Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-11-10
Mr.. Cushing on the Acquisition o,
Mexico


Mexico.
We present our readers this morning with
4 that portion of the speech of NJ Cushing
delivered before the United States and Vir
GINA Central Agriculture societies at Rich
mond, which relates to the territorial expan
sion of the United States and the acquisition
Of Mexico. This is one branch, and principal
one, of Mr.. CUsHING's Manifest Destiny theo-
ry. He first connected his name prominently
with the subject in speech at Newark, New
Jersey, some five or six years ago, since thel
he has embraced several occasions to enunciate
similar views. Not so pOintedly, but far
more brilliantly, deliberately and plausib1y
he maintained these doctrines, in speech on
his return home to Newburyport. from his
four years service at Washington. in April of
last year. He has allowed the subject to pray
20 constantly on his mind, that it seems to
have become a mOnOmania with him. He can
scarcely go into any company or perform any
act Of oratOry. whatever be the occasion or
subject, that he does not wiring in his terri
tOrial expansion and manifest destiny notions.
He invariably manages to press into his ser
vice a great deal of fine talk. and handsome
fiourishes of style, making what most persons
would call quite a superb wOrd-picture, but
all his efforts in this direction are remarkably
barren in the matter of argument and prac-
teal suggestion. Indeed, we question very
much whether Mr.. CUSHING has ever permit
ted himself to think seriously and laborious-
Al, Of hn
His ideas are all sublimated. He sweeps to
great results. the final spread and grand con-
summation of American civilization, disdain-
ing to mark the steps that lead him thther
AS respects the United States he thinks they
are omnipotcnt. and have but to will given
event, and 10! it is accomplished. As ma
ton we are wonderfully given to selfexalta-
ton: from it our orators draw their elOquence,
especially on 4th of July anniversaries and
in manifest destiny discourses. OF this we
have not the heart to complain. II may sub
iect us to ridicule. but it is generally the
out-pouring of that selfcsteem, which makes
us tenacious of our rights and honor in our
international intercourse, and secures us
against wantOn insult and aggression from
abroad, which prompts our volunteer armies,
and creates legions of unconquerable ve.er-
ans out of our raw and youthful militia. But
we submit if it is the language of clear
sighted practical statesman when he is consi-
dering of the healthful expansion and solid
growth of a nation whose stability and per-
manence are the first objects of his care.
Mr. CUSHING pretermits an argument on
the erpefiency of friendly interpostion in the
affairs of Mexico and the absorption of that
country into the United States, and chal-
lenges a disputatiOn of its ethics. Character
istically he passes over questions OF primary
Importance to grapple with those merely
secondary. Certainly the first step on our
part would be to ascertain whe her it is de-
sirable and expedient for us as a nation to
acquire and possess MeXico-that decided
affirmatively the next would be whether it
would be just and right towards the people of
Mexico Manifestly these, in this order,
would determine our action.
But being politician more than states
man, and partizan withal, it is possible Mr..
CUSHING desires to prccipitate political issues
upon this subject. Neither is it impossible
that his personal ambition may have some
thing to do with the pertinacity with which
he urges his theme. And truly men of less
note and figure have ridden weaker bobbys
into high places. But we fear this Dapple is
not sure-fOoted enough for the purpose. To
ride it with effect the ex-Attorney General of
s'poor Pierce" ought by all means to be in
Congress. Alas! that is impossible. The
elections have all gone over for the present.
and should SUMNER be cauteriZed to his grave
by the Partisan Doctors, there would still be
no chance. BANKS is an memorable black re-
publican, and so is the Bay State Legislature.
There is but one hope. and that is to stir up
"the masses;;" this he has shrewdly begun at
the national horse-show at Richmond. In his
next speech, will Mr.. Cushing develope his
plan of operations-give us the de-
tails of his programme?
While upon the subject we suhjoin an ex-
tract from the speech of Senator HAMMOND,
of South Carolina, at Barnwell, c. H., the
Law after that of Mr.. CUSHING, from which it
will be seen that the two entertain diverse
opinions of the acquisition of Mexico. Says
Mr.. HAMMOND:
..Shall we, as some suggest, take Mexico
md Central America to make slave States?
frican slavery appears to have failed there.
Perhaps. and most probably, it will never sue
ceed in those regions. If it might what are we
to do with the seven or eight millions of
hardy semi-civilized Indians. and the two or
three millions of Creole Spaniards and mon
preIs who now hold those countriesT We
would not enslave the Indi'nsl Experience
has proven that they are incapable OF steady
labor. and are therefore unfit for slavery. We
wouId not exterminate them even if that in
human achievement would not cost ages of
murder and incaIculable sums of money. We
could hardly think of attempting TO plant
the black race there. superior for labor, though
i'm lerior perhaps in Intellect and expect TO
maiutain a permanent and peaceful industry,
) Ich as slave labor must be. To he profitable.
A mid those idle, restless, demoralized children
OF MonteZuma. scarcely more clviiized, per-
haps more sunk in superstition than IN his
age, aud now trained to civil war by half a
century of incesSant revolution. What, |
saw, could we do with these people or these
to add To southern strength! Moth
ing Could we degrade ourselves so far as 10
a mex them on equal terms, they woiild be
5 ire to come into this Union free States all. |
To touch them in any way Is TO be contami-
mated England and France, have DO doubt, |
would gladly see us take this burthea on our
back il W. would secure for them their debts
and a neutral route across the lstbmus. Such |
a route we must have for ourselves, and that |
Is all we have to do with them. IL We can |
not get it by negotiation or by purchase. we |
must seize and hold il by force OF arms The |
law of nations wonld Justify it, and il is alb |
,oIutely necessary tor our Pacific relations
rhe present condition OF those unhappy States |
5 certainly deplora1lc, but the good God |
holds them ia the hollow of his hand aud will |
work out their proper destinics."
~ Phe reelection of ID. Il. Sickles in New /
York effected as il was by tlc importation Ut |
\. Dr.,,.r az thn IIlifrh StIia.S mnIl-Of-NYar