The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-20
ExEcuTIvE ooMMuNIcATIoNs.

The SPEAKER laid before the House message from
the President of the United States transmitting report
from the Secretary OF State in a resolution Of
the House calling for the correspondence between this
government and France and England respecting the
QUESTION OF Cuba by the United States which refer
red TO the Committee Foreign Arirs and ordered TO
be printed
Also a communication from the War Department con
tanning transcript Of the army register for the year
1889 which was laid ON the table and ordered to.be
printed.
Also a communication from the Navy Department,
transmitting reply to the resolution of the House
speeting the ehaplans of the navy which referred
to the Committee Naval Affairs and ordered to be
printed.
bills SPEAKERS TABLE
On motion of Mr. HATCH OF New York, the House
then proceeded to the consideration OF bills upon the
Speakers table, and took up Senate bill making APP
preparation for deepening the channel ST. Clair flats
in the State Of Michigan which referredto the Com
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union
On motion OF Mr.. HOUSTON, Of Alabama Senate bill
to provide for holding the courts Of the United States in
the State of Alabama taken up and passed
THE CONSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATION BILL
On motion of Mr. PHELPS Of Missouri the House then
into Committee of the Whole the state of the
Union, Mr. STEVENSON, OF Kentucky, in the car,l and
resumed the consideration OF the bill making appropTia
tons for the consular and diplomatic expenses Of the
ernment for the year ending June &c. 1860 having fnt
adopted resolution closing general debate in one hour
thereafter.
ACQUISITION CUBA
Mr. KEITT OF South Carolina argued that the nm
portancc OF the Island OF Cuba sufficient to Justify the
struggle necessary to seize and hold it, Its geographical
position peculiar Ii the gate 10 Tn tiers Of
the Gulf of Mexico, controlled also tho AH4 India
seas and in the hands OF strong naval power, would
make the Gulf of Mexico anaaa. Ii contained
thirty millions of square acres of which eight millions
in cultivation The imports OF the island for a
es Of years twenty eight millions, and the exports
thirty one millions, giving annual production of fifty
nine millions without making any allowance for the
OF labor of African and the
Cling extensive and universal all the island
With these included, they would have annual pro
ductiye value of than eighty millions. Some put
ii at hundred millions. The total imports into Cuba
from Spain little millions from the
United States little six millions from Great Brit
ain six millions, and France two millions The exports
amounted TO Spain three millions to the United States
twelve millions England eight millions end France three
millions The schedule of mportaons into the island
embraced of provisions SlI ,37s,2T4 Was not every
part of the conederacy interested in that Was there
interest within the limits OF the Union not embraced
in this article The manufactures amounted to over
millions, and had the North no interest in that
The tariff upon many of these articles had been
raised to so, 100, and l20 per cent.--so high that
while Spain, stricken and beggared she is, with hen
own people almost starving, exports to that Island
five hundred and twenty thousand barrels the United
States sent out hut five Thousand barrels Strike off this
tariff and what would be the amount of interest which
every section of the Union would have in the
of Cuba The navigation interest of the North also
deeply affected There 9lS vessels engaged in the
carrying trade of Cuba the world over. OF these the
United States furnished $40; Spain bat 90l England
34S and France l26 and ont OF little over five hun
bred thousand tonnage the United States contribute
two hundred and fifty thousand Was not then, that
portion of the United States interested in the shipping
business vitality and deeply interested in the acquisition
Cuba for it only by its acquisition that they could
strike the shackles from its commerce
There were two modes of acquiring the island-one by
purchase and the other by conquest He believed the
United States could not purchase it FIRST because Cuba
is productive of to Spain, giving her
almost three millions of dollars per annum all expenses
betrayed because it is the defence of her colonial pos
sessions and because out OF that revenue, she deays
all the expenses of hen consular and diplomatic system
this continent and looking back, he believed there was
something more powerful-the traditions and pride of
Spain Against this sale protested the traditions of the
grandeur Of that period when the Spanish empire world
WIDE and against this sale protested that PRIDE naughty
the day when Grimadi sought TO menace
France And what would be the risk of acquiring the
island by war Could it be done without conflict with
Great Britain and France Both have guaranteed TO
Spain her sovereignty the territory OF the island and
the gathering of their fleets In the waters OF the Gulf and
Caribbean indicate no disposition to recede from this
guarantee. With France he could understand it, Louis
Napoleon, with the relentless ambition which marked
his distinguished kinsman wishes to establish spen
did colonial empire in the West Indies To create
and establish this it necessary that the power
OF the United States should be crippled or hemmed
in. With his hand upon the very throne of trcp
ical empire his army would be nvincible, and his
hand would clutch the sceptre Of universal commerce
solidated empire, then the very power which he bad
made instrumental in cripplng the United States would
undergo subugaton But the policy of Great Britain
only expicabe upon the theory of subscrence TO
France He believed her diplomacy had placed her in
the grasp of France, and only moving at the
dictation of Napoleon
Mr. RTTCHIE of Pennsylvania inquired whether the
gentleman thought the United States had right to take
Cuba because they bad government that he does not
approve Of
Mr. KEITT replied that he did not but he would say
that the long catalogue OF aggresons with the
lated insults to her flag invasons of her rights and in
suits her honor gave the United States the right TO
declare war against Spain, and be conended that
ton would have the right to complain.
General debate being closed the bill reported for
amendment Considerable discussion ensued, and mum
Der of amendments were submitted.
Mr. LOYEJOY, of Illinois, moved TO strike out the APP
preparation for all the foreign ministers but it not
agreed to-ayes 81 noes c.
Among the amendments adopted were the followngs
BY Mr.. COLFAX, of Indiana 10 strike out the min
lister to Persia
By Mr., CURRY, of Alabama To strike out the mis-
sions to Buenos Ayres and Switzerland
BY Mr.. fGARNETr,. OF Virginia To strike out The
mission to Rome.
Pending the amendment submitted by Mr. BunSEar
of Great Britain France, Russia Spain, Mexico China
On motion of Mr. FARNEswoRrH, Of Illinois, the
committee
And then, ON motion of Mr.. PHELPS, Of Missouri
the House again went into Committee of the Whole on
the state of the Union (Mr srsvEssox OF Kentucky ia
the chair and resumed the consideration the Presi
dents annual message
The committee then took recess until oclocs.