The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-29

spEEoH OF HON. LAWRENCE M. KsITT,
on SOUTH CAROLINA,

Deirered u dc House Of Representatives. Jan. 49, 1889
MR CmAInMAE The expedienoy of acquiring Cuba has
been brought prominently before in the annual
me ssage OF the President. For than thirty year
the instincts OF the people of the United States have
gathered around that island and have exacted from diff
ierent administrations of its conquest pur
chase in certain political social contingencies That
its acquisition is surrounded with ebarassments is true
but 1t would be strange il any great object in life at
tained without risk sacrifice.
lis the Importance of Cuba to ms Commensurate with
the eiirs necessary 10 obtain aud hold 2 The
to this inquiry will result from examination into its
geographical position its resources and its political and
commercial connexion with this country.
What is its geographical position glance at the
map will show you that Cuba is within easy reach Of the
coast OF Florida situated between that State and the
peninsula OF Yucaan. 1t is the gate to the Gulf of
Mexiee and commands both it and the West India
lt Is proptiously planted that in the hands of
strong naval power ID wonid make the Gulf OF Mexico
H1are etausRA Thus it keeps ward and pass our
commerce from New Orleans to New York and from New
York and other ports through the isthmus transit
to possessions the Pacific coast And what is the
value CT that 1t already reaches $50 600 900
annually, and Is enlnrging with such rapid strides that
the resources of arithmetic will ultimately fail TO
pute it, One of the richest and rest regions of the
earth, too uses the Gulf of Mexico outlet Tor its
productions The Gulf is the reservoir of the Assissip
pi river and all its magnificent tributaries and hence it
eeivcs the almost fabulous of the region drain
ed by these The country thus drained is equal to half
of Europe in extent covering twenty-five degrees of
A
latitude ana ttyfe OF longitude on the great circles
OF the globe. 1t extends from the summit of the Allie
oy " o o'n''.o' uie ,'ooh, '',o'''"'n' Nio
climates OF every variety and productions OF every kind
Already nearly ten millions of people nhab it, What in
telect is audacous enough to predict how its
population will yet be The highways OF commerce. too,
changing aud the boarded wealth of the East,
startled from the sleep centuries WILL in its transit to
the West the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. You
may unite the Atlantic and Pacific shores with bands OF
iron but this commerce will seek the Gulf for water
fine master of commerce
: tr, ~, - ~; - 's;.; s ,,,. :; ,. ;.,4t =.
,h;,e n.ssaJ r a. ~, ont os 81 lance ~ = iatts ~
Mr. EnrSytb Secretary Of STATE said that
I'M, !. - ,, !, =.
m Ia INN Mo a5 = rr,Iaao NJ Tho nan or ,b
Mississippi commanding both the Gulf Mexico Florida
consequently the whole trade of tho Western States besides deeply
nncuns 'ho interest "' Haha'ins o' h7 soorh "oh " nc
MT. bnchaan Whiie secretary Oh oatc uSea thc ioi-
loving language IN his instructions 70 MI saunders IN
1916
Cuba in the possession Great Bu strong pow.
might prove ruinouS both cgn aud domestic
"hi even chiahgor me union o. '4e S'aV''
John FORSYTH said in 1922 while at the court of Ma
did that hc possession OF Cuba gave the command OF
the Gulf of Mexico" Mr. Adams in 1923. in his in
struction to Mr. Nelson saws
ans tc,,, r,u,r,i,. ro,,o, ,,, .c.oro ~ ,,, c,, =,
Mexico and the Wo india seas NC gives an importance in the
national interests with which that Of other foreign
ri'ory can be compared
Lieutenant Dahlgrcn, accomplished officer of the
navy, in his report on Notifications, says:
49, 49,, a, o,,. ~, , =, a., ,.c ar,,.. -,
and TO The immense interest there collected il The Havana The
island which belongs enters extreme in the Gulf
easing nut lwo nH n vese1 20 narrow as 70 20
u NM ,h l' nan Ram N M nrme e :, ., d W " v
Hence Havana the disposal Of an enemy
@ ~I m m m n a ned eva 9 w % snpar naval nf orse