The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-28


sipn si the Asc.hn people IA has been partially dis
easst aHaer syerl aspects during the past frw ye,s
and though may appear 10 many have been decided
ia te Popiia nhd sfill tlat decision patakes largely
q s1s sa@ae and Indefinite ollrr which belongs u
an stsgsed popular decsons before they lays been
bEsi'f ~ snr test d vote ia te representative body
/ OF tle nation.
Il The seqpisitioa be desirable one itan I'd 20 way
receive nasse wholesome impulse than iy the solemn
Saeten of The representative VIII OF the nation to the
Iss a sts rsscase such a step would give Il a nra
yanein ks sses of the whole world and present IL 10
The s~w ~ Eurolsua statesmen cllarter that would
eonia&hd respect Every increase of Commercial inn
Poftals every asgaenttian u moral influence eyery
nrw ifapfe4 ssale upon the European ind by American
thougff or Aneriean aetou, sonl assist h carrying il
I % slpocessful Issue
To ntaia sneh result after the licy Of is actuii
ton has beei saIlcosle.l lis discussion should bc 1e
moved frDm the CONSIDERATION 6f peeunary eomIens
ton Ata eandarted upon the basis Of the high and gene
raj piiaeiIss which uttend the growth Of nations No
POLICY can arrst those general changes which mark the
course q alt national existence and the very idea oi
sac A. .steAsgs i rsEiy failing from oieinfaasion y
The Question Of the fut~se political position q cala
already ocenp- the attention q European cabinets The
very eaitrDce Of such question involves the idea IT
change Ia the relations which that island holds to
spain and this leads TO e consideration Of the manner
/ in which that change may be brought about
10 persist Ia the policy that change shall take pioe
Is - insist the repetition those conflicts between
spain and her colonies which within the present centu
~, drove the Spanish flag from the ocean and produced
slch disastrous eject upon the material power ana pc
litiral inuencc of the Spanish natjop n s u insist
upon collision between the growing power of the Caban
people and the feviying prosperity Of the Spanish pcnin
! sula
No enghtenrl statesman can believe that the ripen
ing of national life ia Culei viii not produce the same
result ia that island that has beil witnessed III North
efn and southern America Il already contains nearly
u not quite two millions of people the annual export 81
their productions reaches approximate commercial
value Of one hundred millions OF dollars twenty mil
lions 81 daiars IN reyenne is raised through their
ton and the prOgress Of knoeege Is keeping pace with
4 this vast material development
The beef t distant colonies can sever their political
relations t. the mother country only by violence has
ceased 70 be conviction The progress of the world
aireadT Demands that other methods more consonant
with the material interests of society II large shall t ia
tatfd and this great step e taken by n1 power So
raadiiy as 10y government necd "a it is
BY the traitonary policies Il tile cabinets of Europe
oar arguments and the force of example have
doae much to elegats the principles Of international
comfy. The adtaission Of the law that free ships
make free goods initiated by us We first intro
dacei the policy oi inserting in tulanercial treaties
te elanse abolishing international iscinaty protec
ton and to day The champions Of the freedom Of
all merchant ships from detention upon the ocean ia time
OF peace TO us then belongs the mission Of pucain
ins that widely separated communities may dissolve the
political bands that them with another without
an appeal u AIMS, and form associations without
prejudice 70 the peace comfy of the world
The Territorial relations Of the island q Cuba are Of
more marked and permanent character than those Of any
other country 81 limited extent America ana iusfify
the Abbe Raynal assertion that ii Il e 71er1r9 II the
New World The peculiar formation of the eastern
shore Of this continent and the prevalence ii the Cah-
formify from TIE ENE with coiasrtnr urr14rF
rent running In its general Current from east to west
make the passages which skirt the shore Of
Cuba te natural outlets for the of Nenezea
New Granaia the sthmus States Of Panama Costa lc,
Honduras, San Salvador, and Nicaragua.
The rich and growing commerce. with the countries
PaCih
routes 81 isths transit i brought Wy these natural in
fucnce under the Immediate supervision and control of
the heets tia; ride ia sty ia the numerous large and
well protected harbors oi Cll The value Of ihe terri
toTil aranazes thus conferred by it, geographical posi-
tn Increase il the ratio with the Increase Of
trade the various isthnus routes, and every
enterprise those regions has direct and practical
tendency increase the moral power Of whatever gov
eminent rules In Cuba The construction Of the Panama
rsiIrcad the cost of millions o dollars to the indus
trial Of the United States, although Of greai
advantage in pccuniary sense 10 All the nations upon
whose commerce il has conferred benefit has brought
Increase of national power only ~ the Spanish gov
ernment in Cuba, it has brought great increase to
tie tides Of national wealth which must pass before lis
doors and within its easy grasp The result must
attend every increased facility Of transit the ist-
mus States and every movement which shall tend to
augment the products Of labor within their borders
their intercourse with the great maTts lying upon the
North Atlantic ocean.
The physical geography OF all the sthnus States north
Of ranana and of the republic u Mexico give to Cuba
Ia this respect peculiar natural territorial relation 10
all those counties Their eastern shores are wanting ia
those deep and cipacous harboIs necessary only
conneice but for the purposes of defence willie the
situation Of Cuba, with her ports opposite
and almost Immediately to their coasts points
her the natural depository or their productions and
the of their commercial exchanges with the of
I the world
This natural Telrtien Is augmented ~ TIE physical
aspect ~ the countres IN question: Irayersed they
are through their whole extent " chains "a mopntains
the construction of long lines of Glepal communication
which shall concentrate their ade upon auy point within
their territory IL Of very difficult and costly atan
HlrRt aIsd aha thus becomes the probable channel ef
thrir future nteone with the nations noth and east
of them Thongh the value of his natural connection
may small, their mineral wealth, and vast
tracts ef fertile soil under genial climate indicate
great Increase a Importance al very distant day under
\ the nataral deEelopmcht of t1e ITogaes of America
The GRlf Of MeNio8 with a shore line OF neaily six
thousand miles forms almost exact cifee the great
ouet b. which Is through The passage
Bng along the northern shore of Caba aud within few
miles of her best and strongest harha This frniston
IL the and and hiEgs the iich mineral tribute paid
by Mexico 70 Enrope aBd she bulky products pf the
gn drainel by the Mississippi river and rs tributaries,
within the eontna of the government Of Cuha Il may
rinse al will The ouy ocean outlet Those countries POS
ss a titus hiiet great eyils nsn al their Industrial
Interest," The actuai yane u the Wh that
rast region sends through this channel, Is
almost beyond the power enumeration and the cease
4 less tide emigration, which pouring s countless
thousands upon the plains west a ihe AissiaipIi i
pl.ng steadily to its However guest Eay 10 tile
Eseiies for passenger trAg rRNern the Atlantic AMI tie
xpstnrn states the bulky paoldcta df their Industry
which constitute The has ~ iheir prosperity must seek
the aikefsof the world through ne lia@ q internal