Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-02-25


Tune we have had conclusive cvi1arc, tbnt
tne slave trade, about which the President
Expresses so much Just adherence is tolcrn-
,cu III the sense in which the President must
,l'',e used that term, in this country. nj
,,"e 10 the late importation of n carro of
siaV's INTO the State Of Georgia And it's
ohly lew days since saw motto, in one of
oue newspapers that two more vessels, laden
WIN slaves, were lying of the coast of Geor-
gu OF Florida. waiting favorable opportu.
nitv to land their cnrgoes upon onr soil. And
sr' when our squadron shall he withdrawn
rom the African coast, and all British
nt'riercnce with the slave trade shall cease,
and the fact is published to the world that
southern lures refuse to concict parties en-
gag,d in it, the trade will be carried on tn
t'lS country just ms long ms it is found to he
rf"htnhle; and in view of this fact, and that
some friends Of the Administration upon this
moor have so strcuously opposed the small
anhroprlatlon recommended by the President
10 EDUCATE and maintain, for a brief period Of
,hne' the crew of the SLAYER Echo. lately
transported to Liberia, the President might
w'l despair Of the christianizaton and civ
'Iisation Of beuightcd Africa.
one argument used nv those friendly to
inc acquisition of Cuba is. that the aggregate
pr 'ductons OF the Island are to be largely'in-
~ ased as II consequence Of it's acquisitions
rus must necessarily involve a demand for
~ increase of labor'rs. and this demand is
ovpectod to be supplied by slave labor. s,
IT, instead " The authorizations of tn Pre-
q lent being realized. tncrr i, good j.,, N tp
IT that the acquisition or Cuba would sti-
ulatc this trade. and strengthen tll, oupo-
lion to our urohihtnrv laws upon the sub
l'ct and II 1T did not eventually procure
lelr repeal, would become 50 powerful that
rev could not he inorcel
1t follows. almost as necessary c,nsn-
fnence, that enlarging the area Of slavery
aust increase the demand for slaves and the
resident will find great difficulty in cunvin-
ing th' american people that the addition
more slave territory is calculated to lead to
ne abolitior of The slave trade. or that any
new legislative sanction OF the sv.t IA OH
his continent will tend to the civilization of
benighted Africa
cannot, Mr.. Chairman accord to the
President any sincerity in his presentation of
Ems subject. 1t seems to me rather, that
knowing as he must, the dccp-soatcd, strong.
md increasing opp stion of the people of
this country to the whole slavery System,
that this argument is put forth lv him to
furnish plausible justification to those Of
his political friends in the free States, who
re expected to aid him in the acc ,mplsh-
f1cnt oi the object recommended.
But have already spent too much time
upon this portion Of the message This ar
'ument in connection with the description
# the pr sent condition of the Island, needs
rnlv to BE- stated, to he condemned by an in
elligHnt people The argument upon which
he President evidently most relies, is that
IT tho geographical position of Cuba, and
is commanding influence upon the conf
rnercc of this country.
1t IS slid, Mr.. Chairman. that Cuba nl-
tnrally belongs TO us, on account Of its POI
'tion. This claim of natural right is of
modern invention, and I apprehcnd will he
found diN' lit of application. | suppose,
sir, "A We get Cuba, this same claim is 10
be used for the acquisition Of Jrmaica for
Jamaica is only about ninety miles from
Cuba, while Cuba is one hundred and thirty
miles from our coast and so on until we
add all of the West India islands 10 our pos
sessions; and when there are no more islands
to purchas, or To conquer, the discovery will
be made that Mexico naturally belongs to
us: and when we have acquired Mexico, it
will be ascertained that we have Il natural
right tn all the Central American States
And last of all, the British and Russian
possessions on this continent are to he
brought within this operation: and this
claim Of natural right is never II be satisfied
until there are no more land upon the CONT
nent, or il thc ocean, contiguous, left for it
to operate upon.
understand Mr.. Chairman, that there
are NJ natural rights to things corporal in
any civilized country. except those which
are Inferred and guaranteed by law and
this definition applies to nations as well as
individuals. The rights of property are de-
fncd, ascertainod. and prot ctcd by law I.
and nations are rs much bound to respect
observe and enforce those laws as individu-
al and the man who should persistentIy
clam n natural right t. the property Of hi,
neighhor. because it happened t. be co'ti-
guous to his own. or because he thought it
might he NOR" valuable to him than t, his
ncighhor, would soon lose III, respect o. all
with whom he light associate.
am not disposed, Mr.. Chairman, to de-
bate the question Of the commercial import
nnro Of Cuba. which other gentlemen have
So magnifad in the debates uron this floor.
and which is 50 lcnethilv discussed in the
majority reports of the Committees on For
cign Aiflirs Of tho House and semitic | am
willing t. admit that our commerce with
Caba is very important, and is rapidly in
crrasing. Tn" same is true pf our commerce
wich other foreign countries, which the Pres
ident has not vet recommended Congress to
purchas, and. with the Govern ment wisely
and properly administered. expect to see IA
cnsiinilY increasing commerce with all the
nations whero orr cnnm'r'c now extends.
and that new fields will be disc ,vered and
new avenues Of trade will be opened for it
and it will keep on. steadily and healthiv
increasing, until it rivals tl,c commerce OF
the world. re- was disposed t. institute
comlnriSl ms, think could demonstrate
that, in commercial point Of view. there
are other countries which il would b. quite
as important to acquire as Cuba.
Another argument used. and which is di-
rectly connected with the question have
Just bt-n considering, is the pccuniary value
Of the island to Us. The claim is, that the
value would b. inmen,' but gentlemen here
failed t, point ont in what that value would
consit. Tn" land constituting tie island
except the res rvations for military and 9th
or governmental pa, poses, has been owned
by individuals, and mostly by Spanish sab
jscts, for centuries. The personal property
is also owned BY individuals, The Pr, .idcnt
has not get admitted himself t. the policy
nt cuntsc1tnG private property upon the
island, and he can hardly expect to acquire
u by honorable les tiatiln withuu, 'uttring
mtI treaty Obligations 10 respect AMI protect
tie l,,,Its Ut property . the sth''r VIII )
are transferred WIFI the island. TGrn, SIR,
Ntldl ilH'lls pl property - w H'HHiF' ny 10
acquisition We get, to be sure, the forth
fcatipns, whica have b ,en erected mainly to
protect it against administering expedition
from this country, and all the other fixtures,
which have been provided for the accommo-
dation Of the large standing army which j,
maintained there But Of what yaluc will
these be to us. unless we expec; to maintain a
largo standing army there? If our people
wish to emgnte 20 Cuba, 10 cultivate it,
sill. they will be compelled to purchase ia,
land, not of the Government. but of its own
ors and n, pricas Ia hn Il ynd Inv thnsn uyynprs