The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-03
Friday, February 8, 1859.
SENATE.


The post-route bill was PIT to a vote, and
passed-yeas 80, nays Is.
An Intellectual attempt wassnade by Mr.. Doc
little to obtain vote on the homestead bill.
The Cuban bill was taken up.
Mr.. Wilson offered the folio, Ing amendment
Whereas reciprocal comm. tcial intercourse
among nations promotes mutual prosperity, and
is the surest guarantee of ornament peace !:
and
Whereas it is not the pol.cy of the United
States to despoil any nation F5zler possessions,
however rich or valuable, bu,1 30 cultivate with
all nations the most friend and unrestricted
commercial relations and
Z Whereas the unfriendly I-elicy adopted by
Spain against the trade and commerce of the
United States with the island, af Cuba, forcing
the adoption of similar policy by the United
States towards herself, imp,irs the benefits
which would otherwise result Ito both nations
from the trade and commercesbetween the Uni
ted States and Cuba and
Whereas a treaty negotiation for the removal
Of all iliberal and unjust restrictions upon
trade and commercial intercourse between this
country and the island of Cuba, and every ma
ton upon this continent, is most desirable
therefore,
Be ii enacted, That the President be author
lied and requested to open negotiations with
Spain, and the nations south of us on this con
tinent, for the removal of all unjust and lib
eral restrictions on trade and commerce be
tween them and their dependencies and the
United States and to defray the necessary ex
penses of such negotiation, the sum of $50, OOO
is hereby appropriated
Mr.. Mallory proceeded with his remarks
commenced some days since. He cned the
policy of Jefferson, who said if we were justified
in going to war for the acquisition of any terri
tory, it would be for Cuba. He reviewed the
commercial advantages to be derived from the
acquisition, and contended that if Cuba were
annexed, the slave trade would be completely
destroyed. That trade was fostered by the Cap
tain General, as Mr.. Mallory showed by a mi
mute and interesting statement, how it was car
ried on, from the purchase Of the slave ship to
the landing of the slaves, under permits, al
three ounces per head. The Creole population
are, he said, opposed to the trade. Mr. Mallory
guarded himself from connecting the distracted
subject of Slavery with the acquisition Of Cuba
Mr.. Dixon, Of Connecticut, spoke for two
hours, replying to the points of Mr.. Benjamin's
recent speech. Mr.. BENJAMIN had urged, he
said, that unless we acquire Cuba, Spain will
emancipate the negroes. Mr.. Dixon reasoned
that if negro freedom in Cuba would be inju
rious to the United States, in Jamaica it mus,
ment to buy Jamaica from Great Britain. Mr.
BENJAMIN had reasoned that compulsory labor
was necessary to develop tropical production
but Mr.. Dixon thought that the sugar for the
world be grown by free labor; and if it could
| not, sugar was not a sufficient equivalent fol
the perpetuahon of Slavery. In the course O
his remarks, Mr.. Dixon had occasion to say tina
Slavery degrades free labor.
Mr.. Reid controyeFted this opinion, and said
the doctrine was new in the South. He main
tanned that the white man was not degraded
by labor, although he worked at the bench, OF
in field, side by side with his slave.
Mr.. Dixon refused to admit the correctness
of this assertion as an exposition of the genera
Southern feeling.
Mr.. Bell traced the rise and progress of the
hlibuster spirit, until it eliminated ip the o.
tend manifesto, and became reelected in this
Cuban bill. Both were in q: form offensive to
4 Spain. No nation would be apt to receive
kindly an offer made to purchase its territory,
when accompanied by 3 stpoied reminder of its
fallen fortunes. His Mr.. Betsy opinion vas
| that the Ostend manifesto and the present pro.
posal were frsmed on the perfect knowledge
that Cuba could not be acquired, and that they
were addressed to what is supposed to be the
| dominant traits in our national character The
committees report is skillfnlly drawn np. II
promises to extend the trade and commence OF
the North, the peculiar industry of the South
| and the agriculture of the West. 1t is framed
| to habitusts the country to the cry of war, >
but we are making no preparation for war.
On the contrary, we are trying 70 est along
without revenue. For himself, he would ia.
vor opF acquiring control of the island, either
! as protectoraie Of independent Power; but
he likewise held that the time has not yet come
when its possession was necessary either to our
Development or security. We are not now in
position to accept Cuba, if Spain should offer il
as gift. We cannot accept it until We have
built up a navy of sufficient strength to main
tain u, The first blow that would be struck
in a war with EaEal Power would be to wres,
it from us, and hold IFS BsfhNs g am, ? means o.
Use that the acquisition of the island will give
us the monopoly of sugar is equally fallacious
The increasing production Of that article would
soon create its production throughout the whole
temperate zone. Neither is it true, as the com
H. H. ,trr< ouoQ