The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-03-15
CITY OF EVANSVILLE
THURSDAY MoRNING::::MARCH Is
Cuba at any CostI


This conference, it will be remembered, con-
sisted of Messrs. Buchanan, Mason and
Soule, our Ministers of Foreign Affairs to
England, France and Spain respectively.
1t appears from the official report of this
conference that it acted entirely under the d.
rection of the President and Secretary of
State, Mr.. Marcy. The object to be attained
was the acquisition of Cuba, and the deliber-
atoms of this ministerial trio were to devise
the best means, in their judgment, to effect
the desired object.
The FIRST point considered and settled, &C
cording to the official report, was that the
government of the United States (meaning,
we presume, the "powers that be" at Wash
ington), desires the acquisition of Cuba forth
with. This question was no doubt very
easily determined. The immense advantages
to our government, of such speedy acquisi-
ton at any cost, the indispensable necessity
of its possession to the safety of our republi-
can nationality, and its utter worthlessness
to Spain, were points discussed and determin-
ed with all that gravity, wisdom and sagaci
ty, that would characterize the proceedings
of "mock Legislature" in country town,
or the adjudication of some momentous ques-
ton by the students of New England law
school before "sham court" After thus
reasoning, our worthy ministers appeared to
be self-convinced, from the best information
they can derive, and are apparently sincere
in the belief, that the government of Spain
is at the present moment troubled with the
shorts" and would be glad to sell Cuba at
such price as the government of the United
States is willing to give. So sanguine are
they in this belief, that they boldly state in
their report, that there is no possibility of a
failure in making the trade, sunless possibly
through the malign influence of foreign pow
ers, who possess no right to interfere in the
matter"
Reasoning somewhat after the style OF
Napoleon, they conclude that this island nat
urally belongs to the great family of States
of which the Union is its "providential nur-
sery." ~
1t il further urged with an air of compla
cent dictation, that it would vastly enhance
the interest of Spain in the development oil
her home resources, to accept the indefinite
amount which 1--WE are willing to give for
Cuba" and expend two-thirds of it in the
construction of railroads and other works OF
internal improvements land with the remain.
ing third Gorty millions), satisfy the demands
now pressing so heavily upon her credit, and
create a sinking fund, which would gradually
relieve her from the overwhelming debt now
paralyzing her energies.
From this, we learn that the scheme devils.
der the special direction of the President
and Secretary Marcy, involves the consider
alton of the snug little sum of Sl20,600,00O
as the "amount which we are willing to pays
for Cuba. How it has been ascertained that
this government is "willing to pay" just this
amount, or any other greater or less sum, OF
that it has evinced desire through any Off
cial source to purchase at all, must be mat.
ter of anxious speculation with the great
mass of the American people, and as YET
deeply shrouded in the hidden and mysterious
policy of the present administration.
We append the final conclusion of the con.
ference, in their own language, as the bold
est stroke of diplomacy to be found in the
annals of our governments history:
After we shall have offered Spain price
for Cuba far beyond its present value, anC
this shall have been refused, it will then bs
time to consider the question, does Cuba il
the possession of Spain seriously endange
our internal peace and the existence of on
cherished Union?
Should this question be answered in the
affirmative, then by every law, human ant
divine, we shall be justified in wrestling j,
from Spain, if we possess the power.
The doctrine here inculcated,is nothin!
more or less, than that an individual may
offer his neighbor price which he tn inks h,
can afford to give and his neighbor afford Il
possession, and if the said neighbor refuse
-"then by every law, human and divine, h
is fully justified in Wrestling it from him, if h
possesses the power" 1t is this doctrine G
"robbery on the high seas" that our Chris
tan % ministers composing this conferenc
now stand committed. Spain is given dis
tinctly to understand, that she must sell Cubs
and that she had better quietly take the pur
chase money, which "we are willing to give
and pay her debts with it, &c, &c. On tn
othor hand, she is as distinctly threatene
that if she persists, "through motives of falls
pride or other selfish considerations" to hol