The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17
From the Richmond lYa) Enquirer Feb.4
WAR WtPH EUROPE tOR THE SAKE OF CUBA
WHO WILL. BEAR 'rIIE BKJNT OF IT.

WAR WlPH EUROPE OR THE SAKE OF CUBA
WHO WILL BEAR 'rIE BRUNT OF IT!
In 1uy editorial of Yesterday we exposed the
state OF affairs, which not only renders the ac-
quisitiOn of Cuba impossible at this time, but
which may entail war with maritime Europe
even on the occasion of an emptyhanded grasp
on our part at territorial encroachment
We propose now, very briefly to consider the
mature of such war, and its probable conse-
quenc IS.
TIE Presidents message already incolues an
attihyde Of open menace tovdrds fire american
Natt ;S, and very palpable hint to Spain that
thu A 4uisition of Cuba, by violent measures
may Ayecome;" clearly justiGable, under the i'm
peraiive and overriding law MISREPRESENTATION"
TheliInmediate bearing of the latter question of
Central American affairs naturally puts on the
qHi eiee every power which represents, or as
pires to represent, maritime nation. thus. If
Cuba shall sngoICe as ia a icar, zee man look IN
raiaIyo any quarter Of tie globe for allies
TIE probable alliance against as WW he one
such.cS tie acortd Rerer sac. England, France,
and Soain, backed by three minor European
Powel may also, without much difficulty
NERD by eXpunging few bad debts-bring
MeXic, into the league, threatened as she is
with forced prOtectOrate. MeXicans and In
diant would be employed to har;lss our frontier
1000 men engaged in guerilla strife Van
couver's island would be the stand point from
which 70 cut off even our supply of gold. Cana
diam troops could our Northern frontier
Such would be the little vexatons bywhch the
eXtremities of the nation would be ANNOYED
while an army and navy, such as have never
approached the American continent. would he
employed TO strike at some vital and central
point. A small coastguard around Cuba and
on the Central American coast would leave
mighty armament Of war steamers and trans
ports, free to proceed immediately to the month
of the Mississippi
The lesson of lSl4-'l5 would be repeated
with disasters multiplied a thousand fold. In
the daysof hemp canvas, when cumbrous frig-
ates had to convoy lubbery transports. and
Concentrate an army at Havana, before it could
be conveyed "a B,aSSe 10 Louisiana, the oenius
Of Andrew Jackson, and the intrepidity Of CoE
fees Tennesseeans, backed by cotton bales
piled by negroes, were indeed sufficient 70 save
the city Of New Orleans. But cotton canvas
has since superseded hemp canvas, and. in its
turn, has been left to wing the slow FIGHT If
mere ships OF burden. Steam power has wrought
revolution, which renders the immediate trans
portation of an army Of 100000 trained men
directly form the ports of Europe to the mouth
OF the Mississippi a much easier task than was
the taFuler transportation of forty-four years
ago. SIX months warning would now be insult
| hcient to save the city of New Orleans from
the combined assaults of English and French
armies and navies, such as are sent forth at the
present day. With New Orleans. then. in the
hands of hostile force with the great aorta IF
commerce choked at its outlet. with every i'm.
portant seaport on the Atlantic and ON tho Do.
cihc subjected to strict blockade. what would
be the consequence Breadstuffs would he
cheap-very cheap. The population of the
Northern and Middle States could subsist ON
home-raised food and wear home made garments
More than that, the fishermen of the North
could derive, perhaps, a brisk profit, from depre.
dations on the commerce of the enemy. But
what would twelve months blockade do for the
South When the production of cotton, sugar
and tobacco, should be stopped, and even the
quantities on hand rendered drug in the mar
liet, would score of Cubas be sufficient to re-
imburse the South for her losses?
And lchere tcould ii end? Would England
and Fsance be content to make treaty of
peace, leaving affairs even an statu quo ante
6eltim. Would they not push their advantage,
demaH4 perpetual remuneration of all future at
temPts to acquire Cuba, by purchase or other
wise, hx the integrity of Mexico, as they
have done that Of Turkey, and dictate grievous
conditions of subordination in Central Ameri-
ca? Nay, more: might not their "philan-