The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-15
From the n. Y. Daily Times.
THE OSTEND CONFERENCE.
Report Of Messrs, Buchanan, Mason, and soule,
on the Acquisition Of Cuba.
WAsuINcroN N1rcL :

W ASHINGTON, March D, 1879.
The Soule correspondence will make an
octave volume. 1t has gone back to the State
Department.
The first letter is from Mr.. Marcy to Mr..
Soule, dated July 3d. 1853. After showing that
Cuba from its vast agricultural resources and
wealth. its fine climate, &c, is vastly superior
to any other West India island, and showing
its Importance to the United States from the
proximity to our coasts; that it is very difficult
for Spain to maintain its possession Of it, Mr..
Marcy goes on to say what is our policy in
gard to it, and for that purpose quotes the in
structions given to our Ministers in France and
Great Britain in regard to the interference Of
those two Powers in Cuban affairs.
He deprecates protection by any European
Power to Cuba, to enable Spain to maintain her
rule over it. In case OF collision with the
United States, such protecting Power would be
in as good condition to make use of that island
TO annoy us, as it would be if it were in actual
possession. He alludes to British interference
in Central America, to show what protection
means. While Spain remains the sovereign of
Cuba, she can depend upon our maintaining
our duty as neutral nation towards her. MIR.
Marcy says our neutrality laws are now as
strong as they can be made without unjust in
reference with the rights of the citizens-that
every proper effort will be made to enforce them
in case of revolution, in Cuba. But necessarily,
in such revolution, many Discontinued subjects
of Spain will leave our shores TO Join their
countrymen in the effort to throw off the yoke
of Spain.
MIR. Soule is charged to do away with the
suspicion of the Spanish Government that this
Government is disposed to encourage iIbuster
descents upon the island, by presenting our past
course upon such attempts Mr.. Marcy aludes
to the offer Of Mr.. Polk to purchase Cuba but
doubts if Mr.. Soule will find Spain willing to
enter into any such negotiation now. lie saws
there is reason to believe she is under obhga-
ton toFrance and Great Britain to the contrary,
from the fact that these Powers sent their fleets
to be assistance in the Cuban disturbance; from
the proposition for convention to secure the
island for all time to Spain, and to their Joint
protest against the views of Mr.. Everett to NJ.
Sartiges, December 8, 1892.
Mr. Marcy thinks proposition to purchase
would be attended with injurious consequences
and Mr. SOue is instructed to ascertain what
arrangements have been made with Great Brit
ain and France, in regard to sustaining the do
minion of Spain If either of them have
urged a change in regard to Slavery in the
island, Mr.. Marcy thinks Spain may be induced
to see that she cannot long hold Cuba, and may
be disposed to make it independent Of her, re-
tanning some commercial advantages, &c. If
Spain would do this, the United States would
have no further anxiety in regard to European
domination, and would probably contribute
something more substantial than good will
toward such an end.
If Cuba is TO remain in possession Of Spain,
we have a right TO demand exemption from the
annoyance which the exercise of her arbitrary
power to repress disturbances gives our flag.
We will not submit to detention and search Of
our vessels. Our demands for wrongs inflicted
upon our citizens have not been attended to. or
have been met by unsatisfactory explanations.
This must be remcdied. The Captain General
ought to have power to accord redress, as well
as to infict injury. We want also n CONNER
cial treaty with Spain, that the export only in
her colonies may be done away with, that Wa
may have the same advantages in trade We
accord her, we being prohibited by law from
assessing export duties.
The second letter is from Mr.. Marcy to Mr..
Buchanan, July 2 1853, in which he COM
plains of the course of Great Britain, in keen
ing large fleets on the Cuban coast, to watch
US.
When a country by her despotsm goads her
people to revolution, she has no better right To
invoke foreign aid to suppress it, than the revo-
lutionists have in the support of their cause.
We will not quietly submit to the importation
of free Africans into Cuba, with the object OF
MAKING lnhI lSldHu worthless 10 us when SPAN
finds she can no longer hold it; and Great
Britain and France must be made aware Of
this. Mr.. Buchanan, if he finds Great Britain
has any arrangement with Spain detrimental
to our interests in regard to Cuba, must use
his best endeayors to induce her to abandon
them.
Mr.. Marcy to Mr.. Soule March IL, 1854, re-
counts the Black Warrior outrage in indignant
terms, instructs Mr., Soul6 to demand redress,
but recommends no specific means to get it.
March IL, 1854, same to same, in regard to
Black Warrior, says the country will not brook
any delay in the settlement of that outrage.
Demands 100000 indemnity to owners, and
does not expect Mr.. Soule to discuss that mat
ter much with the Spanish Government If
Spain seeks to delay or evade the payment it
viii be considered an aggravation of the wrongs
Spain must at once pay, and disclaim the action
of her officers in Cuba, or assume the respopsi
bility of such action, and refuse our claim.
Here follows the printed Black Warrior doc.
uments, sent to the House, March Is. 1854.
Mr.. Marcy to Mr., Soule, April 3, 1854. fears
that project is on foot to introduce a new svs.
tenn of agricultural labor into Cuba, and the
President in consequence deems it prouer To
give Mr.. Soule full powers to negotiate for the
purchase of Cuba. He thinks The difficulties
IN regard TO the purchase may have been par
tally removed by the late change in the Span
sh Government II not disposed TO sell, still
he thinks for the q'tid pro g,to he would con
sent to the Independence Of the island aud