The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-06


such thing did not "involve the honor Of the
country" Mr.. DODGE himself even if he had
the valor of JULIUS, as he has the name and wis
dom of AUGUSTUS CESAR, would not venture to
face the people of his own town, with the stigma
upon him of acquiescing in such an indignity.
Nor is Mr.. DoDGEs own plan, as suggested in his
letter, any improvement upon that which has hith-
erto been pursued 1t is a mere absurdity to assert
that nation which has already publicly declared
her resolution not to treat on particular domestic
subject has no right TO he offended at the an
nonncement of determination TO force that subject
upon her, perpetually, notwithstanding There is
an assumption of superiority-an assertion of abso-
lutte and adverse will-ac ontumacious and unfrend-
ly disregard of her fixed and declared policy in re-
gard to her own territory and affars-which cannot
fail to be offensive 1t is course which this coun-
try would be the very last TO tolerate, in her own
case and which it therefore i'll becomes her to at
tempt TO force upon sister nation, which she be-
lieves to be weaker than herself It's course too.
made doubly offensive by the attendant circum-
stances, and especially by the very scheme which
Mr.. DODGE concnrs in-the appropriation ofmoney,
in advance, to make 'the first payment in case of
the negotiation of a treaty. Everybody under
stands what that means. No one supposes that
our own national credit is so bad or our national
good faith at so low an ebb, that we cannot get
Spain to treat with US, except for cash in hand
Every one knows that the money is wanted to buy
the treaty, possible rather than to buy the Island
and it is the imputation of the possibility of this,
patent on the face of the scheme, that makes the
whole so intolerable to the pride-nay to the COM
mon selfrespect-of the Spanish government and
people. Doubtless it is possible that Spanish
negotator might be found base enough to sell him.
self-just as it is possible that some American
statesman" might be doubly base enough to buy
him-but such possibilities are not within the con-
temptation of respectabe-we need not say ''hon-
''orable negotiation" Least of all are they to be
hawked about and paraded, and pulled, as Estates
'manship." They are worthy of the worst days
of Italian intrigue, or that school of diplomacy
which LOUIS XI represented, when he condensed
his instructions to his ambassadors into the simple
precept-to out-e their antagonists. twas hoped
that we had improved upon that system. 1t was
hoped that we had magnanimity enough not to
seek to worry a weaker nation into compliance
and diplomatic persecution. 1t was believed that we
were above holding out perpetual bait to the We
naliy of foreign statesmen, in order induce them
to play false to the interests and policy of their
country. But Mr.. DODGE, it seems, thinks other
wise. III in this precise way that he would have
US ''present unbroken front in favor of the ac-
''quisition of Cuba" and Strengthen the arm of
''the Executive as in the days of JEFFERSON" To
our poor apprehension-the ''front' which such
scheme requires must be unblushing, rather than
"unbroken'' and it is the hands of the EXECUTIVE
which we are asked to SOIL rather than Strengthen
sits arm" Looking upon Mr.. DoDGEs manifesto,
however, as bid, on his own behalf or that of
somebody else, for the good will of the Charleston
Convention, we suppose that the whole affair is
quite Ineligible enough.