Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-06-14

Buchanan ON the Acquisition Of Cuba.
The following is the concluding portion Of the
celebrated Ostend manifesto understood TO have
been drawn up by Mr.. buchanan, and which bears
his signature and that of Messrs. Mason and Souls.
In it Mr.. Buchanan fully commits himself to the
policy of securing Cuba, peaceably If we can.
iorcibly II we must" Let the reader observe with
what circumlocution the manifesto approaches the
climax Of robbery--how Il dsllies with the ultima
tum before 1t puts l. forth ia all its deformty a
New York paper says The nomination Of Buchanan
has given u feeling Of security among the note
shavers and Stockholders Of Wall street If the
nerves of Wall street are very sensitive they GER
tainly must be very easily Quilted, for Buchanan's
conservatism is myth, or at least thing Of the
past
But If Spain, deaf 10 the voice of her own inte-
rest and actnated by stubborn pride and false
sense OF honor, should refuse to sell Cuba to the
United States, then the question win arise, What
ought TO be the course of the American govern
ment under such circunstancesy SelEpreservation
is the first law Of nature with States as well AS with
individuals All nations at different periods acted
upon this maxim. Although 1t has been made the
pretexs for committing fragrant injustice, az in the
partition OF Poland, and other similar cases which
history records, yet the principle itself, though
often abused, has always been recognised The
United States has never acquired a foot of terri
tory except by fair purchase, or, as in the of
Texas, upon the free and voluntary application of
the people Of that independent State, who desire
TO blend then destinies with our own. Even our
acquisitions from Mexico are no exception to the
rule, because, although we might have claimed
them by the right OF conquest, in Just war, yet
we purchased them for what was then considered
by both parties full and ample equivalent Our
past history TO, bids that we should acquire the
island Of Cuba without the consent Of Spain unless
justified by the great law of selfprese,vation. We
must, in any event, preserve our own conscious
rectitude and our own selErespect
While pursuing this course, we can afford to dis
regard the censures OF the world to which we have
been 30 often and 80 unjustly exposed. After we
shall have offered Spain price for Cuba far be-
yond Its present value, and this shall have been
refused it will then be time to consider the ques-
ton, does Cuba, In the possession of SPAIN seri-
ously endanger our internal peace and the exist
ence of our cherished Union Should this question
be answered in this Affirmative, then by every law
human and divine, shall be justified in wrestisg
10 Jroaa Spain If zoe possess Tie popsr. And this
upon the very Same principle that would justify
an individual in tearing down the burning houses
OF Ibis neighbOr il there were no other means Of
preventing the flames from destroying his own
home. Under such circumstances, zoe ought neither
10 count the cost regard the odds whicA Spain,
might enlist against ns. s
We forbear to enter into the question whether
the present condition OF the island would Justify
sacha measure. We should however, be recre-
ant.to our duty--be unworthy of our gallant fore
fathers, and commit base treason against our pos
terity, should we permit Cuba to be Africanized
and become second st. Domingo, with all its at
tendant horrors to the white race, and suffer the
flames to extend to our neighboring shores, ser-
ously to endanger or actually to consume the fair
fabric of our Union. We fear that the course and
current of events are rapidly tending toward such
a catastrophe ~ =
JAMES BUCHANAN,
JOHN Y. MASON,
loF PIERRE SOULE.
Arx-LA. CHAPEIIE Octoher IL 1874