Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-03-25
More Democratic Meanness.

A correspondent Of the Baltimore
American is bringing to light some of the
past history Of the Cuban question which
is interesting not only in itself, but as
showing the persistent and systematic
efforts of the democratic party to use Cuba
as q means of making political capital
either by its seizure or purchase, when the
agitation of the subject is deemed indis-
pensible to retrieve the fallen fortunes Of
the party. President Pierce sent Soule, as
Minister to Spain-a man so odious to
the Spanish government that it would not
listen to proposition for the sale of Cuba,
from him. AS soon, however, as he left
his post to ramble off into England and
France, the project of treaty was sub
mitted to Mr. Perry, Secretary of Lega-
ton, which comprised concessions of all
the demands of our government, and the
consequent settlement of all the difficulties
between the two countries. The PROPOSE
ton was duly laid before our government,
and instead of acting upon it, the Ad-
ministration treated it with silence, and,
at last, the papers disappeared from the
State Department. In 1855, when con-
troversy arose between Soule and Perry,
on this subject, the correspondence of the
latter, as Secretary of Legation, and the
project of the treaty as proposed by Spain,
were still in existence and copy of them
is said to be in the possession Of Mr.
Wallace of Baltimore But when the
papers called for, by the resolutions of the
Hon. John Bell few weeks ago, were
sent in, these important documents were
not amongst them.
Now the question arises, who distracted
those papers-and what was the motive
The efforts made by Soule to defeat the
negotiation upon which Perry had entered
with Spain, because that government
would not treat with him the Ostent
manifesto, with its lawloss doctrines hav.
ing reference solely to Cuba, and the dis
appearance Of the papers, just mentioned
prove conclusively that Soule, and those
who acted with him, wanted no peaceful
adjustment of our difficulties with Spair
because that would leave no pretext upor
which to base an appeal to the restless
cupidity of the populace and, it futher
more, gives rise to the well-fOunded sus
picion that the Administration had NJ
desire to purchase Cuba, but preferred t
take it by force. The offer to purchas,
was made with perfect knowledge that i
would be rejected and the refusal It
entertain the proposition of the Spanisl
government to concede all our claim
against it, was intended to keep alive
feeling of hostility on the part of on
people, with a hope that such feelin
might, on suitable occasion, be made t
sanction resort to force for the acquisi
ton of Cuba.
No one will deny that it is the duty
and ought to be the wish-of every homes
and enlightened statesman to adjust, on
basis of peace, any difficulties that ma
have arisen between his; and any othe
government; and the failure to do this
when entirely practicable, can be ascribe
only to imbeciity, or a sinister design
Then if the portion of the history G
Soule's mission, now made public, b
authentic, as no doubt it is, heavy re
sponsibility rests upon the parties VIII
abused their power by failing to excrcs
it in behalf Of justice, and in support {
national honor and governmental CONT,
Spain was, doubtless, anxious to settle a
her difficulties with this government, HOY
ing that if such settlement did not OK
tinguish the spirit of fllbusterism,
would, at least, leave no pretext for il
practical demonstration against her pc,
sessions. But our government saw tn
motive, and seeing the effect of an ami,
able adjustment upon the future forum,
Of the democratic party, wilfully evade
the proposed settlement, and to escape IL
odium that ought to attach to such col
duct, has carefully removed the proof thu
such settlement was ever proposed !
Spain, Such is democratic statesmansht
aud honesty, aud it is strange that Il
American people have SO long submittC
to such misrule.
seA- Mr.. VIM. Crouch, who has bee
called upon to suffer his name to be us,