Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-04-18
our cuban poIicy during Thirty Years.


the formation of public sentiment in Europe than IN
the United States The consequence has been, that
8 whilst the popular judgment in our country has
sanctioned and efectuated many extensive and val
liable additions to our territory the impression has
! been made on the European mind that our passion
for land is restrained by scruples as to the NOR
atty or legality of the means adopted for its grat
cation For the prevalence of this grossly crrone-
Gus and unjust sentiment abroad we are indebted to
the Misrepresentation of the class of Journals
(which are seeking at present to defeat the annexa-
ton of Cuba upon the charge that the policy which
favors its acquisition is dictated by an unscrupulous
passion for territorial expansion. One of the most
triumphant vindications of our national character
against this injurious European impression ever made
is contained in Mr. Marcys letter of instructions to
Mr.. Buchanan, minister to Great Britain. 1t
is Short concise, dignied, and forcbe at the same
time there is vein of sarcasm in it which is biting
in the extreme. We reproduce it, peculiarly ap-
plicable to the existing state of things:
"The fact cannot be disguised that both England
and France suspect the United States of design to
detach from Spain the island of Cuba, ndappropri-
ate it to themselves without regard to the rights OF
Spain or respect for the law of nations. Their SIM
ultaneous movement on that occasion is unqueston-
able evidence that they then INDUCED that belief
There is nothing in the history of past course
as nation to justify such unworthy suspicious 1t
is true I'VE have in the last half century greatly en-
larged territories and have Great Britain and
France enlarged theirs; but we have done it in
manner that may proudly challenge the most rigid
scrutiny of mankind. In territorial expansion
INTERNATIONAL law mas Deen OOSerVeQ, the TSnlS VI
others vigorously respected nothing, in Short has
been done to justify the slightest suspicion of rapac-
ty. The government of the United States is not I'M
willing to submit its whole public conduct in this, or
indeed in all other respects, to the most scrupuous
examination. But if our course had been less open
ly marked by honor and honest intention, England
and France should reluctantly be our accusers. We
need go further back than to the British orders
in council and the imperial DEGREES of France, to
show that we have been the victim of the broken
law of nations-not the vioators of the law. We
have not subverted ancient governments, or wrested
from feeble dynasties possessions which they have
held for ages, to add domninns to our own
but every acquisition We have made has been obtain
ed by an equivalent voluntarily accepted"
There is bold defiance of scrutiny as to our past
natl nal policy in regard to territorial acquisitions
in the foregoing remarks, which shows with how
much consciousness of rectitude Mr.. Marcy throws
down the gauntlet and challenges Eng and and France
to comparison of the questions of honor and hon
est intention" involved in their respective acquis
tons of territory. This is challenge which either
England nor France any of their apologists and
organs in this country, will meet: History abounds
in materials for the settlement of such issue and
knowledge of this fact and of the character of the
materials will always induce the traducers of our
national character to avoid the issue so defanty
rendered by Mr.. Marcy. Against the charge OF ill
busterism and of an INSCRIPTIONS propensity to
add to our territory, we can confidently appeal to
the pages of political history, and upon the
strength of the evidence there recorded pronounce
the charge national calumny.
But In regard to the annexation of Cuba we de-
sire to go step further and to show that the charge
as applicable to that subject is especially false and
1t will fall in way, Also to explode
another erroneous impression to Of the lead
ng motives which control the advocates of Cuban
allude to the impression sought to
De made that the desire to acquire Cuba originates
n spirit of pro-savery propagandsm.
The policy of annexing Cuba has been a subject
If national interest and national discussion for
han thirty years. During this whole period the
great Importance of the acquisition has been felt and
declared by the leading statesmen of both parties
lnder every administration from Mr.. Monroe to the
present time. Mr.. Forsyth, as minister to Madrid
n 1922 Mr.. Adams, as Secretary of State in 1925;
ir. Clay, as Secretary of State in 1926 Mr.. A. II.
everett minister to Spain in 1926 Mr.. Van Buren,,
IS Secretary of State in 1929; Mr.. Stevenson, as |
Minister to England in 1887; Mr.. Webster, as Sec
etary of State in 1S43 Mr.. Irving, as minister to |
spain in 1S43 Mr.. Upshur, Secretary of State in
S44 Mr.. Buchanan as Secretary Of State in 1S47; |
lr Saunders, minister to Spain in 1S4S-all these
eading and influential members of both parties and
# all administrations (not to enumerate those since
$50 concurred in the sentiment that the annexa-
ion of Cuba to the United States was OF vast mo-
lent, whether viewed in a POLITICAL moral, or COM
1ercal aspect. For moro than thirty years there
annot be said truthfully to have been any real d.
ision of opinion on this subject. The annexation
f Cuba has been made an exception to the general
ne of territorial acquisition by the most prominent
nd earnest opponents of that policy. When it is
nown by every intelligent that during the last
rnment could not have made Cuba her own if she
ad determined to exert the power she possessed, |
le inquiry is PERTINENT Why has the annexation
OF been effected? If we nation of fillbusters
greedy for more land and Indifferent whether
ct it legally or illegally-how does it happen that
hist we have been acquiring boundless domains
other quarters, we have not taken Cuba, which
as been all the time within our grasp? We would
glad to this question answered by some of the
reign organs which now charge that we pro-
oking unjust collision with Spain, pretext
r gratifying our land-stealing propensity by Selling
pom Cuba.
Before proceed to give the real answer, we pre-
r to turn to the record and show from the highest
I'd most disinterested authority the grounds on
hch this u-broken sentiment in favor of the acqui
ton of Cuba has always rested Mr.. John O. |
dams is the highest authority, because all know
at his political associations were with the oppo-
,nts of the general doctrine of territorial acquisi
'ns, and that his views to slavery would predis
'se him to oppose the annexation of Cuba. We
peal, then, to his record for the real grounds on
hich the annexation of Cuba has become national
ntiment. In 1928 he said: "
" But the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico still re-
ain nomnally, and so far really, dependent upon
r. that she yet possesses the power of transferring
r own dominion over them, together with the pos
ssion of them, to others. These islands, from their
'0I position and natural Gppe,adGges to the North
neracoa continent, and one Of them, Cuba almost
sight Of oar Shores from multitude Of consider
ions, has became object Of transcendent iapor-
to the commercial and political interests ofour
mon. Its commanding position with reference to
e Gulf of Mexico and the West India Seas; the ;
aracter of its population its situation midway be-
cen our southern coast and the island of ST Do.