Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-12-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

), THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The leading features Of the Presidents Message
are a falsifed retrospect of Kansas history. and a
desire to extend the 'aren Of freedom" over Cuba,
Sonora and chihuahua. OF Cuba he sayss
Spanish officials, under the direct control of the
captain general of Cubs. have inrulted our nation
al flag. and, in repeated instances. have from time
, to time inflicted injuries on the persons and prop.
erty Of our citizens. These have given birth to
numerous claims against the Spanish government,
the merits of which have been ably discussed for
q series of years, by our successive diplomatic rep
resentatives. Notwithstanding this, we have not
arrived at a practical result in any single instance,
unless we may excep. the case of the Black War.
rior under the late administrator and that pre-.
scented an outrage of such n character as would
have justified an immediate resort to war. All our
attempts to obtain redress have been bafied and
defeated. The frequent and oft-recurring changes
by the Spanish ministry, have been employed as
reasons for delay. We have been compelled to
wait, again and again, until the new minister shall
have had time to investigate the justice Of our de-
mands.
wv "hob hoN0 u Ouohh
claims, in which more than q hundred of our cit.
liens are directly interested, have furnished no
exception. These claims were for the refunding
of duties ~unjustly exacted from American vessels
at difereat custom houses in Cuba. so long ago as
the year 1874. The principles upon which they
rest are so msnifestly equitable and just, that af.
ter a period Of nearly ten years. in 1854, they
were recognized by the Spanish government. Pre-
~ceedings were afterwards Instituted to ascertain
their amount, and this was finally fsed according
to their own statement with which we were salts
fed lat the sum Of one hundred and twenty eight
thousand six hundred and thirty five dollars and
fifty four cents. ,Just at the moment, after a de.
lay of fourteen years, when we had reason to ex.
} pect, that this eum would be repaid with interest,
we have received a proposal offering to refund one.
third Of that amount (forty.two thousand eight
hundred AMI seventy eight dollars and forty one
cents but without interest, il we would accept
this in fu | satisfaction. The offer is, also, accom-
panied by n declaration, that this decentralization
is not founded on any reason of strict justice but
is made as a special favor.
One alleged cause for procrastination, in the ex-
animation aud adjustment Of our claims, arises
from an obstacle which il is the duty of the Span.
ish government to remove. Whilst the captain,
general of Cuba, is invested with general despot.
ic authority in the government of that island. the
power is withheld from him to examine and re.
dress wrongs committed by the officials under his
control, on citizens of the United States. Instead
CT making our complaints directly to him atIIavana
we are Obliged to present them through our min.
lister at Madrid. These are then referred back to
the captain. general for information and much
time is thus consumed in preliminary investiga
tiops and correspondence between Madrid and Gu.
} ba, before the spanish government will consent to
proceed to negotiation. Many of the difficulties
} between the two governments would be obviated,
and a long train of negotiation avoided, if the
captain. general were invested with authority to
settle questions of easy solution on the spot, where
all the facts are fresh. and could be promptly and
satisfactorily ascertained. We have hitherto in
vain urged upon the Spanish government, to con.
fer this power upon the captain general, and our
minister to Spain will again be instructed to urge
this subject on ;heir notice. In this respect we
occnpy O different position from the powers of
Europe. Cuba is almost within sight of our
shores ; our MINER with it is far greater than
any other nation, including Spain itself, and our
} citizens are in the habit Of daily and extended per.
sonal intercourse with ever part of the island.
1t is, therefore, u great grievance that, when any
difficulty occurs, no matter how unimportant
which might be readily settled. at the moment
we should be obliged to resort to Madrid, especi,
ally when the very first step to be taken is
to refer i; back to Cula.
The truth is that Cuba, in its existing colonial
condition. is a constant source of injury and an.
noyance to the American people. 1t is the only
spot in the civilized world where the African
slave.trade is tolerated and we are bound by
treaty with Great EBritain. to maintain a naval
force on the coast of Africa, at much expence
both of life and treasure, solely for the purpose of
srresting slavers bound to that island. The late
serious difficulties between the United States and
Great Britain, respecting the right of search, now
so happily terminated, could never have arisen
if Coba had not afforded a market for slaves. As
long as this market shall remain open, there can
be no hope for the civilization Of b~enighted Afri.
ca. While the demand for slaves continue in Gu.
ba, wars will be waged among the petty and bar
barous chiefs in Africa, for the purpose of ssiziLg
subjects to supply this trade. In such a condi.
ton of affairs, it is impossible that the light of
civilization and religion can ever penetrate these
dark clouds.
1t has been made known to the world by my
predecessors. that the United States have, on sew.
eral occasions, endeavored to acquire Cuba from
Spain by honorable negotiation. II this were &C.
complished the last relic of the African slave.trade
would instantly disappear. We would not, if we
could. acquire Cuba in any other manner. This
is due to our national character. All the terrific.
~ which we have acquired since the origin of
the government, has been by fair purchase from
France, Spain and Mexico. or by the free and
voluntary act OF the independent State Of Texas,
in blending her destinies with our own. This
course We shall pursue. unless circumstances
should occur, which we do not now anticipate,
rendering a departure from it clearly justifable,