The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-18
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1859.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1859.
The grand defect of American craftsmanship at
the present day, is that it is governed by conside-
ratons of private interest, rather than by what is
Just and dgniied, and honorable. The discus
sion of public measure no longer turns upon its
inherent proprety, bat upon its popularity with
the masses, and upon lis availability as an cleo
pioneering cry. Our politicians, both in and out
of Congress, are politicians merely. They either
have not the capacity, or else they do not possess
the inclination, to take enlarged views of things
Whatever proposition they advocate or oppose it is
not so much with reference to its intrinsic merits
as to the manner in which it will affect themselves;
the test beng-not as to its ultimate effect upon
the Republic, but as to its bearing upon the popu-
lar vote. The Cuban question is case in point.
In all the discussions that have taken place in Con-
gress upon the bill to put at the disposal of the
EXECUTIVE thirty millions of dollars to facilitate
the purchase of that Island, not single memter of
the opposition has thus far ventured to take ground
squarely against the appropriation. Nearly all of
them admit that it is desirable that we should pos
sess Cuba, not so much from any positive advan-
tages that the ownership would be to us, as be-
cause we covet it. The old theory of our states
men was, that so long as Cuba remained depen-
dency of the Spanish crown, we were perfectly
satisfied that it should continue so; but that we
should strenuously object to its transfer to any
other European power. Spain still holds the
Island, and is unwilling to part with it, either to
ourselves or to any body else, why then should we
attempt to force her to sell it to us under covert
threat of wrestling it from her in the event of re-
fusal? But it is argued that Cuba might become
formidable neighbor to us, and that therefore the
law of self preservation demands that she shall be
brought under our jurisdiction, honestly if we
can accomplish it, but if not-in the language
of Captain CUTIE, and Vice President BREcKEN-
RDGE-"why, So then" Senator PUGH, of Ohio,
contends that Spain ought to yield to our wishes,
because she has already lost all the territory that
she once held on the main land If this reasoning
holds good, it necessarily follows that if Senator
PUGH forcibly Invested of his overcoat, it
would become his immediate duty to dispose of
his pantaloons also. Now, if any body were to
ask how, or in what manner, the exigency has
arisen that renders it imperative upon to acquire
Cuba, there is not single advocate of Southern
expansion that could give satisfactory answer
One tells US that it is the Key to the Gulf stream
which it certainly is not Another that it is a
constant source ofannoyance; whereas, if the truth
were told, it is we who annoy Cuba, and not Cuba
US. third charges that the possession of the
Island by any foreign power, Spain not excepted
is standing menace to our commerce. If this be
the fact it is clear that submitted to the infic-
ton for many years, with most commendable pa
md
endangered by the proximity of the Island to our
Southern shores, until we had grown popuous and
powerful enough to laugh that ''standing me-
nace'' to scorn. 'rWe want Cuba, and we intend to
"have it. If Spain will not sell it, we intend
"to take it by force, and''-perhaps- 'pay for it
afterwards" Such, in substance, was the Ian
guage made use of by Senator Brown in the
memorable speech delivered by him last summer,
at Mississippi barbecue We admire it, not only
for its terseness but for its utter reputation of
all shams. 1t strips the question of all the sophis-
try which less ingenious, but not less INSCRIPTIONS
minds have thrown around it, and leaves the naked
fact Tor popular acceptance or rejection If Spain
had ever intimated to us disposition to cede the
island for an adequate consideration, or even
If she had not officially declared to the world
her determination not to part with it; in either
case, there would have been no improperly, on the
part of our government, in attempting to make the
purchase. But, knowing as we do, the extreme
tenacity with which she clings to the only really
valuable fragment, now remaining to>her of her
once splendid Spanish-American Empire, and the
pardonabe pride she takes in its possession, it
neither COMFORTS with our dignity, nor with
proper sense of what is due from one nation to
another, to insist upon her again listening to
propositions that she has already so frequently,
and so emphatically rejected Under no cir
cumstances, them is there any necessity for placing
in the hands of the PRESIDENT thirty millions of
dollars, until we are authortatively assured that
the Spanish Government is prepared to negotiate
But we are told that the object for which the ap-
preparation is demanded, is to facilitate the pur-
chase of the much-coveted Island. How? In
what manner? If in spite of all that Spain has
soemnly declared to the contrary, it has been in
timated to Mr.. BUCHANAN, that Cuba can be
bought, wherein lies the difficulty between two
parties acting in good faith towards each other,
in arranging the terms upon which the transfer
would be made? Spain certainly can entertain
no doubt of the ability of the UNITED STATES to
pay the purchase money, would there be the
slightest trouble in obtaining the necessary
means 10 liquidate, promptly, the first instalment
IT. on theother other hand, it is intended to be I'M
derstood, by the words ITO facilitate the purchase"
that the appropriation demanded is designed to be
used to bride Spanish officials and Court favorites
to perform an act which would be condemned
by the general voice of the Spanish people the
shame of such transaction would attach to us in
no less degr than to those whom we had tempted
to betray their trust Grant, however, that what
ever may be done will be done openly, still the
appropriation of this large sum of money for the
purpose designed, to be used in advance of the
ratification of any treaty that might be made, is
clear violation of the treaty making power, in as
much as it would constrain the Senate to ratify
the treaty SO made, no matter how obnoxious the
terms of the treaty might be- else to sacrifice the
the thirty millions of dollars that had either been
expended in obtaining it, or had been paid down
to bind the bargain. But from what we know of
the present temper of Spain, with regard to Cuba,
it is not at all probable that the Island can be had
upon any terms, and it is at least questionable
whether the possession we covet even if it were
obtained by the adoption of compulsory measures,
apart from the political complications in which it
might involve us, would at all tend to mike us
either happier or more united people.
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About sos 900 have been subscribed towards cree
tion OF an Academy of Music in Brooklyn, Long Island
and at an enthusiastic meeting held Monday night
SUBSCRIPTIONS for $4,000 more received Among the