Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-15

proyement recommended to our military aud
naval establishments. A ii around us we hear
of propositions to cut them down. There is /
no movement for the raising of revenue for
war purposes. On the contrary, various de- !
vices are resorted to and suggested for getting /
along without actual revenue in the Treas |
ury, to be compensated and made up By the |
use of the credit of the Government. There |
fore, say, there will he no war now. 1t Is |
not expected or intended.
But, although there may be no war intend |
ed or expected. this movement may answer
various valuable purposes. The honorable
Senator from Louisiana Mr. Slid III has told
us. as / understood him beg leave not to
misrepresent him-that he did expect adyan-
tages to be derived from this movement to
the President, to the Democratic party, and to
his country.
Mr. SI.IDELL. did not say precisely that;
but did say, if such result should follow
from it a. was supposed, it would not give
me any great distress, or surprise me.
Mr.. BELL. He meant that there would
be advantages to his country and his party
Mr.. SLTDEIL. Certainly.
Mr.. BELL. meant to give liberal con-
struction.
Mr.. President, will not question. nor do |
doubt. the patriotism of the honorable Sena-
tor in making these d clarations; but differ
from him wholly rs to the tendency of this
measure, either to acquire in any reasonable
time by negotiation, the Island of Cuba, or
to promote any one great public object be-
sides. On the contrary. in my Judgment. it
not only tends TO the indefinite postponement
of the acquisition of that island; but what
is of far more Importance. it tends to post
pone and defeat the very greatest public
good that, in my opinion can enter the head
of statesman and require his undivided en-
ergirs at this time to accomplish-the healing
of the deep and grievous wounds that have
been inflicted upon our system of govern
ment. and which yet rankle and tester in it
wounds inflicted by the long and fierce party
contentious which we have gone through. en-
gendering maxims and practices of admins
tration which threaten irretrievable discredit
to the very name of republic of free in
institutions.
Sir. if there ever was a time in our history
when the character of the Government itself.
when every great public interest called loud
Iy and imploringly for some repose. some
rest, some breathing time. from these eternal
and distracring conflicts, it is now. Whoever
has observed the causes of disasters in States,
whoever has studied the history Of former re-
publics, in the least degree, will be satisfied
that the periods of internal dissen,On. fierce
political strif., if you please. are the very
seed-time of all the irregularities. disorders.
ruptures. and abuses which are to spring up
in any Government under such circumstances.
For the last five years the public has been so
excited and distracted and absorbed by what
was called. and probably rigEtfully called,
the paramount questions of The day. that there
was no one in Congress. no one throughout
the land. among the people, to listen to or
give heed to the complaints. or even TO re-
cOgniZc them when they saw them before
their eyes. of abuses, malpractices. and the
demoralizing tendencies of the practices
which prevailed in the Government.
And now. after long period of these
fierce contentious, which entered the very
verge of CONFUSION, OF civil war, if they
did not transcend the bounds of it; and
when. in the mean time, great monetary
and commercial revulsion has swept over
the country; when the public expenditures.
il is admitted, have increased, within that
very period of five years. within fraction
of two fold, or one hundred per cent. when
the arrangements Of the national affairs of
the country are such that the Treasury may
be said. technically, to have been bankrupt
more than once since that revulsion; and
when abuses, too that may be considered
gross. are admitted to abound in almost every
branch of the public service-at such tim (,
| regard it as IA great public calamity that
such melsure-a measure of fresh agitation
and eXcitement-is thrust before the country.
Sir, is it of any importance to any great
| purpose connect with the public interest
| that fresh fuel shall be laid upon the decay
! ing fires of sectional controversy and Sec
| tional strife? Has il come to this, that ces-
satiOn of all sectional strife ana controversy
! should he looked upon with dismay and ap-
| prehension IN any quarter! Is that the con
| dition of the country? ! know | am speak
ing here to empty seats: but perhaps my
| voice may reach some ears where it may elicit
| reflection. | say has it come to this, that
| cessation of sectional strife is looked with
apprehension and dismay in any quarter,
| North or South! Every one, Mr.. President.
| who will ref CT moment upon this subject.
| mist perceive, if it is important to any vital
J interest of this country, that Cuba, when
| once acquired 10y negotiation, peaceably and
by purchase should be brought into the
| Union as a slave State, that our true policy
| now is mastery inactivity; and as to any
| project of wrestling the island from Spain by
violence; the chanc 5 would be that when il
was acquired it would be found IA blasted and
| worthless possession.
Mr.. President, have said all that intend
ed to say on this specific proposition its pro-
! bable motives or objects. and what consider
the erroneous or false policy which has been
! pursued in conducting these negotiations with
regard TO any expectation of the acquisition
| of Cuba, and my own opinion of il. | will
state, SO far n my Information extends in the
| Soulful is limited it is trd,-there is diyis-
| ion of public opinion upon the subject there.
| A large class of the earnest advocates of its
| annexation at the earliest day that il can he
| done consistently, perhaps with the national
honor, advocate Ii on the ground of its neces-
sity for our own security and sel-pres-rvn-
| ton. On the contrary, there is another class
| that are apprehensive it would produce a
| drain of too large portion OF the labor pc
| cular To the South, and OF the capital en-
| ployed in the Southern slave States. and that
| that drain would cause IA serious obstruction
| in the future progress and development OF tine
resources of those States.
| Others apprehend that, by the transfer Of
so large humber as three or four hundred
| thousand. as is estimated by some to DC tae
| number OF slaves that are apt to TO be taxi
| e1 to that island from other States OF the
| Union, they will nol be 80 likely to be prof
! liable employed there As i generally suppOs-
| cd. For my part, while / would not be OF Opt
MON that any favorable opportunity ought TO
| pretcrmittcd under the dangers which are
said To exist now, and which may perhaps
| continue To exist, mat the present state of
things may possibly bring the two countries
| into wars which might otherwise be avoided,
say no opportunity should be omitted or
neglected, 10y which the cOuntrol OF that IT,
| lad at all events, under som form OF govern
ment or other could be acquired by Ibis count
ry with mt disparag ment 10 our country, and
without the violation OF any principle OF In
teruational law
Al the same time, however, ! have enter
tanned the opinion held 10y the most eminent
of our public men Tor period of forty or
fifty years. that the time has not yet come
when the acquisition of that island y indis-
pcnsable TO our security or to the develop
ment Of our recources ] believe THAI il is
our interest, while Spain pursues policy
not calculated 70 be injurious or dangerous TO
the States of the South, that she shall
maintain her snvereipnly over the island rs
il shall be her pleasure TO do 50.
fro BE Continued