The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-05
rHE ANNExATIoN oF CUBA.


he Union He viewed it il really is national ques-
linn and one Of 50 much that its solution involves
me permanence of the federal Union Upon subject SO
important we deem il duty tie furnish every facility IN
u mower to our readers to investigate and comprehend il
in all its bearings With this view readily give place
10 the following highly interesting letter from Mr. Thrasher
TO Hon. Mr. Singleton:
NEW ORLEANS July 10, 1854.
pgAR SIR have read with great pleasure the eloquent
and profound speech delivered by you in the House the
l4th ultimo and while thank you for the pamphlet copy
thereof which you politely sent to me- stranger to
Yourself trust you will that take the liberty
Of addressing you few lines The perusal Of your dis
course has awakened many suggestions in my mind and
trust in writing you that shall not be considered an
intruder
You have advanced, with ability and power what es
teen as the argument of the Cuban quesonts re-
laon to the vast community that is springng into life in
The great valley bounded by the Aeghanes the east
the great lakes on the north the Rocky mountains and the
Sierra Nevada the west and the Gulf Of Mexico and the
Sierra Madre on the south believe that any American
statesman who considers this question without promi-
nent relation to that vast interest commits great error
and will eventually find his positions untenable
In that vast basin there very nearly thirty thousand
miles of river navigation which empty INTO the uii OF
Mexico On its banks and in the fertile valleys which 1t
rrigates and drains mighty population of men, in their
highest state of physical and intellectual Development and
who put successful practice the most perfect pohtica
theories the world has known sprnging into De-
ing with rapidy of growth that defes all calculation
upon results and mocks all past political and social his
tory for comparison
Railroads may be built every known and possible
route between and the Atlantic cities but they can only
serve to stimulate the growth of its population to duse
intelligence and to convey the rapid movng crowds to
and fro The bulky products of their untring industry
must seek market through the channels of their water
navigation This carries them The Cult of Mexico and
from it they have egress but through the narrow strait
between Cuba and the capcs of Florida
The shores Of Cuba fronting upon this strait ndented
precisely its throat narowest part with four
openings with deep water and natural forticaon the
eastern side of each spreading afterward into large and
magnificent bays andocked and sheltered completely from
every wind They the bays of Havana Marie Cabaas
and Bahia Honda and the distance between the
is about fifty miles The width Of the throat of the
Gulf Of Mexico at this point is about hundred miles
from the shore of the mainland Cuba but from this
about forty miles should be deducted occupied by shallow
water Carysfort reef and very dangerous navigation
the Florida shore Thus the throat of the Gulf Of
Mexico has only sixty miles Of safe navigation and this is
Immediately in front of the four great and almost mpreg
nable bays which have named. From them few ships,
making daily aer-dnner cruise, while slipping their
coffee and smoking their cigars can blockade all the out
yet sleep nightly in security in their homes
If you will permit refer you the map Of America,
will present another consideration Take the bay of Ha-
vana centre and you may draw circle of thousand
miles radius around it, and it will not enclose another port
of sufficient capacity for rsclass naval station of
Cuba jamaica and Santo Domingo From Norfolk the
souhernmost cape of Florida and thence through all the
coasts Of the Gulf Of Mexico Yucaan Honduras and Cen
trail America down to the Gulf Of Maracaibo there is
fret ia IF hort nd
refuge to mn American feet Our ships, after cruise in
southern mid American waters, must 60 to Norfolk,
New York Boston, Kittery, in Maine ret The only
safe resorts in the hands under the influence Of the
bitter and mpacabe enemies of our institutions and their
progress Spain the weakest nation, holds Cuba the
strongest point England has Jamaica; and France is
seeking, under many frivolous preexs collision with the
republic of Santo Domingo the empire Of Hay that she
may again set her foot upon that island.
The cool contempt with which the cabinets of the last
two countries asked government to enter upon tri-
parte guarantee to preserve Spain in the possession of
Cuba, menaced it is by the natural interests of this
country and by the burning desire of the Cubans to be
free marked in American diplomacy Our refusal
to enter upon such treaty brought state of dipo
matte war, the declaration of which made by Mr..
Crampton under orders from Lord John Russell of the
10th February, 1862 and communicated to Mr. Marcy,
Secretary of State for the United States in these sgn
cant words:
Each government will remain as free as it was be-
fore to take that which its of duty and regard
for the interests of its people may prescribe"
This diplomatic has been carried systematically
since that time and has been marked by series of
nued and uninterrupted the side Of the
bned European cabinets 1t trcsome and dsrespect-
full my part cite them. They too publicly known
for our honor as nation.
Ii is being still continued The government of Spain is
doing all il to render the island of Cuba useless
else apple Of dscord TO this concderacy to the
tent Of arning serve and nfuriae population of negroes
within its borders and in the midst Of disarned disn-
egraed, and downtrodden population of our own race
whom it threatens in the exuberance Of its paterna love
and asserted right with utter humiliation if they dare to
hand foot in resistance to their sacrifice to the
purposes of this its Machiavean policy France assists
by exhibition of force in the hnrbor of Havana and
England the generous part of mediator and pac
Gator between Spain and outraged America
How long this struggle must be carried on what obi
cations imposed upon nation, and nation
eemen how far the future interests of the great West
and Southwest will be sacrificed,
and the solution of the thousand questions OF
other interests social political and of supremacy, that in
umaey blend themselves with the Cuban question, will
not undertake to discuss
Should you agree sufficiently with the views have
pressed to induce you lay them before the public
should be bonored by that mark of your appreciation II
NOT trust you will excuse for this trespass upon your
e and believe very respectfully, yonr obcdient
want J. S. THRASHER.
Hon o. H. SINGLETON Washington, D. G.
The Terre Haute Prairie CITY contains the following ac-
count OF aynching affair in Pake county recently We
understand company of regulators composed of citizens
farke Vermillion, and Vgo counties recently visited