The true Democrat., 1855-04-04

ter of instructions written by MT. Secretary Marcy to Mir. Buchanan, protesting against the intervention of England in the unsettled af- fairs of Spain and this country relating to Cuba. 1T. Marcy to -Nr. Buchanbam-[ ExrRAcT1
 DEPARTMENNT OF STATE,
 WoshingtOn, July 2, 1853.
 SIR: 1 ought not to conclude this communication wlthouC indicating the views of the President Tn relation to the intervention of Great Britain Ill con junction with France in the affairs of Cuba. These powers proposed to this Government in April, 1852, to enter into triparite convention for guaranteeing the Span- nish dominion over Cuba. Tho proposition was very properly declined by this government To this course neither England nor France could justly take exceptions; but they have conont- lv expressed dissatisfaction with certain parts of the letter of my predecessor, MT. Everett, re- ecting their overture. In future dispatch I may submit to you the Presidents opinions up- on this joint protest, as he regards 1t, against some of the doctrines contained in that letter. for the purpose of having them formally pre- sented to the consideration of the government of Great Britain. At this time I shall only state that a distinct ntimation is conveyed by both England and France that they will resist
 
 assist Spain in case of any foreign interference in aid of the Cubans, whether openly CT cov- ertly applied in any attempt they may make to escape from the Spanish yoke.
 The course of England and France in send ing their ships of war on to our coast during the late disturbances respecting that island. without previous notice or specification of their object, and the supervision they claimed the right to exercise along the coast were (to use the mlldeSt expresslon) not respectful to this republic The fact cannot be disguised that both England and France suspect the United States of design to detach from Spain the is- land ot Cuba and appropriate 1t to themselves, without regard to the ri hts of Spain or respect for the law of nations. Their simultaneous movement on that occasion is unquestionable evidence that they then induged that belief There is nothing in the history of our past course as a nation to justify such unworthy sus- picons. It is true we have in the last half-cen tury greatly enlarged our territories, and so have Great Britain and France enlarged theirs but we have done 1t in manner that may proudly challenge the most rigid scrutiny of mankind In our territorial expansion international law has been ob,erved, the rights of others rieor- ously respected; nothing, in short has been done to justify the slightest suspicion of rapaci ty. The government of the United States is not unwilling to submit its whole public con- duct in this, or indeed in all other respects to the most scrupulouS examination; but if our course had been less openly marked by honor and honest intention, England and France should reluctantly be our accusers. We need go no further back than to the orders in the British orders in council and the imperial de- creeS of France to show that we have been the inn, of h,ab brolv oc OlatorS of that law. We have not subyerted ancient governments or wrested from feeble dv nastles possessions which they have held for ages to add new domlnons to our own; but ev- cry acquisition we have made has been obtain ed by en equivalent voluntarily accepted
 For many reasons the United States feel deeply interested in the destiny of Cuba They will never consent to its transfer to eith CT of the intervening nations or to any other foreign State They would regret to see fo- reign powers interfere to sustain Spanish rule in the island should It provoke resistance too for mldable to be overcome by Spain herself
 When oppression overa colony or dependen- cy IS so severe as to excite revolt, and that re- volt becomes too strong to be suppressed by the power which provokes 1t, the oppressor has as- suredty no better right to invoke foreign aid. nor any better excuse for employing it. than the victims of arbitrary misrule have to relief from the same quarter. When it was understood that Spain had applied to the allied sovereigns ot Europe for assistance to recover her revolted colonies in America, the Government of the United States protested in emphatic terms against such procedure: and if the protest had failed in its object this Government would un. dOubtedly have had recourse to other means to arrest such interference.
 It IS lntlmated, though not authoritativelv an- nounced, that 1t Is the design of Spain, whenever she clearly perceives that she can no longer retain possession of Cuba, to render the island worthless to any other power, at the hazard of making It a source of annoyance to this country. and that England is disposed to concur in such measure. Though unwilling to believe that such a scheme is entertained by Spain, orcould be concurred in by England, yet the suggestion Is not too Idle to attract some attention. We do not complain that Great Britain enfort es her treaty supuiatlons in regard to the emancipados in Cuba; but If 1t should prove to be true that she IS using her influence in furtherance of a design to hll that island with emigrants from Africa, Tn order that when Spanish rule over it shall cease It may become an African colony. gwen over to barbarsm, she ought to be con- sclouS that she IS concurrlng Ill an act which in Its consequences must be injurious to the Uni ted States. Africans thus imported and held in limited servitude, and slaves now on the island converted into apprentices, would constitute but another form of slavery and it requires the test of experiment to show how far such substi- tute, under the inevitable abuses which would attend it. would mitigate the evils of the present system.
 Cuba, whatever be its political condition, whether dependency or sovereign State, is of necessity our neighbor. It lies within sight of our coast In carrying on trade between some of our principal cities our vessels must pass along its shore Intercourse with it is unavoda- ble. Standing in that geographical relation, it IS imperative upon us to require from it, what ever may be its condition, all the observances imposed by good neighborhood It must be to the United States no cause of annoyance in it. self, nor must it be used by others as an instru ment of annoyance.
 Great Britain, which has so many reasons for maintaining amicable relations with this coun- try, should be unwilling to hazard the interrup- t1Ot,o of