The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1858-12-17

ommuntoase their present. condltlon. nhe
ettlsnsnt Of these question: Il greatly To bs de
rcd ~ this would wipe out the last remaining
rsjsct of dispute between The two countriss
Our relations with the great empires Of Franc
nj Russia, ~ we'll as with oil other government
b tho continent of Europe, except that Of Spaii
sntinue to DO Of the most friendly character.
With spain oar relations remain In an unsat
ssAetory condition. In my message Of Decembe
Ast I Informed you that our envoy extrasrdi
harry and miaister plenipotsntiary To Madrid he,
lsksd for his recall and II was my purpose y
pend out new minister to that court with spe
Val instructions on all questions pending between
no two governments, and with . determination
% have them speedily and amicably adjusted, l
hat were possible. This purpose has been hith
lrte dsfsatsd BY causes which need not enumer
lts, slb -Igf Tgg gteiiIl s.,
The mission 70 Spain has been intrusted to .
listinguishsd citisen Of Kentucky who will pro
ssea to Madrid without delay, and make ano
thsr and 6nal attempt to obtain Justice from
NAT government -Mi4
Spanish officials, under the direct control o.
ths captain general Of Cuba, have insulted oui
national Gag, and, In repeated instances, have
from time to time inflicted injuries on the persons
and property Of our citizens. Those have given
birth 70 numerous claims against the Spanish
government the merits Of which have been ably
discusssd for series Of years. by our successive
this We have not arrived at practical result II
|auy single initante, unless we may except thu
eass Of the Black Warrior under the late admin
istratiou; and that presented an outrage Of sucf
character as would have justified an immediate
resort to war All our attempts to obtain redress
have been baf1ed and defeated. The frequent
and oft recurring changes In the Spanish minis
try, 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 in
vestigate the justice Of our demands.
Even what have been dencminated 'the Cuban
claims, in which more than hundred ofour cit
liens are di-ectly interested, have furnished no
exception. These claims were for the refunding
Of duties uujustly exacted from American ves-
sells at different custom-houses in Cuba, so long
ago - the year 1856. Theprinciples upon which
they rest ara 90 manifestly equitable and just,
that after period of nearly ten years, in 1854,
they were recognised by theSpapish government.
Rroceedings were afterwards instituted to asCer-
tain their amouut and this was finally fixed &C.
cording TO their own statement with which we
were aatisfed) at the sum Of one hundred and
twenty-eight thousand six hundred and thirty
Ave dollars and fifty -four cents. Just at the mo-
mont, after delay of fourteen years, when we
had reason to expect that this sum would be re-
paid with interest, we have received q proposal
Offering to refund one-third Of that amount ($42,-
879,4l, but without interest," il we would accept
this in full satisfaction. The offer is also, &C.
compsnted by declaration TINT this indemniti-
cation 10 not found on any reason of strict JUS
Gee; but is made as special favor.
Ons alledged cause for procrastinatiou in the
examination and adjustment of our claim, arises
from sn obstacle which it is the duty Of the
spanish government to remove. Whilst the
captain general Of Cuba is invested with general
dsspotic authority in The government Of that Is
land, the power is withheld from him to examine
and redress wrongs committed by officials under
his control, on citizens of the United States.-In
stead Of making our complaints directly TO him
et Havana, We are obliged to present them thro'
our minister at Madrid. These are then referred
back to the captain-general for information; and
much time is thus consumed in preliminary in
vestigations and correspondence between Mad
rid and Cuba, before the Spanish government
will consent to proceed to negotiation. Many Of
the difficulties between the two governments wo'd
be obviated, and long train of negotiation a
voided, IL the captain-general were invested with
authority to settle questions Of easy solution on
the spot where all the facts are fresh, and could
have hitherto in vain urged upon the captain
general, and our minister to Spain will again be
Instructed to urge this subject on their notice.
In this respect. we occupy different position
from the powersof Europe. Cuba is almost with
in sight Of our Shores our commence with it is
far greater than that of any other nation, in
Guiding Spain ITSELF and our citizens are in hab-
Its Of daily and extended personal Intercourse
with every part Of the i,land. 1t is, therefore
. great grievance that when any difficulty oc-
ours, NO matter how unimportant which might
be readily settled at the moment we should be
obliged TO resort to Madrid, especially when the
very first step TO be taken there is to refer it back
10 Cuba. -,.- --.
The truth is that Cuba, in its existing
colonial condition, is constant source
ofinjury and annoyance to the Ameri.
can 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 Britain, to main-
tain naval force on the coast of Africa,
at much expense both of life and treas
ure, solely for the purpose of arresting
slavers bound to that island. The late
serious difficulties between the United
States and Great Britain respecting the
right of search, now 60 happily termin.
ated, could never have arisen if Cuba
had not afforded a market for slaves.
As long "a this market shall remain open.
there can be no hope for the civiliza-
,ion of benighted Africa. Whilst the
demand for slaves continues in Cuba,
wars will be waged among the petty
aHd barbarous chiefs in Africa, for the
purpose of seizing subjects to supply
this trade. In such condition Of affairs,
it 10 impossible that the light of civiliza.
tion and religion can ever penetrate
these dark abodes.
It has been made known to tho world
by my predecessors, that the United
States have, on several occasions. en-