The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-07-20
TO the Voters Of the Fourth Congressional
District.

FELLow CITIZENS IL am opposed to the
Thirty Million Bill !" introduced BY Hon.
L. OBJ. Branch into the last Congress. !
consider the proposition the most astounding
and dangerous ever submitted to the Ameri-
can people. His reelection will be an en-
dorsement of this measure by tins district. !
am, therefore. induced to enter the canvass
against him as an independent candidate for
Congress. The bill places in the hands Of
the President, Thirty Millions OF Dollars.
wsth which he is to negatiate treaty for the
purchase Of the Island Of Cuba. In making
this negotiation he is authorized 10 pay the
Thirty Millions without the consent Of the
Senate. Should the Senate refuse to concur,
the whole amount Of money would be q dead
loss TO the country, and we would receive, as
we wonid deserve 10 receive. the rldicule Of
the world. The constitution expressly de.
clares that he, the President, = shall have
power, BY and with the advice and consent
Of the Senate, to make treaties. provided,
twO. thirds Of the Senators present concur"
The treaty cannot be made without the con-
sent Of the Senate and to pay the money be-
fore, will be to risk its loss, and to violate
the plain intent and meaning Of the constltu
lion. Are you willing, feIlow-citizens, TO
place so much money in the hands Of the Pre-
'siLent to be used at his discretion for any
such purposes Il is virtual union d the
sword and the purse. Mark you the Thirty
Millions are to be paid as earnest money, IN
advance OF tile ratification OF the treaty-the
balance to be paid when. and as tile contract
ing parties may agree upon. How much do
YOU suppose that balance will be- Spain
now receives twenty -four millions ol dollars
revenue from the Island Of Cuba. The prin-
cipal 10 produce this interest is four hundred
millions Of dollars. Will she take less than
the sum upon which she j. now getting inter-
est. 1t is reasonable to presume she will
not especially as she Is now, and always has
bsen, opposed to selling the island. Cuba
belongs to Spain. She wishes to keep her
property. You have no right to say she shall
moi. She has always refused, and now refu.
SEES, to sell at any price. Why, then. press
this question at this time Mr. Calhoun
said. when the pear gets ripe il will fall"
1t will then be matter Of interest TO US to
see in what direction il does fall, and 10 act
as the emergency may require. Remember,
the general government, as well as our State.
10 greatly In debt and will you consent to
add this enormous amount to your present
liabilities, even if you can buy the island for
hundred or two millions OF dollars less than
the sum which her revenues would justify
her in asking for il. Besides the danger Of
investing the President with 50 much power,
aud that too without the consent Of The Sc
nate as party TO the negotiation, ! am op-
posed TO contracting this debt II all. am
now, and always have been. for keeping our
National as well as State governments out Of
debt. as ny history 10 the Legislature OF this,
my native, State will prove. But if you buy
ihe island As proposed BY Mr.. Branch. what
DO you gets You involve yourselves and
your posterity in teavy debt for the poor
privilege Of governing the Cubans. And
who are theys The population IS made up
OF over two hundred thousand free negroes,
six or seven hundred thousand Spaniards,
and some four thousand slayes--a mixed
multitude unprepared for freedom-raised
under q despotism, with different usages.
laws. habits, language and religion. What
will i cost You TO govern them: Spain now
keeps large standing army there, at an ex-
pehse oi millions Of dollars annually. Will
yoG not haze to do fhe same thing: How else
will YOU keep the free negroes. aad disc0n-
tented Cubans. in subsection TO your laws !:
How prevent depredations by the subjects OF
the different nations owning Islands near
and around Cuba, to.wit: large number
known a. the Bahamas, on the northeast ;
Jamaica, Porto Rico, aud 81. Domingo, (the
last owned by negroes and governed BY a
negro King the leeward and the windsatd
islands lying on the south and southeast.
Ii you purchase Cuba, you may have u take
some, If not all Of these islands, in absolute
self.defence. This nav involve yol in war
with many Of the nations If the earth owning
islands in the neighborhooI Of Cuba. Be.
sides the right TO govern Cuba At all this
cost and danger, what else do you gain; You
gain reduction Of a few cents in the price
q mossses and sugar, and you lose all the
duties which now 20 into the treasury upon
the impnrtatiOns from Cuba; and further,
you break Up the sugar and molasses bust.
ness ID the southern part Of our coufederacy.
Surely, Mt. Branch /. the most liberal man
living. What: Involve our country, Al.
ready ID debt, 10 an additional debt Of untold
millions-take the risk Of domestic brOil.
and foreign wars. in consequence Of an alii.
ahce with this Spanish population, against
which Gen. Washington 20 faithfully warned
his countrymen; introduce into this sister.
hood If American States, over two hundred
thousand free negroes, and Spanish popu
iatIon, many Of whom, and whose ancestors
hate, and have always hated our Government
and our people, and * last pay more 70 GOV
ern them, than TIE income from the Island
will be WORTH frepeat, the proposition i
astounding. Read the Constitution, study
Tie domestic and foreign policy Of our coun
Try In connection with VIZ. Bfanch's bill ans
report, and surely Yoa must come to III
tAme conclusion.
Bat Il 4 said Cabs il necessary for our de
fence. Why more 80 now, than II any for
msr pcriodf We have been weak. wi
are now strong on Land and Al sea. On
fleets and armies have never been molestet
IN that quarter. No one knows how SCOT
they may BE- when that time comes, an
selfdefence makes the measure necessary,