The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-03-17

MISSION, 10 case there were not other Sc
rious contingent objections. As for the
suppression of the slave tradeait would
more probably be increased. Ave all
have heard much about the aggressions
of the North, when the aggressious have
been on the other side, and also much a :.
bout the formation OF "a separate ''South-
ern Confedsracy." Thisis what especial
ly desired by the secessionist. whose num-
bers are larger than many think, for ID a.
ny are silent on that question through
policy, and only await a favorable op-
portunity fear, to make the rash anG
suicidal attempt to reud' assusder the u
MON chord. The annexation os Cuba
would give renewed vitality 10 the slave
trade between the slave States and that
Island. Ffis would greatly enhance the
value of their slaves, and hence the warm
approval of.this measure by the South.
The annexation party argue in effect
that inasmuch as Spain realizes but about
one million of dollars annually from Gu
ba, it would follow that We would be-
come immensely enriched by annexing
her.
Let US see.-It will cost us if we can
negotiate for her at all no less than 200
millions of dollors the interest of which
would be IL millions of dollars annually
Spain does not realize one half per cent
of the value of the island estimating it at
200 millions of dollars. The question
then arises can We govern the island for
less than Spain! What have We to war
rant US in believing so! If we cannot,
then We will lose annually eleven millions
Of dollars. But we are told that the a.
mount of cane sugar that supplies Europe
and the United States is ,273, 900 tons,
and that Cuba and Louisiana produce a
bout 45 per cent of this amount, which
with Cuba annexed would give US, they
argue, as much the monopoly of the su
gar trade as we now have of the cotton
trade. And We are further told that We
would find ready market for our flour,
beef, pork, lard, &c. | should like to
know whether the United States have not
been in the habit of selling their surplus
-four, lard, pork, beef, &c! We have al
ways had markets for those articles, a.
we have had for others-some etimes good,
and at others Indifferent, depending sole
ly upon circumstances So it would be
with Cuba annexed. 1t would be no
guaranty that our markets would be bet
ter. As for the sugar trade, We can by
courting friendly relations with the Span
ish government, and abandoning the idea
ofstealiDg Cuba. exchange our commodi
ties for her sugar, at greater profit than
We can BY paying about 200 2illions of
dollars for the island, and being as
Spain now is. at the enormous annual ex-
pense of 81 800, 600 dollars, to take care
of her.
From this it will appear that the Uni
ted States cannot be bettered in a COM
mercial point of view, by the annexation
of Cuba ; and this brings US to the con-
clusion that the majority of the annexa-
tion party are actuated by some other OBJ
ject than our national prosperity; and the
recent vote of one third of the southern
democratic delegation in Congress to re-
peal the law prohibiting the slave trade,
indicates almost beyond doubt what
that Objects. Do the facts that are con-
staDtly developing themselves. not warrant
us in believing that if Congress should re-
fuse to open the slave trade, in case Gu
ba is annexed. that the secesslonists will
then make an effort to dissolve the Union
and form that long talked of Southern
Confederacy or to dissolve the Union,
open the slave trade. and seize on Cuba
on her own responsibility
Again, John Slidell, in speaking in bis
report, of the proposed protecterates says:
"Tbat European protectorate could not
be tolerated" And why! Simply be-
cause "the close philauthropists of Eng
land and Frace would, as the price of their
protection, insist upon introducing their
scheme of emancipation. This tells US,
then, in so many words, that one great
object of the annexation of Cuba is sto
brace up the institution Of slavery. Tru-
ly laudable enterprise for phllautbrop-
lists to embark in.
We are told that the annexation of
Louisiana proves that theresis DO impro-
prioty in annexiug people who are diff
erent from US in language, race, habits
manners and religion, which we deny for
the following reasons:
Louisiana was annnxed in 1903, and
had originally an area of about so. 900
square miles, and bad when annexed less
than so 600 inhabitants.
That part of the Louisiana purchase
out of which the State of Louisiana was
erected has an area of 46,43l square
miles. and had in 1903 less than As, 600
inhabitants. While Cuba has an area Of
1900 square miles, and has a popna'
tion Of over a million and a half. Not
withstandiug the small number OF inhati-
tants 10 Louisiana when annexed. aud
the vast immigration that has since been
poured into that state, she still retains as
her leading characteristics the habits and
customs of the Frenehman and Spanlard;
aud sue is 1t this day, consequently, the
most immoral State in tho Union.
plo n,houSaro NTH n fa W eXcentIoDS