The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-08-04
The Late Minister to spain On
the AquisitiOm Of Cuba.
WASHINGTON, juno 81, 1859


acquisition of Cuba, in manner which calls
for notice at my hands; and this not only
in justice to myself, but, what is more i'm
portant, to correct misconceptions which
may have an injurious effect in their public
connections.
BY the correspondent Of the Philadelphia
American. quoted by you, am made to as
sert that Cuba can never be purchased, and
that even to propose the purchase is an in
dignity to Spain. By the same gentleman
am reported to have spoken in such man.
ner to the Administration as to show my dis
sent from the Presidents view on the sub
ject referred to, and virtually to endorse your
own expression that the acquisition of Cuba
by negotiation ''is dormant, if not extict
topic of political discussion"
1t is true that stated to the correspond
ent alluded to in answer to an inquiry of his
Gas have to others,) that the prospect of
acquiring Cuba by purchase, under present
circumstances was inauspicious, and that
opinion certainly entertain. But never
said or intimated that the proposition in any
way involved the honor of Spain, or that the
purchase might not, at some future period,
be effected. However unimportant my opin-
ions touching these questions may be can
not but feel solicitude that they should be
correctly represented by those who deem
them worthy Of remarks, and nothing can
be more erroneous than the manner in which
they have been alluded to by the correspon
dent you have quoted. In no communica-
tons to the Administration, verbal or writ
ten, have made intimations such as those
attributed to me. On the contrary, ap-
prove the course which the President has
pursued in conducting our foreign relations,
and especially his statesman-like views upon
this great American question, one which, in
my humble Judgment, rises superior to all
party and sectional considerations. ....
The President in his last annual message,
recommends that VIC should endeavor to ac-
quire Cuba by honorable negotiation, adding
tive would not, if we could, acquire it in
any other way" He further recommends
that he should be entrusted by Congress
with the means of making an advance to the
Spanish Government on the singning of the
treaty, and before its ratification. l share
and approve, in their fullest extent, those
views of the President | believe if they are
acted upon, we shall sooner or later obtain
Cuba by honorable negotiation; and, believ-
ing this, | watched with much anxiety and
saw defeated, with great regret, Mr.. Slidelrs
bill to appropriate thirty millions for the OBJ
iect referred to. Sooner or later say the
time depends mainly on ourselves If we
90 on defeating appropriations proposed for
this object; if we continue to circulate just
such opinions as you, Messrs. Editors, are
inculcating-namely, that it is party, not
the nation, that desires Cuba-if these opin-
ions are taken up, as they have been by all
the papers throughout Spain, and the Span
iards are made to believe Gas they do) that
even if treaty be made, the American Sem
ate would refuse to ratify it; if, by sui.
cidal policy like this, defeating the wishes
and efforts of the Administration, we place
stumbling blocks in our own way, then all
must admit that the prospect, as to time, is
discouraging indeed.
But if, as hope and trust, we shall act
with unanimity and decision; if we appro-
pirate, and each year continue to do so as an
ca nest Of our intention, a proper amount, as
the first payment authorized to be made on
the signature of the treaty; if we show Spain
that we are in earnest, and that we will per-
severe in our intentions; if we prove to her
that while we will employ no unfair means
to obtain Cuba, we neglect no suitable op-
portunity to purchase, then the time may not
be far distant when Spain, becoming con-
victed that Cuba is worth far more to us
than her, may follow the example Of Napole-
on in the transfer of Louisiana, and of her
self in that Of the two Floridas, and sell to
us, as most honorably she may, colonial
possession, the value of which to the mother
country, is very greatly diminished by the
fact (daily becoming more apparently that its
possession by her is a constant cause of irri-
tation and annoyance.
The Cortes, in moment Of excitement, re-
solved that it was inconsistent with the dig
nifty of the nation to dispose of its West In
dian colony. But you know, Messrs Edit
ors, enough Of the action of legislative bodies
to be aware of the difference between mo-
mentary ebullition of feeling and deliberate
and settled policy. And you must have al
so felt how far the correspondent of the Phil.
adelphia american was dep irting from sound
argument when he asserted that the true
way to test the sense of the indignant resent.
ment of Spain at our proposal, was to imag.
inc position on her part to purchase Florida
from us.
The gentleman in question, is too inteIli.
gent to maintain seriously such parallel
He knows that to make the one case in any
degree correspond to the other, we must i'm.
agine the U. States possessed ola large Is,
land, say in the Bay of Biscay, almost in
sight of the shores Of Spain, and command.
ing one Of her principal harbors; an island