The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-03
Mr.. BUCHANAN AND THE CHARGE OF fiLLlBus,

papabe disregard OF truth than the charge offbus
tsrsa against Mr. Buchanan as based upon the ostend
manifesto We took occasion days ago 70 expose The
seness of this impuation by reference 10 the 0stend doc
umsnt itself The New York Evening Post Acknowledges
that this document contained other passages than those
quoted by u.s. Interpretation Of its meaning could not
we'll be controvered II then proceeds to cite another
passage and that the charge. We have more
respect for the Of the Post than for most Of its abo
ton cotemporaries which make the charge and meany
refuse to sustain it. attempt to sustain it, by the proof
The 0stend document itself furnishes complete rentaton
Of the charge and no who is disposed to be just
read il and Gail to feel the gross injustice done to Mr.
buchanan by the imputation to him Of dttibnstersm
Tho following extract from the article in the Post will
show our construction Of the Ostend document and the
grounds Of the exception taken to 1t by that journal
The Union states Mr. Bachanans scheme acquisition
| of Cuba by force in these words
"Mr Buchanans position Is that If Spain refuses to
will DO time to consider the question. Does Cuba In the
session Of Spain seriously endanger our internal peace and
Spain refuses TO sell at such price, II win then be time
for government to consider the momenous question
shall DO decided in tho affirmative, then to ourselves
from ruin should take Cuba at any cost or peril who
can successfully gansay this proposition ?"
To support this view the Union quotes from Mr. Buchan-
| ans Ostend manifesto the following passage:'
eater we shall have offered Spain price for Cuba far
beyond Its present value and this sha have been refused 1t
Spain seriously sndanger internal peace and
the existence OF our cherished Uniona
by every law, human and divine, We shall be justified in
Wrestling II from Spain we possess the this upon
tearing the burning house Of his neghbor there
other means Of preventing the flames from destroying his
under such we ought neither to count Ae
cost nor regard the odds which Spain might enlist against
e enter into AZ eng
the Osend manifesto contained only this passage IN rea
ton TO Cuba there would be pausbiy in the inter-
probation which the Union attempts to upon that remaka
Bile State paper But it happens, unfortunately that the
manifesto contains another PASSAGE in which 1T is expressly
assorted that the possession Of Cuba by Spain of
constant danger to tho Omitted States Here st Is
passage preceding that which we have just quoted:
Considerations exist which render delay in the acquisition
of this island exceedingly 70 the United states
within m mt and the tyranny and oppression which char
Its immediate rulers threaten an nsurrecton at
cry moment which may result in dreul consequences TO the
American people.
SCUBA has thus become unceasing danger, and
permanent cause Of anxiety and ALARM
Put these passages together In the first place, Mr.
Buchanan declares that delay In the acquisition OF Cuba is
exceedingly dangerous to the United States the system of
immigration that island and of labor which has been late
introduced, makes it Everybody knows what that
system an attempt to modify the institution OF slavery
and soften rgors After abiding to this subject Mr. b.
chanan repeats Cuba in M present state is unceang
danger to United States and permanent Of anx
city and alarm. .-..
II so happens that the Pest oyerooks the fact omis
to state It, that in article to which 1t replies we did
quote the passage which it relies and quoted it in
the position which occupied in the document We
did do the authors Of the paper the injustice of aepa
rating 1t from It's context the Post has DONE for the
purpose of incorporating its true meaning This pas
sage contains the conclusion Of tho seasoning Of Messs
Soule Mason and Buchanan as 10 the mportance Of
qurng Cuba and the danger Of delay in the accapsh-
ment Of that object Having shown the Importance OF the
ACQUISITION by array Of facts which unanswerable,
they proceeded point to the danger Of delay from the
fact that instruction in the island threatened
every moment in consequence Of the system Of mmgra
ton and labor lately organized within Its limits and
closing with the passage relied by the Posts "Cuba
thus becomes to unceasing danger, and perma-
nent cause Of anxiety and alarm" This language ex-
presses strongly the conviction Of tho coaeees to the
Importance Of adopting immediate steps for the
QUESTION of Cuba This all that 1t was design
ed to do. The mode of accomplishing object deem.
ed so important reserved for consideration after
having shown that II well the Interest Of Spain and
Cuba as Of the United States that Cuba should become part
and parcel Of our government The positions OF the
ferrees may DO stated in their order follows first tho
importance Of the acquisition the United States second
the danger OF delay In the acquisition third the import
ance OF the acquisition both Spain and Cuba Those
points being discussed and settled the conees proceed
70 suggest the means Of concentrating the objOcL Two
modes are discussed Grst by purchase-and this dis
ncy indicated by the confcees the natural peaceful
and proper mode and second In the event Of the failure
OF this mode the resort 10 forcbe seizure Is discussed
On this subject they lay down the great law Of self
preservation as applicable TO nations as well as indi-
viduas but they expressly decline to express any opn-
ion whether The danger 10 goYsFaneut is such
10 justify this last resort or not Thsy show thHi
delay would be exceedingly dangerous; but whether so
dangerous as to call for the application Of the law Of
sefpreseryaon or not they submit the consideration
Of our ren Spain shall have refused 70 sell
the island 1t palpable injustice TO Mr.. Buchanan
sumo that because he believed that SCUBA has become
unceasng danger and permanent Of anxiety and
alarm therefore he believed the danger imminent
TO call for immediate resort to orciblc seizure In order
TO save our own government from ruin The fact that he
declined 10 express such opinion but referred the mat
ter 10 our without indicating his advceon the
subject 10 conclusive on the question Instead Of saying
70 our government Cuba has become dangerous to
make lie Immediate acquisition essential for ownse
he says Cuba has become 10 us permanent
danger and therefore IL ought be acquired can be
acquired BY purchase that mode oughtto be adopted but