The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-02-07
POLITICAL.
Synopsis Of Mr.. Boyce's Speech.
Delivered in the House o. Representa-
tives January 18th, against the policy
Of acquiring Cuba.

|
of acquiring Cuba.
Mr.. b., after commenting upon the fe.
verish anxiety in tie public mind of the
United States for territorial expansion
the acquisition of Cuba, the Sandwich Is.
lands, the Canadas, Mexico, or the Anna
zon country proceeded TO argue the i'm
policy of yielding TO such inordnate am
bition. We have land enough, he said,
for safety, and population enough already.
Happy would il bc for us if we could re-
man on that point, where we are. A ia
ton has sufficient population when it is
S rong enough 10 protect itself from exter-
nll vi >lemce, and we have reached that
point. \ federal republic cannot exist
without external pressure. Take that a.
way and the republic falls to pieces
Here is our dangcr--that we are becom-
ing so great, so powerful, so INV iclJy, so
superior in all the elements of strength to
all other people, that we shall feel no ex-
teraal pressure, and so find our ruin even
in our prosperity. Why then seek to ac-
quire Cuba!
Mr.. Boyce denied that it is necessary to
us rs military position. Taking it for
gran:el the United States would never
permit it to pass from the hands Of Spain
to one of the great European powers, we
had nothing TO fear from Cuba. Exp ri
ence had shown that our commerce in the
Gulf of Mexico is in no danger from tha,
quarter. Instead of giving us strength
the possession of Cuba would be source
OF Infinite weakness. The history of Eu
ropean contests demonstrate the fact tha,
maritime coloJies to a nation Of se:onda.
ry naval force, are great drawbacks to any
nation in time Of war, without isolated
points Of attack We are the Russia o
the Western hemisphere. We are com
pact, massive and solid, and InvulnerabIc
and can defy the world in arms. w,
certainly cannot strengthen our position
by acquiring maritime colony to excite
the cupidity Of our enemy, while it offer
him the best possible opportuniy to DO us
harm.
He admitted that the acqusi sition o.
| Cuba would increase the commerce Of the
country; but, while the North would thus
reap a rich harvest. it might, on the other
hand, paralyze the great slave interest at
the Sputh, engaged in raising sugar. A,
the same time, our 'rnmerce may be We
ry greatly increased by notifications o
the commercial REGULATE ms of the coun
tries. Upon this point Mr.. b. prcsente
an extended and very intelligent argu
ment, discussing the laws affecting ou
commerce with Cuba, pointing ont thei
defects, and suggesting the remedies
The annexation OF Cuba, lie then conten
ded, cannot benefit the South cannot b,
a wise Southern measure. Cuba bein!
a'reaI y an old and settled country, cal
offer to the Sou.h no new and vast fcI,
to which the people Of the South cln q,
to improve their condition, as il the cas-,
Of Texas. 1t is not only civilized, bu
populous, and cmigrants there could ge
no lands at prices less than they can FIND
them in our own planting States, ant
probably not so cheaply. Tennessee Of
fers q much better field. Cuba woulc
not be st 'ble community either, or, il
other words, competent to self govern
ment, because the race Of people whicl
inhabis it are not naturally capable o
self-government, and their training ha
not fitted them for it. Under no circum
stances have tue Spanish race ever beel
able to maintain republic. Their unfit
ness to sustain free institutions, marks ant
blots every page Of their history. No
did he believe Cuba could be relied upol
to continue as a slave State. OF he
100000 negroes, 100000 are free ne
groes these free negroes are elevated rel
atively, by b'ing in contact with an infe
rlor race Of whites--the Creole masses @
Cuba. There is no abrupt line Of demar
kation between the two races, there is al
approach to equality between the races
which is fostered by the Spanish govern
ment as great political idea to checl
any tendency on the part Of the Creole
to revolution. The free negroes have, il
some instances, had special exclusive al
yantages, and have been enrolled in tn
army and taught the use Of arms, Will
the Creoles have been vigorously EXCLUDES
from the army. From these and othc
considerations, Mr.. Boyce could not bu
consider the free negro element in Cub
as most dangerous, and not auguring we
for the institution Of slavery there. Tvs
hundred thousand Spanish free negro,
seemed to him more like Two hundre
thousand half 1t torches, which sing
fash may light up and set the whole !
: land in fame at any moment. Whe
he remembered that il was this same fr'
negro race which upturned the entire $
: cial fabric in ST Domingo, and wreake
Q sucll infinite slaughter upon the viii