True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-06-18

provisO, which may amount to
everything or nothing as the Constitution
should happen to be interpreted.
The most equivOcal passages of the
Platform so far as the foreign policy Of
the country is concerned are the follow.
inng -
2. RESOLVED, That our geographicaland
political position with reference to other
States Of the Continent, no less than
the interests Of our commerce and the
development Of our growing power, re-
quire that we hold to the sacred princi-
pies involved in the Monroe doctrine.
Their bearing and import, which admit Of
no misconstruciiCn, should be applied
with unbending rigidity.
8. ReSOlUed, That the great highway
which nature, as well as the assent of the
States most Immediately interested in its
maintenance, has marked for free com
municalion between the Atlantic and the
Pacific Oceans, constitutes ono Of the
most important achievements realized by
the spirit of modern times and the uncon.
querable energy of our people, and that
this result should be secured by timely
and efficient exeltion Of the control which
we have the right to claim over it. No
power OH earth should be suffered to i'm.
pede or clog its progress by any interfcr-
ence with the relations that it may suit
our policy to establish with the govern
ments of States within whose dominions
it lies. We can, under no circumstances,
sun nender our preponderance in the ad-
justment of all questions arising out OF it.
4. Resolved, That in view of so COM
manding an interest. the people Of the
United States, cannot but sympathize
with The efforts which are being made by
the people of Central America TO regen-
crate that portion Of the Continent which
covers the passage across the Interocean-
ic Is;hmus.
5. Resolved, That the Democratic par
ty will expect from the next administra-
ton that every proper effort be made to
Secure our ascendency in the Gulf of
Mexico, so as 10 maintain the permanent
protection of the great outlets through
which is emplied into its waters the pro-
ducts raised on the soil and commodities
created by the industry of the people Of
our western valleys and the Union at
large.
In what manner Mr.. Buchanan will
construe the above passages of the
platform, can only be inferred from his
antecedenls. Those antecedents are gen.
orally Of a cautious and reaceable charac-
ter-with the exception Of the recent pro-
ceedings at the Ostend Conference. Up
on that occasion it will be remembered,
he signed his name, as Minister to Eng
land, to manifesto containing the follow
ing passages -
While two thirds Of the price of the
Island would be ample for the completion
other (Spain's) most important public i'm
provements, she might, with the remain
ing forty millions, satisfy the demands
now pressing so heavily upon her credit,
and create sinking fund which would
gradually relieve her from the overwhel-
ming debt now paralyzing her energies.
Our past history forbids that we should
acquire the Island of Cuba without the
consent Of Spain, unless justified by the
great law OF self-preservation. We must,
in any event, preserve our own conscious
recttude and our own self-respect.
While pursuing this course, we can
afford to disregard the censures Of the
world, to which we have been ST. often and
so unjustly exposed.
After we shall have offered Spain a
price for Cuba far beyond its present val.
ue, ($l20,OO ,OOO,) and this shall have
been refused, it will then be time to
consider the question-does Cuba in the
possession Of Spain, seriously endangel
our internal peace and the existence oI
our cherished Union
Should this question be answered in
the affirmative, then, by every law, hu'
man and Divine, we shall be justified il
wrestling it from Spain, if we possess the
power. And this upon the very same
principle that would Justify an individual
in tearing down the burning house of bis
neigh5or, if there were no other mean
of preventing flames from destroying hil
own home.
Under such circumstances we ough
neither to count the cost, nor regard III,
odds which Spain might enlist against US
We forbear to enter into the question
whether the present condition Of the Is
land would justify such a measure. w,
should, however. be recreant to our duty
be unworthy of our gallant forefathers
and commit base treason against our pos
terity, should we permit Cuba to be Afr
canized; and become a second St. Do
mingo, with all its attendant horrors +
the white race, and suffer the flames t
extend to our neighboring shores, serious
ly to endanger, or actually 10 costume tn
fair fabric Of our Union
1t is very evident thatif Mr.. Buchana
interprets the foreign policy of the Gin
cinati platform as in accordance with hi
own views as expressed at Oslend, an
attempts, to carry those views into prac
tical eifect-he will have conflict wit
he allied forces of Great Britain, Franc