, 1859-02-18

without let or hindrance; with not even
d plomatic intermeddIing The fact is that
! the dominant political ideas of other ma,
tionS, their controlling national objects, are
as wide of similar ideas and objects with
us, as is the ocean that divides us. With
foreign governments everything revolves
about centralized power-whether it is in
the shape Of constitutional monarchy or oI
absolute dcspotism; and every movement
is made to guard this power from the rising
tide of Democratic public opinion. But iu
the United States the very snb-basis Of all
its polity is the principle, not of centralized
power, but of a division of political power;
it is this very public opinion; and the sole
object Of the agency of government is, to
secure TO the elements that make up this
public opinion, separate individuals, oil
available means for exertion and improve
ment. The rulers Of the old world use the
people to maintain their hereditary privi.
eges in the new world the State is but an
instrument by which the people aim to pro-
mote their common good.
Thus there is naturally line Of policy
which, as occasions arise, this country
must adopt to do justice to itself 1t will
not be acting worthily of its splendid in
heritance to look unconcernedly on, and,
in view of the cardinal objects Of all Euro
pean goVernments-to wit, the p:eserva-
tion Of hereditary monopolies, es,-an aristo-
cracy, a nobility, church, crown-to let
them apply their policy to feeble States on
our borders; and, in a national point of
view, taking from us our means Of self-pre-
servation. AS an illustration take Cuba
There has not been statesman of any pre-
tensions who, in various ways when in Of
fee, has not concluded Cuba as Of incalcu-
liable Importance to this country; and of
those who have left official works, we can
think Of none more concise, more strong,
more far-reaching, than those used by John
q. Adams when he was Secretary of State.
He went SO far as 10 say, that the United
States had lien on Cuba; that when the
pear was ripe it would naturally and inevi-
tably fall into the lap Of the United States.
This was said forty years ago. With how
much more force can it be said to-day +
We cannot but look upon those who OPP
pose this annexation or acquisition North
or South, on account Of the negro question
in any of its phases, as standing on very
narrow, questionable, and unstatesmanlike
grounds: grounds utterly unworthy Of the
great duties and destiny which Providence
has marked out for the American empire.
Cuba will be portion Of the American
Union, sooner or later, because 1t is an
overriding political necessity that it should
be SO; because the progress Of the ci,iliza-
ton which has borne such splendid fruits
will demand it. When the time comes for
the pear, like ripened fruit, to drop-it may
be tomorrow, or the process may take q
century-the world in arms cannot prevent
its falling where, in the order Of Provi-
dence, it is destined to lie.
The merit Of President Buchanan's treat
ment Of foreign affairs does not consist In
tho labored development Of theory, but
in the bold acceptance Of existing facts,
and as bold recommendation Of measures
to meet them. He processes openly, be-
fore the. world, the desire TO buy Cuba -
1t is about forty years, we believe, since
all the important European powers, Russia,
France, Great Britain and Spain were Off
cially notified that the United States would
not see this island go out Of the possession
of Spain into the possession Of any foreign
power; and now the President announces
to the world that this country desires TO
buy it. OF course the Abolitionists will
denounce this; but the good sense Of the
country will sustain it, aud rejoice that one
administration have had the patriotism to
mark out course of action that is so
worthy to be classed as an American poll-
cy.-BOstOa Post