The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-13
VOL. VII.
GENERAL cAss AND OUR FOREIGN RELATION
On the 4th inst, Mr. Cass submitted in n.
Senate the following joint resolutions


On the 4th inst Mr. Cass submitted in u.
Senate the following joint resolutions:
Be ii resolved, That the United STATE. !.
hereby declare that the American contna.. ~
by the free, independent condition which ,bo11
have assumed and maintain, are hencefortb ~,
to be considered as subjects for future colon T'
cation by any European Powern And Will.
existing rights should be respected and u;n
be by the United States, they owe il 10 ,bn:I
own "satety and interests" To "announce =.
they now do, that no future European colon1
or dominion shall, with their consent be MAJ;
ed or established on any part of the Nor,L
American continent" And should the atta,n,'t
be made, they thus deliberately declare that.
will be viewed as an act originating in motives
regardless OF their Interests and their safatrp
and which will leave them free to adopt snob
measures as an independent nation NAV iustlv
adopt in defence of its rights and its honor
And be al further resolved That while tba
United States disclaim any designs upon tho
island of Cuba, inconsistent with the laws of
nations and with their duties to Spain tbor
consider it due to the vast Importance of tho
subject to make known, in this solemn manner
that they should view all efforts on the mart of
any other Power to procure possession, whether
peaceably or forcibly, of that island, which a.
naval or military position must, under cir.
cumstances easy to be forcseen, become dan
gerous to their Southern coast to the Gulf
Mexico, and to the mouth of the Mississppi
unfriendly acts directed against them, to be 70.
sisted by all the means in their power
The resolution in relation to Cuba is sufS.
GENTLY explicit. 1t proposes that the Govern.
ment, In the most solemn manner, shall declare
its purpose to resist by all the means at its dis.
posal5 any attempt by any other Power, peace
| ably or forcibly, to acquire Cuba
But, the first resolution does not meet the
crisis; it is, besides, ambiguous It will be oh
served that it is entirely prospective, being aim
ed at future schemes of colonization and domin.
ion 1t does not embrace the operations of the
French in Dominica, or Of the English in Cen.
trail America France, it is alleged occupies
SANTANA, and England, the port aud town of
San Juan. The former holds dominion in
Hayti, the latter in Central America These
are facts eristing. The resolution does not
touch them.
By denouncng alone future colonization Or
dominion, it winks at the dominion re
acquired by England and France, in
of the Monroe Declaration. Does
/ mean to connive at these usurpatiob
he intend that the Pierce Administration
assent to them? If not, why does he not a
corporate into his resolutions an express decla-
ration against them, and an announcement that
this Government will no longer tolerate them!
The resolution is also ambiguous. Should an
attempt be made by another Power to acquire
Cuba, we will go to war to prevent it-that is
the resolve, and made in terms not to be mis-
understood. But should an attempt be made
hereafter to plant European colony, or estab-
then resist NJ ct armis--go to war to prevent
it Oh, no; we will regard it as originating
in motives regardless of our interests and
safety and it twill leave us free to adopt such
measures as an independent nation may justly
adopt in defence of its rights and its honorb
Wonderful, as if we were not always free to
adopt such measures 81 would if | dare is
the tone of the resolution. lf General Cass
wishes to say bold thing why does be not
say it! If future European colonization Or
dominion is TO be resisted on this Continent by
force of arms, a few short, distinct words will
express our purpose 80 plainly that nobody can
misunderstood it,
Why not say at once, that any attempt here
plant a new colony or acquire new dominion
on this Continent, OF the islands ad jacent, will
be held by the United States to be cause of
war. IL General Cass means this, let him say
so-if he does not let him say nothing. The
truth is, he is attempting to serve two masters,
and hence the ambiguity of his policy.
American Democracy enjoins resistance at
all hazards and to the last extremity, against
European Intervention in the affairs of the In
dependent States of this hemisphere. Amcri-
can Slavery shrinks from war with any Euro
pean Power: q" am conservative-thorough
ly and utterly conservative! ~ exclaimed Mr.
Venable, from North Carolina; and turning
to his Southern friends, he said
. say tommy friends of the plantation States
that conquest and territory are no compensa-
w" ioi wal hone are mOre lntefosltu m PVaOV
and the policy which would secure it.
We are producers, and would destroy the sale
OF our productions by destroying our CONNER
cial relations. None would suffer its calami-
ties more than the plantation States; and We,
OF all men, should adopt policy which secures
peace by doing Justice
AT this age of the world when Christendom
IS against slavery, and every European State
has cast it out of its own borders, a European
war would, indeed, be disastrous to that por-
ton Of our Republic which contains three mil
lions of domestic aliens!
The great problem, then, with such politicians
as Gen. Cass, is to satisfy the demands of Pro-
gressive Democracy and at the same time con-
form themselves to the conservative apprehension
Of Slavery, The resolution on which we have
been commenting is a fair illustration of their
mode Of solving this problem. 1t seems to
mean something, but in fact means nothing.
| The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. 1t
is made up Of great swelling words" clouds
are they without water 1t boldly initiates
great menace, which soon melts away into
DIM underlined, suggestion Of evil
How long will it take General Cas-, and the
class of politicians to which he belongs to learn
that it is impossible to serve two masters!
CORRECTION.
WHEELING, Dec. IS, 1897