Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-06

Speech OF Hen. VIM. II. avery, OF Tennes-
see, in thc House OF Representatives.


Well, sir, how do the people Of Cuba stand affects
ed towards this question? What is their feeling
Take away the Government officers The pampered
benefciaIies Of iguoble place. The minions OF pow
ef the tools and slaves Of 'yrsnny take these away
and the great mass Of the people of Cuba lock for
ward with delight to its accomplishment. Recent
dispatches tell as that while the SpaniaIds proper
are aroused TO some degree Of Excitement vt The
message Of the President, a counterf,eling of sat
isiacion pervades heCuban masses This feeling of
opposition, too, wherever il exists does not much
| proceed from fixed hostility 10 the contemplated
annexation of Cuba 10 the United States, as from q
national pride peculiar 10 Castilian blood, that
brooks net the idea of being bought and sold. Sir,
why should the people Of Cdbe not desire to change
! their allegiance! Do they not live under the most
| tyranical Government upon earth! Are they not
ruled with the iron rod Of a military despotY Are
they not kept in seryie saoection by the most pow
erful standing army in the wori, according to pop
ulatioh. Does not their overburdered taxation go
alone 10 swell and keep alive the pampered, blosted
and toteriDg aristocracy of corrupt Spain? DO
net all these facts argue trumpet tongued the peo
PIE Of Cuba themselves in favor Of lis annexa ion, and
that this their beautiful gem Of tie should
soon add another star TO our constellation of
| Statesy
| Sir. what other bold and true American sentiment
| DO we find enuneiated in the 0sIend manifesto
| We find there this language
should the themselves organize
against the Spanish Government and should other independent
the aid Of spain in the human power
could in opinion, prevent the people and Government OF the
United States from taking part in such civil var support OF
| uieir neighbers and friends"
This, cir take 10 be the settled sentiment Ct the
country for upon these declarations Mr. Buchanan
went before the country and was triumphantly
elected President.
! great truth is here enunciatCd. l know, sir,
! aud you know, and every honorable gentlemen up
| on This floor knows that 10 such contest in Cuba
hs land it isDow seriously hreaiened) the great
heart OF the American people would irresislably
feat responsive TO their struggle We well know
that strong American arms would be upiifed all
the land to strike the iyIanis down, and ber>
ate The oppressed
But sir. there no legal barriers in the way? Is
there wall of FIRE, through which these bold
spirits would have to pass 10 accomplish their
Bile purpose? How, ask, could this great, this
spontaneous heart thrOb OF he American people, in
like this, have practical effect Stand there
upon the statute books stern laws imposing hea
w penalties opon those who arc swayed by these
natural outburss of American feeling? Are not
now armed fleets, both British and American, crow
ding our waters and searching our vessels to seize
upon every suspected viOlator Of these laws? Sir,
| have bestowed upon this subject much thought
Aud with eye steadily fixed upon the rights, the
interests, the prosperity, the proud advancement Of
my country, must say if this construction be given
to tbs neutrality laws, and it be the proper and
correst constructions if it confer power upon Britt
sh well as american armed vessels to intercept
and seize American emigrants, either with with
out arms, upon the high seas then, sir, shall be-
gin to think the ilustrious and lamented Quitnan
right in urging their repeal Who dare tell
me that the immortal Crockett lawless
ruder, when a martyr to Texan liberty, at the Ala,
mo he fell
Sir, have not, In the fresh recollection Of gentle
men upon this floor, revolutions in neighboIiDg
States arisen; az, in Cuba herself? Apd have not
the brave spirits, who sympathised with the OPP
pressed under the forms and sanctions of law been
hunted down upon the land and upon the sea?
Under these very forms of law has not the body Of
a Governor of sovereign State been demanded
demanded; too, whilst in The discharge of his
tive duties sitting in the very citadel of State SOW
ereguty, where her laws executed, and her
government directed-laws sir, which the illustri-
Clay said were the result of the perncieus in
huence of foreign ministers the legislation of
the country? Sir, it was one Of the nOblest COM
mentaries upon General Quitman's life, that be
chose to dsrobe himself Of the mighty mantle
which the people had imposed upon him, and, re-
suming tn place of privae citizen, submit to
arrest TO avoid the shock that would naturally be
felt by this conflict between Federal power and
State sovereignty. In my judgment. heavier
blow was never struck at southern sights, southern
interests the advancement, the fujfiment Of our
great American destiny, than when Commodore
Pauding perpetraed people his high
handed outrage under the preext of these same
forms CT law. And, sir, | want no better evidence
of the truth of this declaration aud of the correcr~
mes of the vote gave the other day upon the ras~
olutiOn Of thanks to Commodore Paulding than that
every solitary Aboliticnist and Republican voted
for it, and against consuming him
in close connection with the Cuban question
stand our Central American relations and kindred
interests in the Gulf Of Mexico. Although a little
more remote from us than Mexico or Cuba, yet
those Central American States stand in the direct
pathway to cur possessions on the Pacific. 1t is
of the most vital interest people and TO the
Of ba tbot
should be uninter upted. This unn errupted in
is seriously threatened, if not fatally
impaired. We informed Uy the President that
the complications between Great Britain and the
United States, arising out Of the Clsyton~Bulwsr
treaty of April 1885, have Dot been finally adjusted.
This is much TO be regretted; for DO act of Govern
ment policy or diplomacy has initiated against
the natural march of American Advancement as
has this fatal treay. II should be Gbrogated by
our Government The manacles with which it fet
tiers the giant limbs of American progress should be
torn asunder. England has already the advantage
of US in those rich and fertile regions Of the South
By her diplomacy and policy she already claims
control of mere than third of Central America
fear she is now endeavOring to weave around US
still closer net After the very able and interest
ing speech, the other day, Of my friend from Vir1
GINA Mr.. jenkins, nothing has been left me to
say upon this branch Of my subject
Sir do not like at all the prospect that is pre-
sented to US in our southern The great mar
thine Powers OF Europe surely mFan something by |
their manifest interference. In examining the cor>
respondence that has recently been communicated |
to Congress on these subjects, what do we find? |
Why sir. we had every reason to believe, We had |
every official assurance, that this question this very
delicate question of the right of search, was set
tied But, sir, by This cOrresp ondence that |
this search the Part Of British men of-War has |
been transferred from supposed savers to supposed
fllibusters. look sir, upon this as far greater
outrage upon the rights Of American citizens and |
the freedom Of our fsg than has heretofore been
perpetrated Permit me, sir, for a moment to call
your attention and The attention Of this House, and
especially gentlemen representing American inter
ests, and proud constituency, little to the de-
tail Of this correspondence.
In The note of Captain W. CORVALLIS Al6ham,
of her Majesty's ship Valorous, to Commander Nc
Iutosh, of the American squadron, We find this
language:
reply, must express regret that should
consdr visiting merchant vessel within
port the protection Of Great Britain for the
entering their
their protection friendly port, the
light delaying, boarding and examining Of American
Of piTatcS and
this respect should apprehend
such grave danger as that to which you ailude."
Sir we have the declaration here boldly made by
a British officer by authority and under nstruc
lions from his Government, that This port under
British protection. Sir, this was news to the gal
liant Mcintosh; it is doubtless news to US, that
Great Britain had assumed the protectOrste and
control of that part of those waters. Commander
iT,stIv nd nronerlv rppudisted upon