of treaties with which this
bad Government is administered, your Commit
tees on the Slave trade have spoken plainly
enough at the late session Of Parliament. Such
being the state Of things in Cuba, it does not
10 me very extraordinary reproachful, thai,
throughout the United States, handful of mis-
guided young men should be foundy.ready to join
party of foreigners, headed by a Spanish General,
who was able to persuade them, not as you view
it, ''by armed invasion TO excite the obedent 10
revolt, and the tranquil to disturbance" but, as
they were led 10 believe 10 aid an oppressed poo
pie in their struggles for. freedom. There is no
reason TO doubt that there are, at this moment,
many persons, ,oreigners as well as natives, in
England, who entertain these feelings and opin-
ions as in the United States; and if Great Britain
laYat a distance of one hundred and ten miles
from Cuba, instead of thlrty-fv hundred you