The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-06
IMPORTANCE FROM CUBA-THE PRESI
DENTS MESSAGE IN HAVANA 4

DENTS MESSAGE IN HAVANA.
The Ayuntamiento or corporation of Havana
have adopted the following address to the Queen
of Spain, in regard to the passage of President
Buchanans message referring to the purchase
of Cuba. 1t appears in the Havana papers, by
the orders of the Captain General:
" Madame: The Ayuntamiento of Havana
has not read without profound surprise the re-
cent message of the President of the United
States in which the infamous idea is announc-
ed, that that Government has intended and in
tends to purchase the Island of Cuba, preten-
sion which must be looked upon as doubly in
sulting to the nobleness of the nation and to
the dignity of the sons of Cuba, who, it appears,
are considered no better than a drove of slaves,
that can be sold like private estate.
All the Spaniards resident in the territory
of the Island constitute an intsgral part of the
Spanish nation, and Cuba is province of the
monarchy, in all things similar 10 those of Cas-
tile, to which our wise laws of the Indies make
her equal The shame of being sold cannot be
supported by those who always appreciate their
existence as part of nation to which they
have ever been assimilated, in habit, religion,
and customs, and which TRANSMITTED to them the
beautiful language of Cervante,;. The Govern
ment Of Spain has not heard and doubtless will
not listen to an lgnominious pretension which
wounds its sense of decency bat, nevertheless,
the first municipality of the Island has believed
it ito be its duty to raise its voice to your Males
ty, on seeing written this insult to humanity
and the illustrated age III which we live-an in
suit in which, with a cool contumely, and a
total forgetfulness of all the admitted and rec
o5nised principles of international relations
the only desire is to satisfy the speculative as
mrations and the interested views of country
I'D hi, che
Inent, and people who see in the coors of their
flag long review of glories, an eternal remem-
brance of greatness and herois,n.
Il" Madame, in the last century, the English
occupied Havana, and its AyuAtamiento never
ceased to regard the throne of your august un-
Gle until Don Carlos III was induced to ex-
change his Lusitanian laurels for the rescue of
this capital and when the Eael of Albemarle
demanded that this city shoull do homage to
the King of England, the Cabildo of the capital
resisted the requirement, notwithstanding that
the foreign officer who made i presided at the
session. Cuba, madame is the. same Spanish
province that it has been heretofore. Now and
ever it will reject foreign domination. May the
Government of your Majesty SO understand it,
for the honor of all, and the aspirations of Ha-
vana will remain satisfied.
Such, madame, are the suhtages of the in
habitants of the capital of Cuba, and its Ayun-
tamiento hastens to lay them at your Majesty s
royal feet through the legal chaunel, anxious to
offer to your ajesty testimonial of the senti-
ments which have been inspired by the reading
of the message of the Presiden, of the United
States.
4" God preserve the important life of your
Majesty for many years. Capltular Chamber
of Havana, Dec. IL, 1858. Madame at the
royal feet of your Majesty"
This document was proposed in the Ayun-
tamiento by Count De O'Reilly, it's requida, and
was signed by Gen. Echavarri, the Governor
Of the CITY, all the officials, and the great body
of the citizens. For the latter purpose it was
deposited at the Cabaldo; and the public were
invited to atfix their signatures, which was in
variably done. ~
The press is universally garrulous on the sub
ject. From the leading journals we extract
some expressions of the current feeling, which
is by no means friendly to the American policy
The Didrio de Ia Marine denounces Mr. Blu
chanan's recommendation as extraordinary and
impracticahle Hear it:
e Purchase the island of Cuba The Wash
ington Cabinet well know it cannot be bought
that the United States have not the money that
could buy it. Such is the opinion of all Span,
Yards such has been especially the opinion OF
the natives Of the soil, from the first moment
the project figured in the politics of the North
This is the reason why, when a Minister of the
Crown. in the hall of national representation
on an occasion similar to that produced by the
present message, said that to sell the island OF
Cuba would be to sell the honor of Spain The
words were re-echoed from every corner of the
monarchy by the unanimous voice of the Span
ish race, and has been adopted from that mo-
ment by consecration, as the neatest and most
| l., 9
project should be revived
Now, therefore when President Buchanan
seeks to raise it from the deep, in which the
Indignation of our countrymen in both worlds
had buried it, there is no need to seek any new
expression of our views we have only to repeat
those words which ought to dispatch it beyond
the possibility of resuscitation, that to sell the
Island of Cuba would be 20 sell the honor o.
Spain and to add that the honor of Spain is
not to be Sold To insist on buyine
that which the owner does not offer for SALE is
of course an extravaganza to insist on the
purchase Of that which is no yendible, il an
absurdity; to seek TO buy the honor of nation
Is gross insult to seek to buy the honor o
Spain, Is an attempt we cannot describe in fitting
terms as we seek in vain for expressions ade
quate to the feeling of aversion with which il
! fills us.
And to this nameless thing the Spanish ma
| ton has responded with burst of general in
| dignation, to which the voice of the corporation
of Havana and the other cities of the Island
have contributed, as well as the voice of all the
| people, and every individual in whose veins
COURSES Spanish blood. to protest again9t g
design, the mere enqncatioh OF which is for
our race the grossest of insults.
! The fact should apprise the President of the
, Union, and those of his political partisans who
have suggested so offensive an iqea, OF the at
ference which exists between people whose
venerable traditions bespeak its children ma.
ton OF gentlemen, and people whose brightest
! type is the embodiment of avarcious thrift
They think dat they can buy with their gold
! the honor of strangers We think that the leasv
atom of our honor is worth infinitely more than
all the material prosperity heaped in their hands
by fortune or by chance. This the United
| States may understand once for air.
The Ee'tSq DC "a Hqbq9q Is equally iqdig.
| Certainly the President of the Union can
not calculate upon the support of France in the
renewal OF his proposition to purchase at least
so we infer from an article entitled Europe
and the United States published in the Pdtrie
OF Paris, on the 9th of November last EYesy,
/ body knows lbs politieai Significance OF that
journal, and the high inspirations which it Re.
ceives. The thoughts of Napoleon III, which
cannot conveniently be emitted in the Monfteu;,
are made apparent III the columns of the Pa
tTte: and tbs ci-crr;stShce shopid be of some
weight III considering a ali Ia article which, after
recognising the principle that 1.-THE dominion
OF the world really belongs TO no one, eihsE IN
Amenes o. taurope, and powerful, nations have
declined upon realizing such an ambition =
concludes with these words Neither on the
ocean, nor in the Mediterranean, nor in the
Il Black sea shall We eyer abandon the cause of