The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-02-10
The Purchase of Cubn.

ate on tho proposition to appropriate s30,000,-
900 for the purchase of Cuba. We should like
to give his remarks entire but our space is too
limited. The following extracts are pointed
Ths bill has financial aspect. lt has also
a broad political character In regard to the
financial aspect, | call tho attention Of the SEN
ate to the TACT that the bill proposes TO appro-
pirate now, at this time, out OF the Treasury of
the United States, S30 900 900, to be placed
under the control of the President OF the Uuited
States to be paid by him to spain, whenever she
shall have consented to accept any treaty which
he may make with her for the cession OF Cuba
to the United States, without waiting for q rati
fcauen of that treaty by the Senate Of the Uni
ted States. This appropriation of $50 900 900
necessarily involves now pledge, a guaranty,
virtually grant, or appropriation OF so many
more millions of dollars as tbs President of the
United States, without any recourse to the Sen.
ate Or to Congress and consulting only his own
mere ambiion, caprice or pleasure, shall agree
TO give tor that Island and this last amount is
altogether unlimited.
The bill contains no Limitation, and the Pres
ident recommends no Limitation, II is bill
then for Just many millions as the President
shall choose TO write in the treaty. What will
bs the number OF those millions? The report
of the majority Of the committee says that it
win probably be Sl25,000 900. This calcua-
tion Is based Upon the fact that Spain refused
$500 900 900 ten years ago, and that Cuba has
increased in value $2o000,000, according TO the
estimate Of the csmmittee. This estimate is
nconclusive, and, therslore, is unsatisfactory
The amount which Spain will ask, if we sup
pose her to acceds 10 this treaty, will be all that
she can get, aud the amount which the President
will give, If it be his purpose to acquire the
Island of Cuba at all events and under all haz-
ards, will be the least that Spain will consent to
take. 1t may then just as well aud as accurate
" be estimated that the sum to be written in the
treaty will be 5000, 900 600, or &350,000 900, or
$500 900 0g0, as that ii shl be only $l25 000,-
900.
will assume that it authorizes the President
to contract debt to Spain, without again con-
Suting Congress or the Senate of the United
States, for the sum of S250000 900. This pro.
position comes ut time when our revenues arc
reduced TO $50 900 ,000 and there is a confessed
deficiency for the year Of $4,000 600. 1t is
immaterat whether we borrow this $50 100000
to say Spain, as the bill proposes, or whether
we pay IL out OF the receipts of the revenues
flowing into the Treasury, and borrow he money
to supply the place of what we thus abstraG Gted.
1t proposes nothing less than to authorize the
President of the United States to create at once
and absolutely debt of S30000 900, and indi-
recty a further debt Of 100000 900, ia addition
| to deficit, which is virtually an existing debt
against the Treasury, Of $50 000000; making
$3.50 900 900 OF new debt certain, and S220, ,000,-
900 contingent. This, added to an already funded
debt OF S6OOOO 900, will raise the national debt
to $3.50 100000. This is to be done under ex-
traordinary circumstances, We have at this
moment no financial system--no system Of rev.
enue. We have, indeed, tariff law which
brought last year into the Treasury over S40-
900, and this year is expected to bring in
$5O 0O0, 900; but a revenue law which leaves
an annual deficit cannot be said to constitute a
| 4.
now near two months, has utterly failed to de-
wise any kind of revenue system whatever. Nor
| has the Executive Administration submitted TO
Congress any system for this emergency. This
statement is strictly true, If you consider that
the President recommends one system in his an.
nual message and that the Secretary of the
Treasury, his own responsible Minister OF FL
nance, submits to us another and widely differ
ent one.
This great increase of the public debt, we are
asked to make at the very hour when, in COM
piance with tue Executive recommendation
we are proposing TO authorize him to build the
| Paclhc Railroad at n cost OF not less than
1928 900 900 more; and simultaneously with
this, in the same message, wa are also asked TO
authorize the President 10 move the army into
Mexico, which can cost nothing less than Sl00,-
600, 900 more, aud at the same time, in pursu.
ance Of recommendations Of the same weight
and authority we are asked to authorize him to
| employ the army and navy against Just so many
! Spanish American States on this continent as
lie shall choose, which can require nothing less
! than 800 900 900 more; so, without any finan-
cial system at all, we are to have great debt
created by this Congress of the United States
on the Recommendation and application Of the
President TO strengthen the arm of the Execu-
tive, while weakening the power and the consti-
| tutional force Of the Senate and the House Of
RpDrp IA tivpe do bf nc GE00 Oln 0Q0
H n
| have said that the bill has also political
aspect. 1t proposes to bring into the United
States foreign country. 700 miles long, and 70
miles wide containing 800 .000 human beings
subjects of government occupying practicalIy
every foot upon its sidewalks in its cities and
every acre OF mountain and plain and valley in
the rural districts of that island; population
different entirely from the citizpns Of the Uni
ted States--dffarent in language, different in
race, different in habits, different in manners
different in customs, and radically different in
religion; population that will, practically,
forever hold The power 10 exclude all American
immigration, Al least TO exclude ii eEit ctualy
as our old esa bished S Is practically exclude
immigration from outside Of their boulen.-
This popul alton, then, is TO be the ruling popu.
lstion Of that island. Whist rights will citizens
of the United States enjoy there? The ,5O0,-
600 souls are divided, One-half whites, 230,-
900 free blacks, aud 400 900 slaves What in.
slituuons OF justice, oI freedom, OF religion and
public worship will obtain or remain there -
need to know, m were willing TO leave these
great questions to the President Of the Uni ed
States. have no GIT to do SO. | have a voice,
one of 81 voices, TO determine whether such
country SHALL he broug 4 into the United States,
aud on what te,ms and conditions. Joined
with my colleague, We have one OF 30 voices on
these mighty questions The power to speak
Involves constitutional respon ,ibity to ex-
press the voice Of the State of New York upon
such measure and on all its important de tails,
before it shall be adopted.
! have olready shown lhst The consent of tue
Senate to the passage OF this bill will operate as
a constrant upon the Senate to rstify whatever
, ireaty the President shall make hereafter. II
| this hc tue (and no onr think, can con'toverr