Weekly North Carolina standard., 1858-06-02


of social system recognized in that trade. Then
these people are to be hired out and nobody will
deny that they will be treated than the slaves
usually are who belong to those who control them.
maintain that this system is one of enormous cru
city, as every one must at glance Its subjects
will. most probably. be worked to death by the time
their eight or ten years service is over -.
Mr.. Speaker, we have upon the coast of Africa
ships to aid Great Britain in the suppression Of the
slave trade apd yet she is Transporting men who
free comparatively, and vastly superior to the
negro and consigning them in vast numbers to the
most cruel condition of slavery ever known. SUBJ
NIT whether it is not a mockery, whether it is not
hypccrtca in the United States and Great Britain
system is going on. say that it is as hypocritical
as it would be for individual, who had been rob-
bing the poor of thousands systematically, to give
away few shillings ostentatiously on Sunday for
charitable purposes. As we have this agreement
with Great Britain, why not speak out our senti-
ments manfully, and tell her that il she does not
abandon this, we will withdraw squadron from
Africa, and no longer attempt to prevent the carry
ing away of a few negroes to Cuba while countless
numbers of white men being ensaved?
The great objection to our acquiring Mexico as
WHOLE is to be found in the fact of the existence
there Of large population of Indians and other in
ferior persons. Suppose Louisiana, Florida, Tex
as, had been filled up with large number of inferi-
or people, which could not reduce to subjection:
that fact would have rendered them useless to the
first place. and secondly upon the question Of expe
dlency also, am against this system of filling up
these now thinly inhabited neghboring regions with
inferior and degraded races. Gentlemen must see
that it is the ultimate policy of the United States, at
some future day, whether ten, twenty, or fifty
years hence, to acquire the greater portion of this
territory hold, sir, that system will be better
for that country than the system Of Great Britain
and that therefore, it will be for the interest Of all
that region, as it unquestionably will be our policy
some day to control it.
Gentlemen may say, however, suppose that the
treaty is abrogated and England refuses to yield
will you go to war with her? That is thrown at US
by way o: intimidation. have observed the course
of the British Government, and they have two sys.,
TENS of operation against u.s. They may be defined
as what Sammy Weller would call I" insinivation and
bluster" Many of our statesmen delighted
to get compliments from the British press and to
be thought we'll of by British officials, that they
seem to forget the interest of their own country.
remember, few years ago, when there was an in
vesgation going in the British Parliament in re.
latlen to the expenses of their missions abroad,
that Mr.. Packei,ham, who had long been minister
here, was witness, and he was asked what expen.
dture paid best? His reply was "that spent
for dinners" Whether his American experience
brought him to that conclusion not, I do not
know. l confess that l appreciate dinner and
cvllIty as much as anybody; but it is thing to
accept and return courtesies and it is another to
abandon the interests Of ones country.
have no doubt that every right minded English
man will think better of American statesmen who
while accepting the cives of ftreigners will still
stand by the interests of their country rather than sell
it for mess of pottage. When these means fall we
are to be alarmed by threats Of danger from England
and sometimes with great effect the timid. 1
doubt much whether any Administration we have
had since John Tyler's would have had the courage
to accept Texas upon her application in the face of
the British protest against it. / am very certain
that some of them would have professed to be
AFRAID, and would have declined it. l think it alb
solutey necessary that this country should in some
respects take higher position abroad. An extreme
ly notifying fact was brought to my knowledge the
other day. bearer Of dispatches came here from
St. Domingo. He called to see me, thinking that
Congress might be induced to do something. He
says that the American commercial agent at the city
OF St Domingo with his family, and all American
citizens in that country, actually protected from
massacre by Baez and his followers by the British
consul, and by the captain of an English ship who
happened to be there, and who was ready to land
four hundred men to protect them. knew that in
Europe, Asia, and Africa, our citizens were in the
habit of claiming to be Englishmen. in order to
get British protection; but | did not know that
tins system bad to be resorted to in America, and
almost in sight of our own shores.
~, Is it not time that something should be done
There has been great difficulty upon the part of the
Secretary of the Navy in finding ship to send there
to protect our citizens. l think that the African
squadron might we'll be employed upon that SER
vice. If we will submit to indignities from white
men, il is rather too much to take insults and kicks
from free negroes. Cannot the Greytown affair at
least be repeated in st. Domingo?
But we are constantly met with the allegation that
Congress will do nothing that Congress would not
back the Executive. We know very well the short
con'lngs of Congress but, in my judgment, there
have been but few instances where the Executive
has had occasion to call for and has shown dispo-
stion to force, that Congress did not properly
respond Not only in the Maine boundary dispute,
but during the Mexican war, the Government had
everything it asked The misfortune has been, that
some OF our Presidents heretofore have not shown
the purpose to act, and the consequence has BEEN
that Congress has been slow in advancing anything
Our Navy now costs $l5, 900, 900 year-more than
the whole General Government cost in the year
ls24-and yet am told that the Navy is not much
more efficient than it in 1916 This, if true ia
attributable to the miserable system which now pre-.
walls in having ignorant clerks in the Departments
at the heads Of bureaus, to whom the management
OF the Department is committed, while the Secreta.
rry himself sometimes, not being familiar with the
business, trusts It to his subordinates l hope we
shall have reform in this respect
As far as concerns the present Administration. il
has not, as yet had an opportunity of showing its
hand upon our foreign policy. It has been occupied
with certain domestic questions; but, think from
the antecedents Of the President and the Secretary
Of State, We have right to expect more determn.
ed policy. I read last session an extract from Mr.
Buchanan's Ostend manifesto The language is so
good that desire to repeat it again. On the 18th of
October he says:
"Under such circumstances, ought neither to count
the cost nor regard the odds which Spain might enlist
against u.s. orbear to enter into the question: whether
The present condition of the island would justify such
measures We should however be to our duty
treason against postery should permit Cuba to be-
Afric1nzed and become second ST. Domingo with all its
extend to neghboring Shores seriously to endan
ger or actually to consume the fair fabric of Union"