The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-15

sisted In, not many months win elapse bef
T. there ia not slave within 6tty miles Of the
= der, and the border counties OF Missouri are
only counties where slavery exists 70 any I
tent KAw
J, From the Century
y Cuba Or California;
=. Affairs seem to be drifting TO that point
II which Il will be necessary for the Governme
: g Washington to choose between these I,
!. possessions. The project Of acquiring Cuba
lar means or foul, has been nursed many yea
and there are indications that il il TO be aba
d doned. On the contrary, the President and b
4 advisers are very dishonest il the thirty mlio
oil nov before Congress does Lot mean that
y 70 De parsued with decisive energy. We shs
not believe that Cuba 10 mere cover TO z,
this immense sum for the corruption Of Il
! elective franchise in 1860, as many Of the or
position presses charge, until less doubtful ev,
oence OF the fact 10 presented to us. A Grim
: oi such monstrOus character must not be yus
pected on slight grounds. We shall take it ia
granted that the policy Of the OsteDd Manifest
on which the Administration went into power
now TO be carried out. Mr.. Buchanan's term
nalf over, and it Is time that the experiment
we're begun.
significant indication has recently bee
gwen On both sides OF the Atlantic, touch
ing this question. The Spanish Cores ha
declared that IL will not listen to any pro
position Tor selling Cuba to the United States
Since the door has been closed to q friendl,
trade, the thirty millions bill IL not only no
abandoned. but it is pushed With q more seriou
resolution. II this means anything. il mean.
that we are to have Cuba at the hazard OF war
This IS the Ostend Manitesto approved by the
national voice OF 1856.
Ihe next interesting question relates to the
parties who are 70 engage in this war. IL has
oeen broadly intlmAted that France and Eng
| iand have come to such an understanding on
the subject as will make them the allies OF Spain
mat those great powers will stand BY and see
the empire OF their neighbor dismembered is by
no means likely. Interference would be popu-
lar Ia both countries and in one half the Unite d
states and once begun, would not stop short
o. an etectual settlement. 1t is wise, then, tor
us TO contemplate the contingency OF a war
between England, France and Spain on one side.
and the United States on the other.
late arrival brought US the annual return
Of the itsh navy as it stood on the first Of
January. IL consists of 523 war vessels and
I67 guH-boats. There are IL forward construc.
tlon ~ line-Of battle screw steamers, OF from
% 70 lSl guns each, and Is other screw steam
ers 10 various less advanced stages OF building.
Inc number OF vessels in commission is 49,
The steam navy OF France has recently been
reported as superior in weight and efficiency to
that Of Great Britain. That Of Spain herself
will make no contemplate wing Of this immense
iorce-enocgh to blockade every hsrbor Of the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, from the Bay Of Fun
dy to the Rio Grande.
We are not accurately informed rs. to the
present iorce Of our navy; but at its largest,
the allied guns upon the ocean would outAmber
ho
the Century Of last week an exact account or
lts entire organization and disposition, derived
from the best informed Official authorities. 1t
IS hardly adequate, even in time OF peace, to
keep At bay n few scattered bands OF maraudiug
Indians who threaten our border settlements. |
and distant mail stations,
strict blockade of all our ports would be.
me hrst act OF the war. Thr next would be 10 |
secure the transit routes across the Isthmus. in
which the allies would receive the sympathy ..nd |
Nd OF the Mexican and Central American poDu-
atoms. Then would follow, inevitably, the |
OF our own Territory. C.liior-
liza and the entire Pacific coast would be con
'erted into Anglo French colonies, aud the
lstend policy receive grand demonstration.
80 lar az common human calculations 20,
nese would De the imminent practical results
i an attempt to seize Cuba by force. Ii the
ct him consider the prodigious conquest now
contemplated by the United States, under the
bsurd motto OF "maniiest destiny" We are
y no means certain that flags embroidered
'ith the words 1.-THE continent to the I>thmus.
'Ould mot carry the Presidential contest oi
$50, over all opposition.
The passage by the conservative branch Of
onRress ot the thirtylmlions bill is nov highly
rotable. The act Of itself investing the Pres
lent and few OF his confidential advisers with
. extent OF power that no living people would
elegate TO king or autocrat, would be SO wide
departure Tram the principles and spirit of our
onstitutlon, that no subsequent folly or mad
ess would excite surprise.
we have used one expires ion in this article
hlch, we regret to say, is common in our pu-
tical vocabulary, if not justified by existing
cts-Me Government at Washington. Has
ashngton then become TO he country what
arls 10 70 France-the seat Of central power
anaged by cabais unknown to the Constitute
there to be at Washington an independent
lnlnet TO hatch conquest, and to involve the ;
'uhtry In War, regardless Of the popular sense
justice and Of the popular will?
The NeapOhtan Prisoners.
The world has been taken somewhat by sur
lse by the announcement that the King Of
apes has set at liberty sxty-one political pris.
lers The gift Of freedom has, it il true, the /
naty Of exile attached; but this condition tells
g more strongly in favor o, the monarch, as
'erty could scarcely be enjoyed within his
Among the liberated, all will be
ad TO hnd the name Of Poerio. This gentle-
an II will be remembered, was one OF the
lnls'ers OF the Neapolitan Government during
e br'ei period that the King, under stress OF !
Il,
vereign he was imprisoned, after the reign ,
despotism was again resumed, for admins
ring the public affairs according to the Con- : |.
tuition the King had sworn 10 obey and up- !
I'D. lie remained in prison unheeded until the
SIT OF Mr.. Gladstone to Naples in 1850 The !
lmane statesman was SO impressed by what
saw and heard Of the treatment Of Poerio ,
q his associates, that he published in the fol-
wing year. on his return to England, two let
r., addressed to Lord PalmersioD, which at.
acted great attention throughout Europe I
le King, perslstng in his brutality, the re-
Of France and Engl nd followed !
Dmba declined to reform ION compulsion."- !
ae allies withdrew their representatives, aud i
Q obdurate tyraEt has since been cut b. ,
'ristendom. The present opening Of prison
'ors 10 probably due more to tear than repen-
nee. The monarch probably thought it well !;
N"'sNsP"sS soC nuUCAUSS WHICH UbKut /
ortly be heard at his portals.
We have a. yet but the bare fact Of this re- \
ase BY brief telegraphic dispatch. We know
'thing OF the condition in which these victims
tyranny came forth from their long tenanted
ngeons. Some are PROBABLY but wrecks OF 4
manity. The iron Of heavy chain and letter
. probably entered into their souls as veil as .
cir bodies. chafng brain as well a. limb
any will probably carry the marks OF impris- !
ment to their graves. Liberty will. however,
n be sweet Wherever their lot be cast they
u meet the kindly hand Of sympathy. They
II sit at good mems ieas,s," and we trust
mt for nothing in their land oil exile.
In addition 70 the feeling OF relief at this re
sation Of Neapolitan tyranny, for 20 strong !,
d been the s,mpahy with these untOr,unatrs
at m thought Of the iair city BY the sea but
place OF cells and dures-, comes the exhil- :
alton OF hope. We hardly fancy that any .
,rihier motive than fear relaxed the hand OF /.
2 jAilor. II the porents Of var, the peophe-
. Of revolution aud deliverance produce ef.
IT. like this, they will have accomplished an :
'portant service. II the toIebodings OF many :.
owe true and war does come, Naples can hard
resist the shock. The present tardy act Of
ace may stand the monarch in good stead, bu.
Will haRdlv h