Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-21
%THIRrY-FIFTH coSGREss-sEcoND SESSION.
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 10, 1859.
SENATE.
The Senate mct at the usual hour.

On motion OF Mr.. PuSh, the resolution cali
ing OH the Secretary Of the Treasury to furnish
to the Senate ) list of all the articles exported
to Cuba from the several ports in the United
States during the past five years, and specify
the estimated value of the imports from
that Island during the same period, WAS adopted.
Mr.. Jones introduced 4 bill for the RI district
ing of the State of ~
The Joint resolution al Mr.. Hale, for the re-
of officers displaced by the retiring
board, was referred to the naval committee.
The invalid pension bill was considered, laid
aside, and the Pacific rail road bill taken up
4 long discussion upon the general features Of
the bill and its conStitutionality cnSucd. in
which MesSrs. Simmons. Benjamin, Davis and
others participated. No new views were pre-
scented not hitherto reported, anil withou; taking
u vote the Senate went into Executive session.
and afterwards adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The bill recognizing the survey OF the grant
Of Teneritfe island. in the State of Louisiana,
was passed.
Mr.. Cobb. from the committee of public
lands, reported back the bill for the relief Of
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, with nj amend
mcnt. The amendment was agreed TO, and the
bill passed by yeas l35. nays 81.
Mr.. Cobb also reported 4 bill to amend AN
net granting rights of presumption 10 settlers
upon the public lands Of the United States"
Mr.. Grow. OF Pennsylvania, offered an amend
ment providing tina; from anil after the first Of
Nav. isj?. no public lands should be exposed
To sale unlcr proclamation of the President
until the same should be surveyed and the re
tnrn thereof filed in the Land Office for nj least
ten years.
Mr.. Jones. Of Tennessee. moved 10 lay the
bill on the table. Lost bv yeas 10. nays l20.
The Speaker laid before the House 4 message
from the President of the United States, trans
hitting Il report from the Secretary of State
containing all the correspondence which has
hitherto taken place between this government
and the governments Of Europe in reference to
the acquisition Of Cuba. Also, 4 conmunica-
ton from the Secretary Of the Navy, in response
no evidence to show that non-Episcopal
chaplains have been compelled 10 use the forms
Of the Episcopa! church.
The House then proceeded To the conSidcra.
ton of bills upon the speakers table, and took
up the Senate bill for deepening the st. Clair
Flats; which was referred 10 the committee Of
the whole.
The House then Wen; into committee Oh the
and diplomat tic appropriation bill.
Mr.. Keitt of South Carolina, argued that the
importance Of the Island Of Cuba was sufficient
to Justify the struggle necessary to seize and
hold it. Its geographical position was peculiar.
II was the gate to the waters Of the t'nli Of
Mexico. controlled also the West India seas,
and. in the hands Of Il strong naval power,
would make the Gull of Mexico 4 mare cd'u-
1t contained thirty millions Of square
acres. Of which eight millions were in cultiva-
ton. Tie imports OF the Island for Il series Of
wears were twcnty-cight millions, aud the cX-
ports thirty one millions. giving an annual pro-
duciion Of iiity-ninc millions, without making
aiy allowance for the productions Of the labor
OF African slaves. and the smuggling So extern
siye ant! universal all over tic Island. With
these included. they would have IN annual pro-
ductivc value Of more than eighty millions.
Some pat it ut one hundred millions. The total
imports into Cubn from Spain were 4 little over
seven millions: from the United States a little
over six millions; from Great Britain SIX mil
lions. and France two millions. The exports
amcnntci-to Spain three millions, 10 the
[ nitcd States twelve millions. England eight
millions, and France three millions. The
schedule Of iinportations into the Island
embraced. of provisions $l1,3IS.2I4. Was not
every part OF the confcdcracy interested in that?
Was there an interest within the limits of the
Union not embraced in this article: The man.
ufactorics amounted TO over seven millions. and
had the North no interest III that? The tariff
upon many of these articles had been raised to
so. 100. and 800 per cent.-So high that while
Spain, stricken and bcggarcd rs she is. with
her own people almost starving, exports to that
Island five hundred and twenty thousand bar.
rclS, the United States sent out but five thou
sand barrels. Strike of this tariff, and what
would BE- the amount Of interest which every
section Of the Tnion would have in the COM
mercc of Cuba: The navigation interest Of tn"
North was also deeply affected. There We're
3.9lS vessels engaged in the carrying trade Of
Cuba the world over. OF these the United
States furnished 1870; Spain but gal; England
34s: and France l2i: and out of 4 little over
five hundred thousand tonnage, the United
States contribute wo hundred and fifty thou.
sand. Was not. then, that portion Of the Uni
ted States interested in the shipping business
vitality and deeply interested in the acquisition
of Cuba. for it was only BY its acquisition that
they could strike the ShachlcS from its CON.
mcrce:
There were two modes of acquiring the
island-onc by purchase and the Other by con-
quest. lie believed the United States could
not purchase it: first, because Cuba is u pro-
ductive source Of revenue to Spain, giving her
almost three millions Of dollars per annuIn al
expenses dcfraycd; because i: is the defence of
her colonial possessions. and because ont %!
,h,t rn,..r,,., -. a. ,cr,,. A.. oil tl,a ay,npgns pG
her consular and diplomatic system on this
continent; and, looking back, he believed there
was something more powerful-the traditions
and pride Of Spain. Against this sale protest
ed the traditions Of the grandeur of that period
when the Spanish empire was worldwide,
and against this sale protested that pride,
as naughty now a. on the day when t;riinaldi
sought 10 menace France. And what would
be the risk of acquiring the island by war >
Could il be done without n conflict with
tirca; Britain and France? Both have guar,
antccd to Spain her sovereignty over he ter.
ritory Of the island, ard the gathering Of their
fleets in the waters of the Gulf and Caribbean
sea indicate no disposition to rcccdr from this
guarantee. With France hc could understand
il. Louis Napoleon, with the relentless ambi,
ton which marked lis distinguished k;nsman,
wishes to establish a splendid colonial empire
in the West Indies. ia create and establish
this it was necessary that the power Of the
United States should be crippled or hernmri
in. With his lani upon the Very throne Of
tropical empire. his army would be inyinciblc,
and his hand would Gluten the sceptrc of uni.
versal now passing to u>; and, when
he shall have consolidated IN empire, then the
very power which he had made Instrumental in
Gripping the United States would undergo
subjugation. But the policy OF Great Britain
was only explicablc upon The theory Of sub
servicnce to Franc. IL" believed her 'iiplo.
macy had placed he: in the grasp OF France.
and was now only moving at the dictation of
Napoleon.
Mr.. Richie asked whether the gentleman
thought the United States had u right to take
Cuba because they had 4 government that we
did not approve of.
Mr.. Keitt replied tina, he did not; but he
go. ,t,, ,h, Lone ,,t,tnr,,n nF n,,rnc