Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-05-18

stituton would have required that treaties before
they should become the "supremel law Of the land"
overriding laws passed by Congress- State laws and
even State Constitutions, should be subjected to at
least as close scrutiny and a. severe an ordeal as
laws are subjected to, before they can pass Agen-
efal provision of that kind could not for the reason
stated, be made but no one will deny that in the
management of the foreign relations the President
ought to conform as nearly az may be to the popu-
lar will, and that he may with propriety, whenever
the nature of the question will admit Of it. seek an
expression Of opinion from Congress-.
Mr.. Buchanan, from Difference to the popular will,
asked the consent in advance, of the Senate and
House of Representatives to the effort he proposed
to make to acquire Cuba If the consent had been
given and treaty had been negotiated, it would
have been sent to the Senate for ratification or re-
lection just if its consent had not been given to
the appropriation of the money. There was no in
tent to dispense with one single guard or even form
prescribed by the Constitution, but on the contrary
to superadd to them the previous consent and sane
ton of both branches Of Congress.
The allegation that France will not permit us to
have Cuba and will resist it by force is not worthy
OF serious notice. 1t is puerile, because no grown
man supposes that France any other power will
interfere otherwise than by diplomatic intrigues at
ing, because 1t assumes the American people to be
the most pitabe of all creatures the victims Of base
cowardlce From the acquisition, in the manner pro-
posed by me, would flow no war, no bloodshed, no
disorder but peace security and increased prosper-
ty. From no quarter did my proposition encounter
more decided, and may say more manly oppo-
sltlon than from the supporters of the joint resolu
ton offered on the same day by Mr.. Davis, of Mis-
sisspp nstructing the President to seize the island
with the army and navy. I copied the act of 1847,
under which Mr. Polk brought the Mexican war to
close and acquired California, Utah and New Mex
leo. Why should a law that brought peace in 1S47,
bring war in 1859?
Those who oppose the acquisition of Cuba on any
terms, and those who would only have it as the prize
OF war, Of course oppose my proposition but it is
difficult to conceive wherein / have given any just
ground of complaint to those who wish to acquire it
as acquired Louisiana, Florida Texas, California
New Mexico and Utah. 1 followed an old beaten
track SO often trodden by Democratic statesmen
1S03 that croakers cannot doubt where it leads
and the most timd need not fear hidden dangers by
the waysde.
l have said more than intended when this letter
was commenced. It will be my duty, and will
avail myself of suitable opportunities before the
election to defend the recommendation ola Democrat
ic President and my own action from the misrepre
! sensations and unfounded charges made by the op
| position.
rendering my Acknowledgements to the members
of the Committee for the kind terms in which they
have communicated to me the wishes of the Con
vention,
l am, very respectfully,
| Your 0bedent servant, .
l.. OBJ BRANCH.
MEssRs. W. W. HOLDEN, E. D. DRAKE, D. W. G.
! STONE, H. G. WILLIAMS, C. M. LAT1MER j. w. B
| WATSON, w. r WHITE C0nsmittee