The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-06

| France is unusually important at this time.
The recent publication of the correspondence
between our Executive and the Spanish Minis
try has excited deep and pervading interest
throughout the country.
And. sir, here take pleasure in indicating
the President against the assaults made upon
him by soue presses of the South, for publish
| ing this correspondence With its publication
he had no concern whatever. We, sir, by res
olution, called for the correspondence. AS the
Representatives of the sovereign people, we had
a right to it. He had no right to withhold it.
As he was bound by his oath and by the Con-
stitution, he sent il to us. We ordered it print
ed. The people bad a right to see and under
stand what their servants were doing on this
as well as on all other subjects
This correspondence is highly important. 1t
shows to the country and to the civilized world,
that for thirty years the Executive has exerted
our national inheuce TO maintain slavery in
| Cuba, in order that the institution may be
rendered more secure in the United States.
This policy stands out in bold relief; it per-
vades the whole correspondence, and was also
Incorporated into the instructions of our Com
missioners to the Congress of Panama, although
those instructions are not embraced in the
|
Both Wing and Democratic Administra-
tons have adopted this policy and although
have but little time to read extracts from this
correspondence, will give one from the letter
of MIR. Webster, Secretary of State, marked
T." Private and Confidential" to our Consul al
Havana, dated January IA, 1s43, in which the
author refers to reported intentions of British
Aboltionists and the British Ministry to aid
in the abolition of slavery, and in the establish
ment of an independent Government in Cuba
he says: "If this scheme should succeed, the
influence Of Britain in this quarter it is re.
marked, will be unlimited With six hundred
thousands blacks in Cuba, and eight hundred
thousand in her West India Islands, she tciH lit
is said) strike blOg at the existence of slaver1
IN the United States" These sir, are the words
of man who opposed all expression, by this
Government, of sympathy with oppressed Hun
gary; who was 20 strongly opposed to all in
terventiOn with the affairs of other Govern
ments in favor of liberty.
We, sir, hold our own institutions by the
| right of revolution, which he so severely con-
demned. He appears to have been shocked at
the idea that liberty should be enjoyed in Cuba,
and avowed himself willing to prostitute the
naval and military power of the United States
to uphold system of oppression in that Island,
which consigns to premature graves one tenth
part of its whole slave population annually
system by which eighty thousand human VIC
tins are said to be sacrificed every year to
Spanish barbarity and Spanish cupidity Sir,
at this moment the Senate are enga ged in eulo-
giving the statesman who has himself erected
this monument to perpetuate his own disgrace.
They, sir, are endeavoring to ialsify the truth
OF history; to cover up those stains upon his
character which no time can erase, and no eff
fort of friends can purify. They can never
separate his memory from the great errors of
his lite Sir,it is right and proper that the
evil deeds of public men should be remember
ed, that posterity may avoid their crimes, and
duly estimate their moral and political worth.
Yet, SIR, we were told during the recent can
vass, that unless we voted for the Wing cand-
date, if we permitted the Democratic candidate
to be elected, Cuba would be annexed and s'o
very extended and strengthened in the United
States. FEASIBILITY was 9i.en to this argu-
m"iRr>-, . certain distinguished Senator from
the West, who travelled somewhat extensively,
making speeches in favor of Cuban annexation
and fllibustering expeditions to that Island. I
desire to say, very distinctly that in my opinion,
eh"' SOheiohh~u run OtJOfe ne lCuS& Ut.' he dp-
peared anxious to obtain Southern favor, by
making himself the advocate of what he deem
ed Southern measures. | think if he had
waited a few months, and consulted the sober
rejecting statesmen of the South, they would
have told him to remain quiet But he hast
ened to acquire Southern favor, and, like some
who have gone before him, he will find hereaf-
ter that he has run his bark upon the same
rock on which so many Northern statesmen
have made shpwreck of their political hopes
Other Democratic candidates of the North
have pursued the same policy, and some Wings
have striven to keep pace in this race of servil-
ity. Among others, | notice Wing paper in
New York, of somewhat extensive circulation.
avowing the policy of annexing Cuba. Others
have tainted the Free Democracy with having
lent our influence to that policy, by refusing to
vote for the Wing candidate.
Now, sir, | would say to them, that the Free
Democracy is not altogether composed of boys
and unfiedged politicians nor is it guided by
men destitute of experience and forcthought
We, sir, look not to the other parties for gui-
dance; we do our own thinking and our own
voting. We have our own views upon this
question as well as on all others
Gentlemen of the Democratic party, who
have spoken here have alluded directly to this
policy, but have carefully withheld all express
sion Of their own views, or the views of their
party, in reference to it, had hoped to hear
from gentlemen the designs of the incoming
President At least hoped to hear what they
themselves think of this policy Are they, in.
dlyidually in favor of it or against it! No one
has presumed to avow his own thoughts. Now
would say to those members you were sent
here to represent the people Franklin Pierce
was elected to carry out and execute the laws
which We cnact-not to represent the voice OF
the people in enacting laws. God has given
to you the powers Of thought and reflection
He has given to you judgment and conscience
1t is your duty to exercise those judgments and
obey your own cOnsciences--not to wait fol-
General Pierce to tell you how to act and what
to do, nor to obtain instructions on these sub.
jects from the incoming President, Or from the
members of his Cabinet II you do this, you
are not representatives of the people, but Of Gen
eral Pierce, who will take care to represent
himself If you do this you will not deserve
the name of treemsn. No, gentlemen, you and
were commissioned to avow the popular will
of the nation and God forbid that we should
wait to receive Instructions from any other hui
man being.
But as have remarked, no Democrat ha,
as yet intimated the policy of the incoming
Administration in regard to Cuba and as thu
country is DESTROYS of understanding what tina
policy will be, will volunteer to speak for tn,
President elect Laughter. AS my colleague
in the Senate yesterday remarked, 81 am
Democrat, by the grace of God, free and indie
pendent" and as have no doubt AS to til,
policy of General Pierce, will give my opin
ION as to his course on this subject If he BIZ
the mantle stateIhan-that | take him I,
be- he will neither say nor do anything abou
At. He will leave it in silence He will no
follow the example of one of his predecessors
who, in his inaugural address declared ou
title to the whole Of Oregon to be clear and un
questionable, and when the British lion begar
to growl and show his teeth our Presiden
backed out of his position, and surrendered one
L.lt d. N .