Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-05-19
The signs of the Times.

ut pOlllchl Wollu AZ Tue ptcoeuN nOlntW 70
vast volcano, sending forth fire and smoke, Civ
ing signs Of a general eruption which will ere
long heave up the foundations Of the present
governments, and compromises Of all the nations
of the earth. China is being revolutionized.-
Europe is convulsed--the United S,atesof Ameri
ca is excited. Go where you will, and you will
discover that the crater Of the political volcano is
agiiatod.
The friends md advocates of slavery, the great
disturbing element 10 our government, are seek
ing 10 extend it's boundaries by leapng over the
compromise Of $50 in opposition 10 the will Of
free people; thus opening up pathway for slave
~ across this long established barrier, reared up
by The great and good men Of our nation, (mosi
of wh ON now in the spirit land) TO the free
and virgin soil Of Nebraska. But this compro.
mise-ihis limit 10 slavery--this basis on which
has rested the pence aud prosperity of our glor-
Gus Union for the last thirty years, must be abro-
| gated and trampled down before the march of
this soul destroying, soil poluiing system Of hu-
man degradation. But this is not ALL A quar-
rel must be got up with Spain, that slavery NAV
have some prelext 10 lay its black. and blood
stained hands upon the Island of Cuba
I What was there in the Black Warrior case to
excite suddenly, the indignation Of the Chris.
| tan and enlightened matt rn Of the United States
Of America7 Did the Capt. General do any thing
more than enforce the old revenue laws inconve-
nient and barbarous TO be sure, but not constitu-
! ting caSUs belf under the law Of naions7 Thou gh
this is the fact, yet Mr.. Soule acting without au.
thority, has placed the matter on such footing
| tI, tI, T., L.,
| demanded peremptorilv the removal Of the Capt
General OF Cuba, such demand is always one
of the last things demanded in diplomacy, and is
| generally enforced at the cannon's mouth. 1t is,
| when exceeded to, act of humiliation the
part OF the power on which the demand is n ade .
and triumph on the part of the nation which
obj aims so important a concession. We all know
that Spain is naughty, proud nation; that she
can never forget that she once great, and the
mistress Of the world and hence it is easy To fore
see that Spain would sooner risk the worst, than
snbmit 10 what she cannot but construe as deg.
radiation to her national honor" The demand
we discover by our last teegraphic reports has not
been acceeded TO, but on the other hand, Spain
has approved the conduct of the Capt General
of Cuba. Will government enforce this de
nand made of the Spanish government by our
imprudent and slave holding minister2 We shall
see. Thus we discover that the signs of the
times are portentous of excitement--of war and
bloodshed throughout the whole world. What the
result may be, we know not. We are inclined to
think however that slavery, tyranny and oppres
sion, will in the present sanguinary struggle re-
ceive tremenGus shock IT, not its death blow -
The eruption of this political volcano may devas-
tate cities and even nations, but truth, civil and
religious liberty, is OF Con and will prevail.
We clip the following from a correspondent o.
the Philadelphia Ledger, which will establish the
views we have expressed above
"lf Mr.. Soule is sustained by our government
the civilized world will look upon his mission as
similar to that of Prince MenzikofT TO CONSTANT
nople, only that Menzkcf omitted the duel;
which formed the episode to Mr. Soule's mission
> Now, If il be our object TO quarrel with Span III
e order TO be offered opportunity of seizing on
3 Cuba. let MS at least consider two things:
! "First, are sufficiently armed TO engage in
marine war with Spain, and all the consequen.
ces which attract thereto? And second, il we in
tend 10 take the island had we not better do il
by the army and navy Of the United States thar
by fllihusterism?
o "And if We only mean 10 prepare the way fo
the annexation Of Cuba would it not be as wei
10 d o so quietly, without ostentaton, and without
offering every two or three weeks some hostile
resou ton in Congress? By all these means W.
merely give notice to Spain, England and France
10 prepare themselves, or put the island in such
, state TO render lis annexation TO the United
- States neither desaable nor useful. am afrair
that the Spanish affairs have not been well man
aged, aud that the expedition of Lopez and nj
r that followed far from helping us to get pos
seeson of Cuba, has only placed it further be
yOud our reach.
owe shall see whether the administration vii
t. disavow or sanction the hot headed conduct q
Mr.. Soula, who as it was known when he WA
appointed, favored the flbusters, and would d'
all 10 his power to precipiiate a contest for tn
r acquisition of Cuba. Cursed is nation whei
small men rule. "