Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-05

viii arise What ought 70 be the American Govern
ment under such circumstance sfpreseasiOn the first
have a. periods acted upon this principle Our pasl
the consent AZ spain unless uItiai by Tie great Law Of M
preserFalion We must, in any preserve
rectude and respect Whilst narspng This
course afford disregard eensurss Of the world
which We have hen often and uniusy exposed After
value, and this shall have been refused will be time to consider
the question doc. Cuba IN the possession Ct span seriously
Union -
Tiis sir, is he doctrine enuncsied by the pres-
ent enlightened Chief Magistrate of our Republic
every word Of which Endorsed aud defended upon |
every occasion where tad the honor TO address
my fellDw citizens The great idea is here boldly
advanced that nations well as individuals have
the right to such means ashley may deem neces
sary for their own selfpI eservatisn ard that it may
Lot only be present. but prospective danger
This doctrine, too was triumphan;ly vindca.ed ~
the American people in the election of James Blu
chauan to The Presidency of the United States
Why, cir, this notion of taking Cuba upon the
ground OF self preservation was by no means then
q new one Enlightened statesmen thought SER
ouslY on he subject more than forty wears ago
long sgo 1916. General Jesup, then a colonel in
the Amerisan Army, ir a very able letter written
from New Orleans to Mr.. o1roe, then Secretary Z
State, land who seemed to favor the idea
among other things uses the following strong anu
significant language:
From the situation in which our country now placed in re
great European Powers policy po
hca wei military, points out se necessity of taxing i'm
mediate possession Of Cuba and from the aggresson
uniform hostility Of SPAIN such
the soundest political morality. which
right nation The spaars ready the asessars and have
throughout the whole period Of history peace
of ls3 The country in question Is necessary to cur defense and
in the possession Of Grat Britain other maritime Power
would be dangerous to rePose
'.The people Of this country anxious fer the event"
Sir, with what fold fierce will not every ar
gument employed in this letter, more than forty
years ag', nrw apply?
What, let me ask are our relations with the Span
ish Government? What have these relations ever
been? Have we net been the subject of continual
wrongs ard TRACES ever since we have beea Gov
ernmcni Is Spain not perpetualy perperatiOg
upon people, cur commerce, and onr fsg in1ig
mites wkic5 long since merited, and shOnd have
met just and righteous chastisement? What now
sir at this present time, told by the Presi,
dent, are relations with that insolent and
tyraniCsl power?
This President says in his message that
'spansh officials under the direct the Captain
Cuba insuted national hag repeated in
from time time inflicted injuries persons
and property Of our e' zens;
seven what denOmiuate the Cuban CLAIMS in which
than hundred of our citizens directly
furnished exception These claims for the reunding
uuusty exacted from American different custom
houses long the s4 The principles upon
period nearly years. 1854 they recognized by the
ascertain their amount this finally according to
their statement with which satise the sum OF
just AT moment alter OF fourteen
when We had reason to expect that his sum would be repaid with
interest We have received proposal Offering refund third
accept this in fun satisfaction. The accompanied
by declaration that this naturalization founded on any
Of strict Justice but IS made a special favor
This, sir, is the Official information coming to us
from the President Of the insult thst is added to
| injury, by the Spanish Government Are outrages
like these to be tamely borne? Sir, have these in
suls and injuries been redressed? Has our nation
al honor in these instances of indgnitY insult and
/ baan viDdipafe19 In mat
but in the case of the Black Warrior, has any re,
| psration bten made How are we treated when APP
peal is made to the Captain General of Cuba?
Why, sir whilst he is desPot in his own denim
ions, whilst he has the power TO inAict unhesrd of
injury upon our people, our commerce, and our flag
he has no power to redress. The President informs
| us that
Instead of making complaints directly to him
obliged to present them through the Minister
Madrid These then referred back the Captain General
for information and much te is thus consumed in preliminary
investigations md correspondent between Madrid
fore the Spanish Government VIII consent to proceed to negota
Many the difficulties between the
the Captain General authority settle Ques-
tons Of solution the spot where all the facts fresh,
hitherto in vain urged upon the Spanish Government confer
this power upon the Captain General and Minister Spain
will be Instructed this subject their notice. In
this respect occupy different position from the Powers Of
Europe almost within sight shores
with greater than that Of any nation ncud
ing Spain ITSELF and citizens in habits Of daily and
tended personal intercourse with part Ct the island 1t is
therefore, great grievance that when difficulty
how unimportSnt which might be readily settled the
moment should be obliged to to Madrid, especially
the very first step 5e taken there refer back
/ Cuba.
sThe existing condition.
Of injury and annoyance the American
| people"
This policy, in my judgment, sir, is pursued by
| Spain with cool and deliberate purpose. She clothes
| her Captain General of Cuba with all tyrannieal
| power TO harass and annoy, to injure aud insult,
and yet withholds from him ponding authority
to redress those wrongs. If this Cuban colony be
made an engine of oppression and wrong, it should
be clothed with the ability to right those wrongs
We told by the President that repeated efforts
have been made on the Part of cur Government TO
remedy this nonstrous evil, but of ava
Sir, we are doubtless the most forbesTing nation
upon earth. not sure that we have not had
quite cause enough to warrant US in enforcing by
the strong of power what we have failed to ac>
oomplished by milder means l am not altogether
certain but that the sentiment indicated by my dis
tiuguished friend from Mississippi. MIR. DAVIS IN
the resolution he offered to the House the other day.
is right that is time should take these matters
iuto our own hands and if these manifold wrongs
comet be rightCd in any ot-er way, right them
ourselves.