Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-03-04
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THE ACQUISITION OF CUBA.
SPEECH OF HON. J. B. THOMPSON

OF KENTUCKY.
Delivered in he Z. $. Senate. February l6 1852.
Mr. PnHslDENr 1t is aunoying to me that, after
having been good terms with al my brother senators
have had much difficult, iu getting the flour 60 say
what little have 90 say this subject just go-
ing out will not say that Dc Is mnClito or unfcclug.
but 10 is certainly very annoying. desire 90
thing on this bill which proposes 10 make an appropa-
ton 500 facilitate the acquisition Of Cuba bY neroa-
ton,' so far rs my strength and voice may hold ont.
In the first place, object 90 the fite of the bin. II
imports that acquire Cuba hv negotiation. and
that simply want some facilities for that purpose,
which, in mcrohautlc phrase means money Here it
means S3l 600 will nor vote 20 commit myself 70
anything Of that and besides, before gr through.
hope in show 90 any reasonable man that the whole
scheme is il-tmed. improper, and uucalled for
The zeal aud ability with which the Senators from
Louisiana press the acquisition of Cuba have struck
with some surprise. II secus 90 me that II Cuba were
acquired. the whole interest Of Louisiana which is
protected by tariff would eprostratcd The lands
~ Louisiana far south be well convertible
into cotton lands. The loss of machinery the loss of
me the ignorance Of the hands, would be equivalent 20
fire each plantation Not only that but there would
out from Louisiana TO Cuba for the purpose of get
ting lands there the active the cnterprsug capitalists,
NE men OF value and the men ot substance Many OF
the sugar planters, and the hes of thcm would cmratc
the doue the dlers. and tho uers would stay az home
We see this cNemphod in the c1se OF every new State.
You mud there active, enterpusing thrifty population,
than u old State, because the active,
the euterprsiug the intelligent, tine men bent max
ing fortune. have gone there Kentucky has been blei
u that by Missouri, boy Lousana, Icy Illinois, aud
by Indiana, until will not say that 10 has such sorry
mr believe still ooud have held our own, II 10 had
not been FOR this everlasting niger question: and the
American question.
ana Wherever in the world commerce prevails, its
epots the points Of transhipmcnt-thc ermini Of
great lines they the place where commodities are
exchanged and there cities grow up. Now. suppose the
city OF Havana should grow up under American protcc-
ton Il will be some six, eight, or ten days shorter for
foreign vessels TO load with cotton there than To TO
New Orleans and cotton will bc transported there from
the Mississippi valley, passing by New Orleans Cotton
will land at the last terminus land in good harbor
and lt Is plcasanter place than New Orleans and no
liable 10 yellow fever ,ay them this is bill TO
break up the sugapaning interest Of Louisiana and to
dwarf the city NJ New Orleans. Why Mr. President
that little city Of Lexington Of yours in Kentucky, was
very nice. pretty, growing town. until II had couple
Of railroads through it, and nobody there
AT all people do not even dine there Laughter Two
railroads have through t-one going TO Cincinnati.
and going 10 Louisville and all the people go to the
one city or the other where they have large stock Of
goods to pick FROM and because they like little pleas
ant travel and ladies like 10 have airing anyhow, and
another city. There is neither trade commerce,
eating, anything, done there. Why, sir, the
mson weeds all the Streets and the town ahso-
lutey looks seedy. Laughter. That is the effect Of
going through one o these places, and giving them a
thing of that sort just before that the little town Of
Dauvilc when was boy, matter Of great enter
PRISE constructed. and nearly broke themselves in
sructug, turnpike road to the city Of Lexington and
hne turnpike road II was A. that time they had thirty
three stores and good deal OF trading there but when
the turnpike road made, everybody went 20 LeXng-
ton and Danvc is perfectly finished town. There
is grocery and perhaps, one or two stores and sort
uf tavern-ust symptoms Of town having been there
Whenever YOU translate the terminus the cntreport Of
transhpment, You will find that New Orleans, place
Of business, will shrycl up and sink in the way
That is my judgment
This bin proposes to grant the President Of the United
States $4,000 600 to be used in purchasing Cuba Il
known the President when he made the suggcsion
in his message that Spain had refused the trade and he
knew very well that, by the civil common law IL took
two to make trade. Now, Nii ask what was the use
instead OF resortug TO the ordinary means Of negota
ton to put into the message sort of proclamation to
IN I'd ht VIII
that the proposition OF the message was received At
Madrid, will not say with Castan PRIDE but At least
with Spanish pomps They inscribed their determine
ton on columns and pillars and unanimously made
addresses TO the throne, saying that they would
part with Cuba. They have said 70 you they will not
trade aud yet in the face Of their dec aton YOU pro-
pose to trade with them. What sort Of trade do you
meant You say your ayowed policy is that ENGLAND and
France shall not have Cuba DO YOU mean 10 beat off
all other bidders, and levy the island by sort Of
stables sale Of il, without authority Of law us say il
is sale and seizure. and buy for what you please -
That 10 il substantially Or, if you do not mean that
ask what kind of pons and Christian humanity there is
IN proud nation like this, 70 poor weak old Govern
ment that has raw, sore place TO take an gniied fire
brand and be abhng her and lbbng her just 10 torment
her Is the idea that, although she is not willing TO
trade, you will torment her that she shall have no
peace Of her e and finally make the trade to get rid Of
you3
Without regard the fact that Spain says she will not
trade, the h is an enormous proposition upon Us face
isana, vast territory reaching from the mouth TO the
Of the Mississippi river embracing the present
states OF louisiana Arkansas, missouri, loMh ana NJ IN
nesota. There perfect kingdom for Sl6,OOl,0O0
We got domain Of public Land, Of crown lands be-
longing "a France more than enough TO pay all the ex
penscs OF the purchase and 0 their survey aud leave
q profit That is trade that man might well strain
point for Jefferson was said entertain some eonst
ntiona scruples about that acquisition but almost any
mans constitutional scrupes would give way under the
OF such trade that Then bought the whole
southern end Of Florida that vast peninsula for rjOOO
0)l IL would have been pretty good purchase If we
had not been paying ever since will not say that
have paid thad the Stae Is worth, for 1t is good
Jumper aud the enormous price per capifa that il
has takon 10 transport catch, or kill the Indians there
that would have been a reasonable trade. But
do not suppose now, II Florida put up at public
tion and sold II would bring than would indemnify
us for the expenses Of the various Indian wars,