The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-02-19
From the Mersball beu.ocrat.
WHERE ARE THE FRIENDS OF CUBAN
ANNExATION9

native home in the north This Trojan
horse. fresh from the hands of Northern
fanatics, came among us as a thief in the
darkness of night. With the caution and
uolseless move of the serpent he entered the
Southern States but soon, soon the ever
watchful Democracy detected his presence,
they smoked him from his hiding places, and
then when the masses of the people discov.
cred the true character OF the gentleman,
with one shout of indignation from Virginia
to Texas, they bade him 20 to New Eng
land, the birth-p place of all the isms which
threaten tue peace and welfare of the South.
Relieved from all danger to the Democracy,
we may now ask what is to be the destiny of
Cuba, a question that has been withdrawn
from public discussion, during the agitation
of equally important questions to the friends
of liberty in the South.
The object of this article is, to call the
attention of the Marshall county Democracy
to this question. In short time you are
to assemble to send delegates to your State
Convention at Jackson That Convention
will send delegates to the NatjoRaE Canven:
ton at Cincinnati. Are you wiling to
make the annexation Of Cuba an issue in
Presidential canvass of 1856? What are
you willing to say in the empire county ?
What are you prepared to say through your
State to the National Convention? Let US
call your serious attention to the Importance
Of this question.
1t will be day of rejoicing when the
Democratic National Convention speaks out
for the acquisition of Cuba, as in the case
of Texas the paramount question, in my
humble judgment, to the south, or next in
importance and essential to the maintenance
Of the institution of domestic slavery in the
south. Under the auspices of Jefferson, the
Democracy acquired Louisiana Under Jas.
Monroe they acquired Florida. Under Jas.
K. Polk Texas was given to the Union, and
California, with all her golden treasures, and
the Territories of Utah and New Mexico.
Shall the same great party, rejecting the
sentiments of the patriotic masses of the
Union, now speak, declaring Cuba State
of the American Union, and the home of
freemen, despite the howlings of domestic
traitors, or the secret understandings of the
cabinets of Victoria and Louis Napoleon
Then let Mississippi and the States south
and west declare in State and National Con.
vention, that Cuba must be ours, and the
deed is done, that which the diplomacy Of
half century vainly attempted to accom-
plish You know that when the question
of Texas annexation was being discussed in
the Presidential canvass of 1874, now and
then we heard tue threats of France and
England, if il was attempted, but the people
decided for Polk, Dallas and Texas. Texas
was annexed, and the threats and warnings
; from across the Atlantic were heard no more,
and so will it be with Cuba.
Let us cll your attention to this question
first geographically. Take now your map
of the Western Hemisphere, turn your eye
to the Gulf of Mexico; you see that Cuba
is almost within sight of our shores. Stu.
ated between the Peninsulas of Yucatan aud
Florida. it commands both the Northern and
Southern passes into the Gulf of Mexico
The position of Cuba, with the harbor OF
Havana strongly fortified, makes it the Gi,
braltar of the Gulf of Mexico. Over the
waves of this Gulf there floats annually
$400, 900 900 commerce belonging to citizens
of tie United States, Look again at the
Map. of the United States You see that
the Gulf is the outlet for all the commerce
that passes down the Mississippi river and its
countless tributaries, embracing in extent a
surface greater than half of Europe. All
that part of the continent between the sum
mits of the Allegheny aud Rocky Mountains,
from British America on the north to the
Gulf of Mexico on the south, with every
variety of climate, soil and production, is
drained by the Father of Waters and bis
magnificent branches, Ten millions of peo
, pie now inhabit this great valley, where but
a few years ago the savage roamed undis
, turbed. Here the channels of trade, formed
by nature, are on a scale Of magnifcenct
unknown to any other portion of the world
Here, too, the people "of this progressive
age are adding to its commercial facilities
and to the development of its resources, by
the construction of system of railroads
destined to bear to the banks of the Missis
sippi, from its mouth to its source, new
cities are springing into existence, depot
+ for the manufactures, the agricultural anC
mineral products that pass down the Mis-
sissippi, thence through the Gulf, within
d gunshot Of Havana to the world Vast a
may be the commerce of the Mississippi now
a who will estimate its amount and valu
when, before the restless spirit of improve
9 ment that distinguishes our people, the for
a ests of our new territories are swept away
q and these lands, rich as the delta of tn
9 Nile, are made to send forth their produc
9 tions to magnify our commerce and gladde
y the hearts of men. .ie
1t is useless to enumerate the advantage
we enjoy in the Mississippi Valley, and i'd
B to conjecture as to the influence of its pre-
dnctions on the future trade of the worlt
n Here, where we have freedom of though
r freedom of speech, freedom to adore, wheI
:" our industry and enterprise are protected b
,e equal laws, and invigorated by benign r.
le igon, our achievements in the last quartz
of century seem almost miraculous, an
y such wonderful changes are going on, tn
the fctions of " Eastern imagination see
about to be realized" But great as Il
- t~ada of 41o Wast mas, ha n ruuat no 90 don