The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1853-01-25


Of a complete remedy while Cuba remain
q SPANISH colony.
But, whatever may be thought Of lhesl
last suggestions. Il would seem imPossibl,
for any one. who reflects upon the event
glanced al in this note, TO mistake the Law
Of American growth and progress. or ;hinI
n cen be ultimately arrested BY a conyen
ton like that proposed. In the judgmen
of the Psesidenf. a. would be As easy e
throw a dsm IRON Cape Fiorids 10 Cuba
in the hope Of stopping the flow Of Tho
Gulf stream. as to attempt BY a compact
like this TO fix the fortunes Ct Cuba, nov
and for hereafter, or as expressed in the
French tex of the convention, for the
present as for the future, (pouv te PTesen,
comme pour EaUeuiy T; J that is, for all com
ing time. The history Of the past-of the
recent ~past-afiords no assurance that TWEEN
ty years hence France or England viii
even wish that Spain should retain Cuba
aud a century hence. judging of what will
be from what has been ia the pages which
record this proposition will like the record
Of the family compact between France
aud spain have no interest but for the an
tiquary. Hl
Even now the President cannot doubt
that both France and England would pre-
fer any change in the condition Of Cuba to
that which is most to be apPrehended, viz:
an internal convention which should renew
the horrors and the fate of San Domingo.
i VIII intimate a final objection to the
proposed convention. Lord Malmsbury
and Nj. de Turgot put forward as the rea.
son for entering into such a compact 1.-The
attacks which have lately heen made on
the Island OF Cuba by lawless bands of adj
venturers from the United States. with
the avowed design of taking possession Of
that island The President is convinced
that the conclusion Of such a treaty, instead
OF putting a stop to these lawless proceed
ings,, would give a new and powerful i'm
pulse to them. It would strike a death
blow to the conservative policy hitherto
pursued in this country toward Cuba. No
Administration Of this Government, how
ever strong in the public confidence in 9th.
er respects, could stand a day under the
odium of having stipulated with the great
powers Of Europe that, in no future time,
under no change of circumstances, by no
amicable arrangement with Spain, by no
act OF lawful war, by no consent of the in
habitants Of the island, should they, like
the possessions of Spain on the American
continent, succeed in rendering themselves
independent-in fine. by no overriding
necessity Of selfpreservation. should t h
United States ever make the acquisit lcI
Cuba. nns.vg g.rs s48t 500 .7Hf s.tt
For these reasons, which the President
has thought it advisable, considering the
importance of the subject, to direct me to
unfold, at some length, he feels constrained
to decline, respectfully, the invitation of
and France to become parties to
proposed convention. He is persuaded
that these friendly powers will not attribute
refusal to any insensibility on his part
10 the advantages of the utmost harmony
between the great maritime States, on a
subject of such Importance. AS little will
SPAN draw any u%nfavorable inference from
refusal the rather, as the emphatic
disclaimer o fany designs agains. Cuba, on
part OF this Government, contained in
the present note, affords all the assurance
which the President can Constitutionally,
to any useful purpose give of a practical
concurrence with England and France, in
the wish not to disturb the possession of
that Island by Spain. btb @o& iai
III. .u - VI. .Ll rrmu H.