New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-21
SPEECH OF SENATOR THOMPSON
of Kentucky,
ON THE ACQUISITION on CUBA.
liz SENATE, Wednesday, Feb. l6, 1859.

liz SENATE, Wednesday, Feb. l6, 1859.
The Senate, as in Committee Of the Wnos, resumed
the consideration Of the bill a. No. 497 making sppso
pristioo to ac ate the acquisition Of Cuba by ueso-
alton the pending question being on the smendmsos
offered by Mr.. Foot.
Mr.. THOMPSON Ky Mr.. President, it is annoying
to me that, after having been on good terms With al
my brother Senators, have had much difficulty 10
getting the floor 10 say what little have TO say %
this subject just as AN going out Twill no. say thss
il impots uDfeeling but it is certainly very en-
noyiDg. desire to say something on this bill, which
propf ses to make appropriation "to facilitate the
acquisition Of Cuba by pegotiatiop," 90 far o. my
strength and voice may bold out
In the fist place, object to the title Of the bill
imports that are TO acquire Cuba by negoti stoa,
ard that we simply wait facilities for that pur.
pose which, in mercantile phrase, means moasy.
Here il me ans $50 900 900. will not vote 10 commit
myself to anything of that sort and besides before
get through, l hope to show to any reasonable msa
tat the whole scheme is l-timsd, improper and ua
called for.
The zeal and ability with which the Senators iron
Loussra press the acquisition Of Cubs have struck NJ
with some surpyue. 1t seems to me tha. If Cabs were
acquired the whole sugar interest of Louisisaa, whSh
is COW protected by tariff, would be prostr ssd The
lands of Louisiana too far south TO be very 81
convertible into cotton lands. The oes Of machinery,
the loss Of time the ignorance OF the hands would %
equivalent to ire on each plantation Not only tnsb
bot there would go out from Louisiana to Cuba ~
the purpose Of getting lands there, the acave, the -
terprspg capitalists the men OF value, aad the mes
of substance. Many OF the sugar planters, and "
best Of Them would emgrate; the drones, the idsss
and the trhers, would stay at home. We SEQ ths OK
implied in the case of every new State. Yoa De-
there an active, enterprisirg, thrifty population mon
80 than you in ii State, because the active NE
enterpising the Intelligent, the men bent on makia
a'fOrtuDo have gone there. kentucky has bees D.
in that way by Missouri, By Louisiana by Illinois, -
BY Indiana until viii not say that il has such sofy
population that it lately turned TO be a Democfsos
State; for believe we still could have held our ~.
If it had not been for this everlasting niger qseseos
ard the American question. It,
Well Sir what will be the second effect upon LouS
lana Wherever in the world commerce pfevans, ~
entTepots are the points Of trsnshpment-tne 1t@.
of great iiIes; they are the places where c1m'a.s
are exchanged, aud there cities grow up. NO.. suP
pose the CITY Of Havana should grow up under 'as
American protection: il he some 81. !" -, ss,ton
ten days shorter for foreign vessels W "aa wiz
there than to go to Ne~Oriean:; ana T Co, ; W
.Tsnsnorted there from the ssissppi faIey, passing
Tv Esv.Oreans Cotton viii land at the last termnv
it-d in . good harbor; and it " pleasantef piaoe
Gan New. Orleans and no more liable TO yellow fov@
say, theD this is bill 10 break up the sugar
interest OF Louisiana, and to dSar The City OF nes
Orleans Why Mr.. President, that little CITY OF LIZ
ngtop of yours, in Kentucky, was very nice pretty
gTonibg town until it had couple OF rsnos~
run through il, and now nobody goes there az ~ -
ME do rot even dine there. Lsughter.l ~ ~
railroads have run through tone gong 70 ~ ~
cipnati and one going TO Louisville and sa -
people 90 TO the one city or the other whefe ~
have larger stock Of goods to pick from and $780, s =
they like little pleasant travel and lstiss liz 80
take an airing anyhow and see another Guy. nv.
ia teither trade nor commerce., nor eaueg, n0 ~
thing, done there. Why, Sir, the jmson weeds s
ee and the CxS ss'S Sass through q:
oftbe,e places and giving them thing OF that sos
Just fore that the little town of Danvie, wassL
was boy as matter Of great sa'erpI.s
tn,pniks road 10 the city of lie xington and 20 -
ike road il was. At that time they had thirtytss
stores az good deal Of trading there; but wnse
turppiLs road was made, every body went TO LenT
ton. and Dsnvile is nov q perfectly finished ~
There is grocery and, perhaps, ono ort.o sore;
sort of tayerr-jast symptons OF town haVls
there Whenever you translate the tsrminas, tss
trepot oftranshipu ent, you vii dnc th' New'o''''