The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1859-01-15

eHoose 10 1hi1ict. Cuba has been called tn,
key Of the Gulf. 1T is more. 1t is the jsnito
Of that isthmus which modern enterprise al
ready oYerleaps, and which, in less than half /
century, will be the portal Of a comnerc,
Wh'cn's1n extent and value, will outstrip thu
present Nmer of The world, and the mos,
so'uen VISIONS Of the widest dreamer. Iht
htes' Eioienl oppoaeuts Of the acquisition 0
1una 90 not deay its political Importance in a
n1iitafy and maritime point Of view. They
loase their opposition on different grounds
on me danger, the immortality, aud the com
mercial mex p~ediency Of the attempt. Let us
ffst consider as 10 the commercial question in
vowed. Let us suppose Cuba aeaairesS$t any
price, however fabulous in money or H&yebd, for
a nation which aspires to deeds of b en-
prise, 70 influence and to empire, car hest
tate at perils, or decker about d 5 and
cents opportunity comes not lw and il
frltteIed away, is lost forever. ST. Cuba
ours, what then Then, says tbi aecon-
omist, the Louisiana sugar plapt6 illd be
injured, and slave property, would u price
oy so great an access Sla property
would not fall in pri&y 4ied Safes,
but would rise in we nv wa. That SCaouf-
try is now SO apered> with IN AMlssport and ex-
MI duties, n other restrie nps of trade,
that ii has \ II chance Of d elopmeut but
once withi circle of the american states,
and size wea<. acquire tessFeffoId productive
power, and every slave wouEs become as ipAs
portant as he now is iR e South. 4
philanthropic point of vief II is sufficient to
say that the slave trade Wadld cease, and the
negro, because lore yalp3 pie, would no longer
be used as EsmachiiY 10 be worn ont aud
thrown Away, but W d be treated with the
care, consideration AZ humanity his increased
value and a better of society would bring
about. -
Negroes WGus fail. therefore, materially
%in'value, but did there are millions Of
acres of unoIN land in Arkansas and Texas
which wouls be brought into cultivation.
Cuba is n ss9tfee producing country also, and
this necessity of the American people would
be ebeapeued and become a home product. We
would be no longer dependent upon the good
Wilt of Brazil for this staple. In regard to
the injury OF the Louisiana sugar interests, we
have only to say that if they could not stand
the competition of Cuba, they would readily
abandon sugar for more lucrative occupations,
and 1t is unreasonable for them to expect the
whole Union to suffer the present perils and
nenaces Of Spain, and the loss of such a treas
ire Tor such a consideration. They should be
willing to submit somewhat for the common
good Ultimately they would be amply re-
pald Ill the Importance and security of New
Orleans, and by the culture of rice, indigo, or
some other staple. But it does not follow that
because Cuba could and does produce more
better sugar than Louisiana, that the lat
er would necessarily suffer.
South Carolina aud Georgia are not driven
rom the cultivation Of cotton because the al
uvial lands Of Arkansas can produce more to
ne acre, and cotton bears u higher price to-
Iay' thar before these latter were opened. Such
:, indeed, the view of the people of Louisiana,
mo are unanimously in favor Of the acquisi-
ion.
1t is urged, however, that it is contrary to
he international law and common morality to
eek the acquisition Of Cuba, Unless Spain
'eely sells her to US. No one proposes a
escent upon Cuba. AT present it is a matter
t negotiation. Ii Cuba was, indeed, a free
nd happy people, rejoicing in the arts of
eace, and governing her people so as neither
} inlnre nor threaten us, it would be a base
fong to impose a foreign yoke upon her. We
onId not be justified by the example of
rance in the Society Islands, of England in
any OF her wars in India. or of Russia, Prus.
Il, and Austria, in The case Of Acknowledgement {
folald' But Cuba is a country, whose en-
natives, ilnbued with liberal ideas 1
e stretching toward us their arms, %slppIica- /
protection from a cruel and bigotel des, {
'1ls'h. II left to a free expression Of opinion, 5
} one doubts that Cuba would leap from the 4
spot like a bride TO her lover.
YIN line grounds OF humanity, even if Spain t
ID been a courteous ally, we could have been +
sl'ltd long ago in interference in the alta rs
tuba. Bat how has Spain used her power $
ID sovereignty over Cuba? As a means Of d
4l'it to our Hug, and annoyance to our com.
srce. Aside from her oppression of the |
and Itself, with winch perhaps it NAV be y
.imed we have nothing to do, Spain has con- II
used her power in such q way as to {
ouns our national dignity, to harass orr S
lpptng, to confiscate the property and inn |,
son the persons Of oar citizens, and, in fine.
heap insult pYeu injury, until The record n
assumed a starting significance. She has il
'u.iula'eo a mass OF wrongs, which the s.
'plest apologies and the largest pecuniary {
~ho"iedgments could scarcely satisfy, aud a
'icn is daily receiving additional complica, ii
n from the neglect, the caprice. and the in S
ehee OF her Government. 1t is due to our b
w " saieay lHat MOI Only should the laSt 81
satisfied, but that we should remove the o
Use of irritation and the means of annoy. ii
&C., by obtaining Cuba-peaceably if we
forcibly if we must. B
we have shown that so far as Spain and we c
concerned, no moral objection would inter ri
le. Is England or France to interfere ? tc
n England, with her flag floating over W
ofa'faf ard Malta, commanding the entrance W
The Mediterranean, aud lately %seizing, with
a preteNt, except the strengthening of her
the entrance of the Red Sea and Per-
Gnif, and iilibnsiering all over the globe. X
ec't Gan France. with her proceedings ia
9erla, the South Sea Islands and Burmah. p
arlan :? 1t would be the very essence of an
.arisaieal insolence. ~
As to the danger. In the first place. this 4
J be avoided by q vigorous and speedy Iegis. Y
on. IN every other Government the ~i3yecu- 70
has the power Of graspjng any advantage VI
t offers itself by The use of The purse or the
Onr own is q Constitutional Govern 9
1T, IN which the Executive is prndeut}y i
lied aud restrained. A President NAV see o.
' his country can obtain some cherished OBJ Of
I, and may see all hopes of il glide away, by
non OF Congressional opposition or i%naction. Pr
MS restraint is necessary, because il is one gu
me lew eiteetual checks upon the Executive ),
AS a rule, it should be vigorously OBJ. -
For the same reason, that our conn. "
should not be always in the lurch, il be-. '
res Congress, when an opportunity occurs.