Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-06-19
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
bis signature aud that of Messrs. Mason
and Soule. In it Mr.. Buchanan fully commits
himself to the policy Of securing Cuba
peaceably if we can-foseibly If we must"
Let the reader observe with what circumlocu-
ton the manifesto approaches the climax of
robbery-how it dallies with the ultimatum
before it puts forth in all detormity. A New
York paper says the nomination of Buchan-
an has given feeling Of security among the
note shavers and stock brokers of Wall
street. If the nerves of Wall street are
very sensitive, they certainly must be very
easily quoted, for Buchauan's conservatism
is a myth, or at least thing of tho past:
"But if Spain, deaf to the voice of her
own interest, and actuated by stubborn pride
and false sense of honor, should refuse to
sell Cuba to the United States, then the ques-
ton will arise, what ought to be the course
Of the American government under such cir
cumstances! Self-preservation is the first law
of nature with States as well as with indlvidu-
ais. All nations at different periods acted
upon this maxim. Although it has been
made the pretext for committing fragrant in.
Justice, as in the partition of Poland, and
other similar cases which history records, yet
the principles itself, though often abused, has
always been recognized. The United States
has never acquired foot Of territory ex.
cept by fair purchase, or, as in the case OF
Texas, upon the free and voluntary applica.
lions of the people of that independent State
who desire to blend their destinies with our
own. Even our acquisition from Mexico are
no exception to the rule, because, although
we mis- ht 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 forbids that we should acquire the
Island of Cuba without the consent of Spain
unless justified by the great law of selfpres'
ervation. We must, in any event, preserve
our own conscious sectitude and onr Owl
self-respect =
While pursuing this course, We can afford
to disregard the censures of the world to
which we have been so often and so un-
justly exposed. After we shall have offered
Spain price for Cuba far beyond its
paesent value, and this shall have been re-
fused, it will then be time to consider the
question, does Cuba in the possession OF
Spain seriously endanger oar internal peace
and the cxistancc Of our cherished Union
Should these quest on be answered in the al
6rmative, then by every law human and di
vine, zoe shall be justefed IN ae7estang d
from Spain if aoe possess the poaoer. And
this upon the very same principle that would
justefy an individual in tearing down the
burning houses of his neighbor II there were
no other means of preventing the flames
from destroying his own home Under such
circumstances, aoe ought neither to count the
cost nor regard the odds Ohich Spain NIGH
enlist against as.
We forbear to enter into the question
whether the present condition of the Island
would justefy such a measure. We should
however, be recreant to our duty-be un.
worthy Of our gallant lorefathers,. and com
NIT base treason against our posterity, should
we permit Cuba to be Africanized aud be.
come seconed St. Domingo, with all its at.
tendant horrors to the white race, and suffer
the flames to extend tie our ncighboring
shores, seriously to endanger Or actually tc
consume the fair fabric Of our Union. We
fear that the course and current of events are
rapidly tending toward such catastrophe.
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