Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-02-16

rate OF interest Will De 1ounu 10 rise III pro-
portion to the Iiberality with which we pro-
pose to borrow. In that case you will find
your revenue derived from all sources scarce
ly more than enough to pay the interest of the
debt which you shall thus have created, leav
ing no funds whatever for carrying on the or
dinary operations of the q Government.
This, however, it might be said, is a fanci-
ful picture, because the bill appropriates only
$40, ,0O0, 900, and not the whole $3.50 900,
which have supposed. Nevertheless, Sir, it
appropriateS the whole amount which the
President shall write in the treaty. We give
him blank draft on the Treasury, and au
thorze him to fill up the amount for himself.
l have supposed he will fill up with $3.50, ,000,-
600. But am told that we can retreat from
this contract with Spain if we find it too ex-
pensive, and abandon the measure without
paying the additional sum which the Presi-
dent may write in the treaty. Slowly and
carefully, Mr.. President, let us consider.
Certainly we cannot retreat from it without
forfeting the $50, ,000, 900 which win have
been paid. That condition will operate as a
constraint upon Congress to appropriate all
the remaining millions which the President
may stipulate, and it will equally operate as
constraint upon the Senate to ratify the treaty,
whatever sum may be stipulated by its pro-
visions.
Again, sir, no one suppose that the
President would pay the S30, 0,000, 900, IN adj
vance to Spain, without securing possession of
the Island of Cuba. When he has once obtain
ed the Island of Cuba, and paid $50, ,00O,0G as
an advance upon the consideration money of
the purchase, the treaty will be a contract eN
ecuted, and Spain and the whole world would
laugh with derision at the pretense that we
could rescind the contract and repudate the
remaining debt on the ground that we had
then looked into our Constitution and found
that we had violated it in passing the law by
which we had authorized thePresdent to make
the improvident bargain.
Sir, this is a plan OF financial management
to which L am a>Stranger. 1t is the province
of the Congress of the United States to take
care of the public Treasury, and to see that
every dollar that is received remains there un-
til, by appropriation bills limited to single OBJ
iects and each bill enduring for only two
years, the money is expended by agents, un-
der their own direction and authority, for OBJ
jects appointed, fixed and certain. The effect
of this measure is to surrender the control
over large portion of the national treasure
and resources, practically over all that is val
liable in the Treasury, to the President of the
United States, without retaining any effective
security for his wise and faithful administra-
tion of it.
have said that the bill has also political
aspect. 1t proposes to bring into the United
States a foreign country, 700 miles long, and
20 miles wide; containing 500 900, human
beings, subjects of government, occupying
practically 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 citizens of the United Sates-different 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
to exclude all American immigration, at least,
to exclude it as effectually rs the old States OF
Europe exclude our migration there, and as
effectually as our old establiS he'd States prac-
tIcally exclude immigration from outside
of their borders. This population, then is to
be the ruling population of that island. What
rights will citizens of the United States enjoy
there The 100000 souls are divided.
One-haif whites, go 900 free blacks, and 4O0,-
600 slaves What institutions of justice, or
freedom, of religion and public worship will
obtain or remain there l need not know.
If were willing TO leave these great questions
to the President of the United States, / hav e
no right TO do so.
l have already shown that the consent of the
Senate to the passage of this bill will operate
as a constraint upon the Senate to ratify what
| ever treaty the President shall make hereafter.
| If this be true (and no one, / think, can con-
trovert IT'D then am asked to resign consti-
| tutional, Senatorial power to the President of
| the U. States, and to shift from my own shoul-
ders to his a constitutional responsibility.
To do this is derogatIon of the indepen-
dence of the constitutional power of the Sen
ate of the United States, and a practical sub
| version of the constitutional check, which re-
quires that every treaty shall receive the votes
| of two-thirds of the body, be absolutely
| void. 1t practically delegates to bare ma
| iority of the Senate, and to a majority of the
House of Representatives, the treaty making
power of this great empire.
Sir, if there ever was an occasion on which
| T II fana anin IN rio and
insist upon retaining this power, it would be
in such a case as this. 1 want to see the trea-
ty which shall bring the Island of Cuba into
! the United States. | want to know the statu,
which that country is to occnpy. Is it to be
a Territory of subjects, of political slaves? 8
province, and governed by armies and navies
| as Spain now governs it I may ask the Pres
| ident of the United States when he has exc.
cuted the treaty, is it to be State Who are
to be the electors of the State What is tC
be the status of the white population Are
they to enjoy universal suffrage? What is tC
be the status of the free negro population
What is to be the stafus of the slave popula
tion? We who have disputed SO earnestly
often vehemently, year after year, year II
and year out. over the question whether the
institution of Slavery shall be introduced int
the Territory of Kansas, are expected by The
President, in his simplicity, TO allow him tt
determine for the North and for the South
for the Free States and for the Slave States
| at his own absolute pleasure, the terms anS
conditions upon which Cuba shall be annexed
to the United States, and incorporated int,
the Union. say nothing of the present in
cumbept of the Executive office. / say tina
men never chose, nor did God ever send Of
earth, magistrate to whom l would confd
this great question, having constitutions
right to decide it myself.
need not say, Sir, that all our treaties
annexation contain stipulations guarantyln,
rights to the countries annexed, to be lncor
porated into the Union, and determining th