The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-06-25
.CBt 9ailp yournal,
JAMES BUCHANANs CONSERVATISM THE
OSTEND CONFERENCE EXPLAINED.

number of the newspapers are DISCUSSING
the question whether or no James Buchanan
is a conservative in foreign policy. In the
speech he lately made at Wheatland in reply
to deputation, he claimed to be conserva.
tive himself, and to be standing on a thorough.
ly conservative platform, both as regarded the
foreign and the domestic interests of the coun-
try On the other hand, number of Journals
are pointing to the famous Ostend manifesto
to which his name is attached, and in which il
is urged that the very existence of the United
States involves the political necessity of f''wrest-
lng'' Cuba from Spain in the event of refusal
on the part Of that Power to sell it to them fo1
la fixed sum of money. TLis manfesto-the
obvious tendency Of which was to plunge the
United States into sudden war with Spain
and her allies-is attempted to be explained
away by Mr. Buchanan's friends, who urge that
the contingency it contemplated is yet distant.
We suspect, on the contrary, that it was not
intended to refer to any distant contingency;
but that perfect and complete history of Mr.
Pierre Soule's mission to Spain, his negotia-
tions, his movements and his private opera
tions, both at Washington and in Europe,
would tend to show that the Ostend confer
ence and manifesto were the beginning of a
plan Of operations that were expected to lead
bic results and complications between the
United States and Europe, and woull perhaps
have caused a revolution of enormous extent
Involving both continents in war.
| 1t is we'll known in diplomatic circles at
| Washington that when Mr.. Pierre Soule was
appointed Minister to Spain by the President
he arranged his own instructions in concert
with Mr.. Pierce, and maturcd plan of opera
tion for the acquisition of Cuba, according to
| their Joint notions. MIR. Gushing was perhaps
party to the scheme; Mr.. Marcy was not, but
NJ. Soule never imagined that he would, as
Secretary Of State, raise any objection to the
policy agreed upon between the President and
| himself
| The plan was this:-M. Soule was authoriz
ed by his government to offer the government
Of Spain one hundred or one hundred and
twenty millions of dollars for Cuba. lie was
also instructed to demand immediate redress
for the numerous outrages comitted by Span
ish vessels off and near Cuba on American
commerce On the first point his instructions
were complete when he sailed; he took them
out with him. On the second, they were de-
| layed till after he had gone, in order to suit
the convenience Of Marcy. Meanwhile Soule
sailed for Europe. In London, he had repeat
cd interviews with the members Of the Revo-
lutionary Committee-Mazzin Ledru Rollin,
! Kossuih--and with their advice and assistance
the plan Of operations he was to carry out was
expanded. The United States were to be used
as fucrum on which the revolutionary lever
was to rest; the crisis of the Eastern war was
to bc turned to account, and while the three
leading Powers were engaged ON the Black
Sea, the whole of Western Europe was to be
reused, and thrown into a general blaze.
In pursuance Of this scheme, the American
hot
fuse to grant the demanded reparation for out
RACES on American commerce. This happen
ing an expedition was TO he instantly fitted
out in the United States, and Cuba seized us
a material guarantee for the reparation due /;
i just on the same principle as the Principali-
ties were seized by Russia as material guar
antee for the consent of Turkey to her terms.
l A secret treaty was well known to exist be
i tween England, France and Spain, securing to
the latter the unmolcsted possession Of Cuba,
especially against the United States this
treaty would compel the maritime Powers to
take up hostile position in reference to the
| United States; and this would ill moment
interrupt all commerce and friendly inter
course between the United States and the
| Western coast of Europe. The supplies Of
breadstufiS and cotton from America being
suddenly stopped, the masses both in England
and France would, it was expected, he preclp-
4 itated into insu1Tecton and revolution.
Such was the plan of operations conceived
-Iby MaZzini kossuth, Ledru Rollin and their
associates. IN combination with the movement
of Soule In order to bring the Pierce Marcy
: administration to take the first important step
! in this matter-namely, to break the peace
e toward Spain, and seize Cuba as material
Iguarantee-it was necessary to procure the
! concurrence of the American Ministers in Paris
: and London in some general principles looking
(, to such contingency. Hence the necessity
for the Conference. About the same time Mr..
= Daniel Sickles, shrewd politician, was ap-
f pointed secretary to Mr.. Buchanan at London.
Mr.. George N. Sanders, politician OF the
same school, and a man of strong reYolutlona-
, ry tendencies. was appointed Consul to Lon
don. Mr.. Piatt, of Cincinnati, man OF SIN
gular original talent, but an ultra revolution
e list, was named Secretary to Mr.. Mason at
e Paris. They all united at the .Ostend Confer
k ence, and adopted plan which committed
= MesSrs. Buchanan and Mason to principles
: which covered the whole revolutionary pro
rranme, in combination with the schemes o.
E. .edru Rolln, MaZzni and kossuth. Mr.. Ma
ls son is understood to have fallen in with the
idea at once Mr. BuchanCn hesitated ; but
at last he was won over, and con g ltcd to take
a: the lead of the movement, us is shown BY the
or appearance of his name at the head OF tne
r signers of the manifesto, which was lSSueu AZ
IS; a groundwork for movements that ultimately
embraced the part cipation o1 the ChiVeI
States q the Eastern war, as a means Vi rev
tolutionlzng Western Europe
TTboee facts are well known to the initiated
"a :; ondon Paris and Washington. MIR. Blu
obapan concurred in the Ostend manifesto
with a full knowledge of its purpose, its OBJ
10 ;o.+r and its real meaning. As a preparation