Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-08-29
FOR THE EoGEFIELD ADvERTlsER.
Cuhc...NO. 6.


LET US admit for the completeness Of the aF ~.
ment Of these numbers, that the North American
Union may never be dissolved, and earnestly pray
that our brethren may never drive us iuto disso'u-
ton. Well, in that event. as much as am opposed,
generally, under present constitution and politl-
cal organization to an indscriminate and unscruPu-
ous extension and increase of our territory, think
it would be highly beneficial to the whole United
States, as a nation, to acquire Cuba OF courses as
we have before sad it would BE- Of incalcalable i'm
portance to the slave Statcs in euery sense Of the
word, for us to possess that Island, whether wo
agreed with the Free States not and if we should
disagree with them, it would be indispensable for US
to have it.
But considering us to be united and harmon-
GUS people--considcring reverence to the graves
Of our f,thers-their heroic efforts to achieve lber-
ty and the sublime institutions they reared and COLI
,idering US to love one another with such right
hearty good will as to live in peace and happiness
together forever, then the highest reasons Of State
or of policy present themselves to the mind, why
every energy of the nation should induce her to
plant her ensign on Mop Castle, and make it a
banner Of protection, not only to the inhabitants Of
Cuba, but to those Of many Islands Of the Guf and
to many Republics in Central and South America,
as also to the subjects Of the vast Republic Of MeSl-
CO itself.
A certain forethought has seemed to characterize
every great nation that has existed but OURS
" Coming events are ever casting their shadows be-
fore ,hemn and the sutca the cnterPrising have
been able to anticpat, tcm and to breast the storm
or to turn to happy account the otherwise fortunate
occurrence. France has seen the present struggle
in which she is engaged for nearly century, and
the minds of her people have been prepared for it.
There is nothing but the sound OF war ringing
through her whole domain, and her young men are
reused and strung with unquenchabe enthusiasm
to enter the fight, and butte till death, with the most
giant power On earth. Napoleon the First, had the
sagacity before his decease, not only to foresce this
mighty alliance of France and England, at which
the nations trembe but almost 10 forete it in words,
precisely as we have witnessed its efectuaton. But
American diplnnatists seem to see nothing beyond
the length Of their own dninu,iye shadows They
are dead to all but the moment, and tho changes
and chances of the instant in which they are exist.
ing 1t appears to me, that all real public spirit has
become extinct with the spirit of the Revolution.
The mighty genius and the burning hearts that
inspired the bosoms and lighted the counses Of
Washington, and Jefferson, and Adams, and Ham,
illon, have been buried with them; and we have
nothing left but the veriest pgmies strutting and
fuming on lofty and gorgeous stage, where war.
ring giants were wont to contend for empire.
Turn to the SouLE Mission, and read It well
We looked upon the elevation Of MIR. PIERCE to
the Presidency as an auspicious omen to the South
and to all lovers of freedom and Republicanism in
the Western world because he was gentleman
and we believed him to be patriot. For time oui
hopes were not disappointed. The country needed
Cuba, and the same possibly was secretly eoueted
by England and France. A gentleman, whose
views were in favor OF its acquisition, and one full
of zeal and courage, and purest chivary, as we'll as
of highest intellect, was deputed by the government
to the Court of Madrid to negotiate for this beauti'
full Island, to purchase for the good understanding
OF the two nations-of all the nations-or, to per
haps represent to Spain, the actual fnct, that th'
country is bound 10 huve the Queen Of the Antilles
if need be- by force, and to claim her by the voice
ten thousand cannons This Minister Of ours, in
vested with portion Of the dignity of the govern
ment and Of the President himself, was insultcd II
such degree by the Spanish Court, and by the
French Minister instgated, no doubt, indirectly b,
the Cabinets of London and Paris, that his proud
spirit revolted from the odium, and both he and hl
gallant put their lives in peril to wipe the stair
from the American escutchcon. In the meantime
every indignty that Spanish malice and supercil
BUSINESS could devise wa. heaped upon ships and
seamen. They were detained, delayed, their crew.
were imprisoned, and. their. property conhscated
Did our government take manly redress
worthy pf the daring race II assumes to protect