The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-07
eH7HI1Fra 30 "a
CONGRESSIONAL.
BRrrisH PoLIcY IN cEs.RA AMERICA IND CUBA.
SPEECH OF HON. II. l.. CLINGMAN,


BRrrisH roLIcY IN oEs.RAL AMERICA IND CUBA,
SPEECH OF HON. II. l.. CLINGmAN,
or NORTH CAROLINA,
10 the House Of Representatives February 5, 1881
Tie House being ia the Committee Of the Whole the
state of the Unon--
Mr.. CLINGMAN saids
Mr. CHAIRMAN Ny purpose in rising TO address the com
saiec to-day is to call the attention of gentlemen 70
subject OF some Preccal Importance At TINS ts ana Of
points s already understood 10 be undergoing examination
u the other end OF this Capitol aud nope of these
days bring another important branch oft the con-
sidsrAtion Of the Ameican Congress Before referring d
recty TO these points however dese TO offer gem
eral observations, which nevertheless have direct bearing
on them
Much Is said sir vfhiibustering; and when the British
newspapers res1 as lectures our propensie5 In that
respect soe OF our people hold up their hands Is
horror at The prospect presented Of the moral deay of
the cclntry 1t is undoubtedly true that elhce the
pencement of existence nation have extended
our territory from t Ness than million of square
miles to about three millions. How stands the with
Great Bnain2 The whole island including England,
Scotland and Wales has of eighynne thousand
square miles and yet the entire dominion governed by this
island includes territory to the of nearly eight mil
lion square miles While have added handred per
cent to territory she has acquired about pie thou
ninety And yet she shocked while witnessing
rapacy for acquisition, and complains that the Ameri-
eagle is fast fowlE-a greedy bird. wbsS then,
shall we say of the appetite Of the British ion2 Why,
her possessions in North America alone extern
sve than all the territory of the United ates. Her
Australian dominions ato themselves, likewise
tensve than all we hold In The East Indies terri.
tory larger thar the settled Parts of the United States she
controls Acspotcally population of oae hundred and
forty millions Besides th,sA she has her provinces,
isnds and military and savnl stations in every and
every shore used to be the boast of Spain that the
did not sct upon her empire but whichever side of the
globe be urnod 10 that uminay and any hour of che
twenty 1t never fails to send its rays down oec-
ton Of The British empire larger than all the United States
Nor have her efforts to expand her domain been relaxed in
view OF her immense acquisitions but the contrary they
are at this very time being pressed forward with
both BY the Government and its subjects.
They denounco us for alleged failures to maintain
ssrct neutrality towards other countries but this Gov
erRUcnt was the first to pass laws that subject and
ear statutes more strict think and have been better
observed than those Of most countries In Great Britain
they are liable at any time to be suspended by the will of
the Grown; and, in fact bodies Of many thousand men
have been organized without objection in and about Lon
dom to carry wars in the Spanish Peninsula and else
where while the Government protested to be at with
the parties assae Indeed companies have been charter
cd by the Parliament to carry what would in these
days be called flibusering operations The East India
the United States assaed because individuals have
gone down into Central America to aid Walker. Wha.
would they then, say OF u.s. If Congress should charter
company the "Transt Company for example, and furnish
u with men and money TO conquer and hold Central
Amcrica for benefit? And yet such would be
following the example of Great Britain in chartering and
uphoding the East India Company and enabling it to
conquer and enslave people 1--WE times numerous
the whole population of the United States.
but SO has been our proprcss in ali other respects Our
tonnage equas-probably exceeds-tha of Great Britain
herself We have changed the system of maritime law for
the world and Britain no longer boasts of possessing the
empre of the seas
Already has been verified in part the prediction of
Pownal the sagacous Epglishman who nearly century
ago said:
sAmeric. will come to market in her oun ,hinn;nv and
viii, claim he ncs.n ~ omnn N ~. oWa Ppts, aau
strained by no laws but the law Of nations reformed AS the
rising crisis requires" -,
america will seem every day to approach nearer and
nearer to Europe"
,..r.ss aT ~" 49,. ~ Iun 40 uAcu as ia.e 5hc "
.rs.sts M IN s MN nov .nst II Is SO ana NY,
lar own syssrs and IN channe the :, ear 81 r
world s ner.ns Se she ~ OF de
'.''neSs o' .ne worid.
30 remarkable has been progress that these wonder
Britain has herself too by her conduct verified another
striking predction that tbe sovereono ~ Emrnna
~, !, =, -, :. ANiop' II.
.ney shai ma inc system OF this new empire not
upon he effects OF all their settled maxims and
Sumcu measures' tney VII! call upon their ministers
;h , ZONE, curse me th!s people, Ior they are toe
~ o, eI statesmen WIN De dumDj put the spirit
cnrsoS ""'~er no" sha curse wsom Uod hath not
0uioeu
Great Britain has exhibited the feelings here depicted
and has resisted our propress with
and an energy credabe to her ambitious sarac,y r MOI
To her usce and magnanm;tv a,tarl, she ~ al.
"a her efTorts II M f., 49, 'loy spe nes u.tecV-
territory and ssconaI p, ~ pfesea. a9t assuring
,uS u, Seoonuiy, 70 render that territory II ac-
ao, nouco =. weakness rainier IMAM strength 1t is
~ nel Poucy on .nese Two points that now Mt Chair
Holding she does herself the entire northern half Of
this continent she easily bars our progress in that drec
tioD On and western borders are The