The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-02-07
Cuba.

IL
sis, which we find in an exchange.
This speech of our Honorable friend, dis.
plays much learning and research, and adds
a new triumph to his fame as an orator and
statesman.
The Press, in this State, almost unani-
mously coincide in the views of Mr.. Boycc,
Those even who entertained different idea,
express themselves as being converted, in
political opinion, after perusing the speech
and weighing the arguments. The speech
rs m abe production, and the arguments
appear to be we'll founded-the structure
appears to be firm and solid and any effort
to controvert an argument, appears foolish
and futile.
We do not coincide in the general opin-
ion. We are in the minority-wc have no.
ticed but one other paper in the State that
cntcrtains similar opinions, and this express
sion of opinion was made by that journal
before the editor had seen the great argu-
ment Of Mr. Boyce. Upon a perusal he
may, rs our Chester friend, change his opir-
ion. Even if we are alone, we fearlcssly
declare ourself as being favorable to the
annexation of Cuba to the United States
We have always entertained this opinion,
and we see no cause now to alter it.
1t is hardly fair criterian to compare the
the United States noc to the Roman repub-
lie that ,ods We would be ashamed of
our own people, if their patrionism could
ouly be kept alive by the ar of an oppos-
ing power. Is it possible that the peace,
the welfare, the prosperity of this republic
is secured, wholly or in part, by the fear of
an invading power! We would be assumed
of our own country, to believe that her cit-
zens were kept in awe from fear Of mod
crn Carthage.
We do not need more population but,
with the increase of one million annually TO
our present population, can We have too
much territory? Will new continents be
discovered! Mo- Then secure all we can
and let our own American people be masters
of the soil. We are unwilling to enlarge
our country by the annexation of other ter
itory, to provide homes for foreign masses
who would mock and spit upon us, but
even for our own people, the eye in the
whole bounds of the created world cannot
discover too much territory. One million
more of inhabitants in the United States
every year! Let US provide for the Increase
The policy of anrexing more territory to the
United States does not rest only on the basis
ofproviding lands for our people, for the PEI.
pie in the world mustl live somewhere, but CT
vilization demands-humanity demands, that
zoe should be the masters. Under the most
lenient and humane of all nations on the
globe, the American people could not live,
and were forced to rebellion; and We en-
phatically say, make no objection TO the
United States acquiring al! the territory she
may. Humanity and christianity call for
and demar d il. But our ideas run too far
into the future let us confne ourself to
the matter us it now stands.
We do not consider that we need Cuba
so much as n military power, as il is our
policy to destroy foreign one so neat our
borders. II is nnwise and unsafe, inconvc.
inent and troublesome. Were Cuba annex
ed to the United States, we would have o
more Black Warrior difficulties, and no fears
of visiting the island for health or pleasure.
Mr.. Boyce believes that so far from Cuba
Strengthening us in n military point of view;
that it would be source Of infinite weak
ness. and adduces the instances Of the En-
glish against France and Holland, and of
Russia. In the former case, England at
tackled the cxtremities-the outposis of the
enemy-and secured victory; and Russia
cannot be conquered because she is COM
pact in herself, and has no outposts This
sounds very WELL but, can the United States
be compared to France or Hollands The
United States, which Mr. b. tells us is ten
times as large as Great Britain, Ireland and
France combined the United States about
forty times rs large as France? We know
not that from this cause Russia has been
found impregnable. But could we consider
Cuba much more than a seaport, within n
stones throw, nearly, of our own domain
Now, does it look well that foreign power,
a weak. decayed foreign government, her
government, both Of State and Church an
tagoniatic to our own does il look reason
able that such government should hold
piece of land as large as one Of our own
States, within forty mile of our own coast !
If even this government manifested AMIGA
bic, consiliatory relations towards us, there
would lie a motive TO restrain us, hut does
she? Has she exercised righteous Judge
ment over our citizens when in her territory?
Nay, we need only refer to past cases where
her cruel animosity has been exercised on
our citizens, to infame our bosoms with the
hope that, some day, the stars and stripes
of our dear native land will float over the
now helish Moro.
II is not our intention TO refer to all Of
Mr.. Boycc's arguments. As we observed,
il looks futile to attempt TO controvert them;
and yet, equally potent reasons were used
against the annexation If more territory in