Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-04-06
The Sfapoate.
UNADJUSTED DIFFERENCES WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN.
MR.. BRANCH,s REPORT.

ting money 10 eRdOtc tae ITestdeW ~ eteee u"oo
justed Differences nth the government Of SPAN, and
for other purposes :" and also House Bill No. 6S4,
"a bill authorizing the President to obtain Il loan
Of money tar a certain purpose, haze hui the same
under consideration md noe report: At the close
of their struggle with Great Britain for. independ-
dence, the United States possessed territory on
III, Gulf of Mexico, their southern boundary being
nearly coincident with the present northern boun-
Diary of Florida extended to its intersection with the
Mississippi river at 81 deg. of north latitude.
The Mississippi river, then their western bounda-
ry was far west of the extreme frontier settlements
and their productions being entirely east of the Al
leghanies commerce needed no ports except on the
Atlantic seaboard.
In 1895 Spain held all the shores of the Gulf;
but in 1900 coded Louisiana, from the Perdido to
the Sabine, to France
After the close of the war of independence our
settlements spread westward and the rich valley be-
tween the Aeghanies and the Mississippi soon re-
ceved hardy and enterprising population, under
whose industry its fertile soil and unequalled re-
sources were beginning to furnish material for an
ncaculable commerce. This commerce necessarily
sought the ocean through the Mississippi and as the
mouth of the river in possession, first of Spain
and afterwards of France jealousy and ill-feellng
were engendered between friendly nations constant
ly threatening hostile collisions, against which the
prudence of rulers could furnish no guaranty.
Napoleon Bonaparte, who was then at the head of
the French nation, is known to have cherished no
policy more ardently than that of building up for
France commerce that should rival that of Eng
land; and though fully alive to the Importance of
Louisiana as means toward accomplishing this OBJ
ect he did not hesitate in 1903, to cede it to for
the sake of preserving amicable relations between
the two nations. He well knew that every cOnsid-
Grafton of justice demanded of him the cession, and
that the pride and obstnacy of rulers ought not to
stand in the way Of the prosperity of large bodies of
the human race. He also knew that however sOic-
itous this government might be to restrain its citi-
zens from aggresSionS, it WIS not possible for it to
do so under circumstances we'll calculated to in
vite them. lfNapoleon had been less Statesman,
and had attempted to block up the mouth of the
Mississippi, it cannot be doubted that long and
bloody wars between France and the United States
would have ensued and that Louisiana would have
been added to our Union at an enormous expense of
blood and treasure.
By the acquisition of Louisiana we became one of
the powers of the Gulf of Mexico and by the subSe
quent purchase of Florida from Spain and the an
nexation of Texas We have become the paramount
power, having the unGuestionable right to demand
that on its waters and around its borders peace
and prosperity shall not be interrupted or endanger
ed Around it our social and political institutions
prevail, and on it floats the commerce of fifteen
States of the confederacy. No other commerce
worth mentioning is found there except ours, and
We have right to regard it, in all matters inyov
ing our security as an inland sea.
Since the acquisition of California, passengers and
mails in passing between the Atlantic and Pacific
seek point of transit the continent where it
is narrower than at any point within territorial
limits. There are three points at which it may be
conveniently traverSed, each presenting some advan-
tage peculiar to itself The first most northcrly
is at the lsthmus of Tehuantepec within the repub
lie Of Mexico the second in the territory of Nicara
gua and the third at the ISthmus of Panama, in
New Granada. 1t is important to us that all these
routes should be kept open, as the competition be-
tween rival lines could not fail to be advantageous
to our citizens. But the Tehuantepec route, being
within the Gulf of Mexico we had Just right, as
the predominant power in the Gull, to claim a free
and exclusive right of way it for our citizens
mails, and property passing between the Atlantic
and Pacific portions of the Union. The government
OF Mexico, with clear appreciation of its own in
terest and liberal sense of what due to us has
authorized the construction of railroad at this
point, and by the treaty of the 30th of December,
1853 guaranteed to the United States the full and
unrestricted right OF transit it. with the privi-
lege to extend its protection as it shall Judge wise
to it when it may feel sanctioned and warranted by
the public or international law" and with the urth-
er stipulation, nor shall any interest in said tran
sit way, nor in the proceeds thereof be transferred
to any foreign government" BY this liberal and
enlightened course on the part of Mexico we have
been enabled to secure within the Gulf of Mexico a
transit route free and in every respect as advan-
tageous to us as If it was within our own limits
BY securing the Tehuantepec transit right we
have diverted into the Gulf the coaswise intercourse
between the Atlantic and Pacific, and thereby added
intellectually to the large commercial interests we
already have there
1t will be seen from this brief review that Spain,
France, Texas, and Mexico have voluntarily placed
us IN position, territOrally, the Gulf which has
made it to US almost an inland sea. Having thus
voluntarily, and for ample consideration, made its
free use necessity to us, they Justly withhold
any additional concessions that experience has shown
to be indispensable to our peace and security.
1t Is worthy OF remark that Spain has at all times
shown more reluctance to make amicabe territorial
arrangements with us than any other nation with
whom we have been coterminous Its pride seems
only to have revolted against cessops to us, and t.
nave presented no obstacle to cessons to other pow
ers. Louisiana and Florida were time and agar
transferred and retransferred between SPAIN France
and England, so that it is almost as difficult to trace
their history is to date the various transfers
personal chattel Yet when Florida became indis
pensable to the security Of the United States, anC
proposed to purchase it. Spanish pride Instant,
reVolted Our government so scruplously respects
the territorial rights of neighborng nations, ant
SO honorably discharges all the duties of goot
neghborhood that few persons are aware how sorel,
the patience and forbearance of the generation nre
ceiling ours was tried by the obstnacy of the Spanisl
rulers in regard to Florida All the efforts to Dur
chase it having failed, Congress, in 1871 and 1917
in secret session. passed the following acts, whic
were not printed and promulgated until after tn
lapse of several years.
Resokntion and acts relGtire to occupation of til
Ftor'das by the United States Of 1merican
Taking into view the peculiar situation of Spai
and her American provinces, and considering tn
influence which the destiny of the territory Adolf
ing the southern border of the United States ma
have upon their security tranquility and commerce
therefore
Reso!red by the Senate and House of Represent
t'ues Of the United States of america in Conors
asseanbled That the United States, under the pec
liar circumstances of the existing crisis, canno
without serious inquietude see any part Of the sal
territory pass into the hands of any foreign powe
and that due regard to their own safety CONNIE
them to provide, under certain contingencies for Il
temnOrarV ncounatiop fha