Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-03-02
Hon. James b. Clay on the Acquisition


of Cuba.
The recent speech of the distinguished Represen>
iGtve of the Ashland district the foreign affairs
of our government, gives evidence of high order
of craftsmanship. The following extract from his
argument in favor of the acquisition of Cuba We
commend to the careful study of our readers:
SIR. Chairman, it was with the highest satisfaction
that hailed that por ion of the last annual message
of the President upon the subject of the acquisition
of the Island of Cuba believe, sir, that there is
no subject of foreign relations whatever at all
to compare with il; and it is somewhat remarkable
that whilst the statesmen of this c0untry have diff
fered upon questions Of the acquisition of all other
portions of Territory since the foundation Of the
Government, there has been but opinion Gs to
this. Florida, Louisiana, Texas, California, aud
New Mexico all have had their opponents; we're
even willing TO yield something of claims upon
our northwest boundary; but has for mo-
ment dou6tedtbe vital necessity to of the quiz
sition of Cuba; each day becoming more appal eat.
Sir il is not upon the ground which has been so
e'oquenily adveri ed to by many gentlemen this
floor, the great wealth and The extreme fertility of
the island that have my ardent desire that il shall
b. acquired by the United States. Arguments Of
that sort addressed TO cIpidiiy, are, 10 my jndg-
ment, unworthy the consideration of great nation
1t is because Cuba has been placed by the Maker
of all things in such position upon the earth
face to make its possession By the United States
GeOEGaphlcal anu pOiitlCN uoCtSsliN' anu II sue
were mere barren rock like Gibrsler would as
earnestly desire its acquisition as now. Instead Of
referring 10 its and its resources let us
but take a single glance at our own, which this
island by its position in the event of difficulty
with Spain with any country with which she is
in close alliance, effectu,lly commands.
OF all the regions CT the earth, with its Anglo.
Saxon race It's immense fertility and its vast sur
face the valley Of the Mississippi if not day
the most important in agricultural productions, is
destined soon TO be beyond all comparison. With
one thousand miles from New Orleans TO St Louis
two thirds of the distance is the finest cotton land
on the globe Above st. Louis with fifteen hundred
miles on each of the two rivers, the Missouri and
the Mississippi, over which settlement and cultva-
ton has extended or rapidly extending; thous
and miles for Ohio, which waters the very heart of
the present agriculture of these States, to say moth
ing OF the vast extent of The other rivers which
flow into them; what empire in this valley 10
hibited to the world? ! have no time to 60 into sta
tsiieal statements; The Importance Of the subject is
TOO vast for ordinary figures. The cotton interest
alone with its million Of bsles, whose production
has sprung in lifetime, has assumed such i'm
portanca that the very life blood of England de-
pends upon IL. 'fCOtton s king" says Senator
from South Carolina Whilst ] am not wiling to
admit TIL dogma, yet neither You nor /, sir, nor
the world beside us, can close eyes TO the inn
mepse importance Of the siaple-m3raly, socially
and p,liticalIy When we add TO cotton, sugar and
grain, the annual products Of this great valley,
which pass either coaswise or to foreign countries
through the mouth of The Mississippi; when we
cons ider how they must ali be Increased and mag~
nifed even during our lives should it please PrOv
dence to spare US to the ordinary term of human
LIFE what spectacle is presented to the forecast of
the sta esmsn
In addition to the valley of the Mississippi, Texas,
one Of the young daughters OF the Republic, is al
ready beginning to loom up one OF the richest Of
the States; Alabama with her great resources, finds
chiefly an outlet ron her of Mobile, Their
interests, whose territory circles one-half the Gulf
are but part of the enumeration. ALI our commerce
with the Pacific States, before You and are dead
s'r-mOst probably the commerce Of the Indies
will pass through the CsrfiAan All this, sir,
must pass within gunsshot, almost, Of the Is
land of Cuba. From the Florida capCs to the
Island and rom the Island to the nearest point of
Yuostan the distance is about the same, less than
one hundred and thirty miles. All the commerce of
the Gulf must pass between one or the other Of |
he channels. few small steamers of war, quiz |
ely brought together and suddenly thrown across
each channel, never out of sight of each other, |
could In time shorter than would be necessary to
send a fofce TO ep them from the seas, produce
such horror and destruction of our commerce from !
the Gulf, even the wealb of the Island Of Cuba |
could mol reimburse. SO we'll was the importance |
of the geographical position of Cuba understood by
our older statesmen, thai, thirty years ago, in
the celebrated Panama instructions, this lsI guage
was used:
NO power uOI even pam nersSll, mas III euCn
variety of forms, deep interest in its future
forum s as the Uuhed Staies'
Mr.. Webster was afraid to trust himself to speak
upon The subject. Sir times have changed. In
1926 we were weak country; cur population was
less than twelve million. If our statesmen at that
day lad the ooursge 10 holdthe language they did,
how ought We to speak now, with near thirty mil
hon Of people, every day increasing in degree far
beyond the laws of natural increase, and with pow
er srd resources which place 10 the first rank of
the nations Of the earth? Sir, the march of our des
tiny is onward Shall Te be untrue TO our sires
who gave the prJpulsior2 Cuba is necessary to orr
well being and 10 cur continued prosperity. Gen>
eral jackson is reported TO have said, on some oc>
easioD, ',hst men made the constitutions Of eoun-
ries, hut God made the geography" So men make
What is called the law OF nations, from the necessi
les Of States, but God makes the geography which
controls the necessity We must have Cuba, from
necessity which the Maker of the world has Gre
ted.