The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-24
WASHINGTON, d. C.
The Acquisition of Cuba Colonization of
Central America.
SPEECH OF HON. J. R. DoOLITTLe.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
FEBRUARY IL, 1859.


Mr.. President, the question of the acquisition
of Cuba and Its annexation TO the United State:
of America is no new question to me. If there
is one question of national policy in this coun
try which may be said to be settled and fixed,
1t is our policy in relation to the island of Cuba
That policy may be said to rest upon three
foundations First, that under no circumstances
Will the Government of the United States con-
sent that the island of Cuba shall ever be trans
ferred by Spain TO any other European Power
second, that so long it remains, IN fact as
well as in name, a dependency of the Spanish
Crown, the Government of the United States
viii never undertake, by force of arms, TO wrest
it from her possession; and the third point in
that policy is, that whenever the Uuited States
can, by fair and honorable negotiation with
the Government of Spain, and with the consent
of the population of the island of Cuba, acquire
Its possession, we are ready to accept it.
i furthermore am frank to say that L fully
believe that in the fullness of time and in the
development Of the great national policy which
is 10 control this continent, the island of Cuba
is one day to be incorporated within the sover-
eighty and the jurisdiction of the United States
of America. i believe ALSO Mr.. President, that
that time has not yet come. i shall not take
up the time of the Senate at this hour by mar
rating what has been done by the Government
on this subject for the last thirty or forty years.
will refer to it, however, and read two or three
brief extracts only.
During the Administration of Mr.. Adams,
when Mr.. Clay was Secretary of State, in his
letter to Mr.. Alexander II. Everett then our
Minister at Madrid, he uses this emphatic Ian
guage, showing at that day the policy of the
Government Of the United States in relation to
the island of Cuba:
"The United States are satisfied with the
present condition of those islands Cuba and
Porto Rico in the hands of Spain, and with
their ports open TO our commerce, as they are
now open. This Government desires no po-
litical change of that condition. The popula-
ton itself of the islands is incompetent at
'present, from Its composition and its amount,
to maintain selfgoyernment."
During the Administration of General Jack
son, Mr.. Van Buren, as Secretary Of State,
communicated the same view to the Govern
ment of Spain; and during the Administration
of Mr. Polk, as late as ls48, when the present
Executive Magistrate was himself Secretary of
State, in his letter as such, to Mr.. Sanders, then
in Spain, he said:
"You might assure him that, whilst this
Government is entirely satisfied that Cuba
should in any event, resist its acquisition by
any other nation. And, finally, you might in
form him that under all these circumstances,
s. the President had arrived at the conclusion
that Spain might be willing to transfer the
island to the United States for a full and fair
consideration"
And again: Mr.. Everett, during the Admin
istrasion of Mr.. Fillmore, in 1852, in his note
TO the Compile de Sartiges, speaking of this
subject, says:
"A respectful sympathy with the fortunes of
an ancient ally and gallant people, with
whom the United States have ever maintained
the most friendly relations would, if no other
reason existed, make it our duty to leave her
In the undisturbed possession of this little rem
nant of her mighty transatlantic empire. The
President desires to do so. No word or deed
of his viii ever question her title or shake her
possession. But can it be expected to last
very long? Can il resist this mighty current
in the fortunes of the world?"
During the very last Administration which
preceded the present, Mr.. Marcy, in his letter
10 Mr. Soule of the 23d of July, 1853, says:
"While Spain remains, III fact as well as in
name, the sovereign of Cuba, she can depend
upon our maintaining our duty as a neutral
nation towards her, however difficult it may
be. In this respect, the future will be as the
past has BEEN
Again, he says:
sour Minister at Madrid, during the Admin
isiration of President Polk, was instructed to
ascertain if Spain was disposed to transfer
Cuba to the United States for a liberal pecu-
MARY consideration. ] do not understand,
however, that it was at that time the policy OF
this Government to acquire that island, unless
its inhabitants were very generally disposed
to concur In the transfer"
I'D ~, ha in ba con ofcb md
the remark gives evidence of the practical wis
dom which distinguished that statesman:
ain the present aspect of the case, the Presi-
dent does not deem II proper TO authorize you
. to make any proposition ior the purchase o.
that island. There is ROW no hope, rs he be-
sleeves, that such proposition would be favor
ably received, and the offer of it might. and
probably would be attended with injurious
effects"
In his letter of November l3, 1854, to Mr.
SouH, in reply to the celebrated O,tend circu.
lar, in which Mr.. Marcy, as Secretary of State,
on behalf of the Government of the United
States repudiated the dishonorable ALTERNATIVE
of cession or seizure which seemed to be pre-
scented to Spain in that circular, he sail:
"But should you have reason to believe tha,
& the men in power are adverse to entertaining
such proposition, namely, cessionl that the
offer of it would be offensive to the natio al
pride of Spain. and that it would find no favo.
in any considerable class of the people, then
sit will be but too evident that the time fol
Iopening, or attempting to open, such a nego
tiation has not arrived. 1t appears to the
President, that nothing could be gained, and
something might be lost, by an attempt tc
|push negotiation against such genera
resistance
These letters of the Secretaries of State o
the United States show clearly what the policy
of this Government is in relation to the acqui
sition Of the island of Cuba. That policy i.
based, as have stated, upon three foundations
the first of winch is, that we will never consent
cost what it may, TO the transfer of that island
by Spain to any other European Power. Sucl
q transfer would be resisted by the unanimous
voice Of the American people, and especial,
by the Republican party, as against its policy
and against all our history. We would resis
the transfer to England or to France, if neet
be, resist it to the very death, cost what it Nigh
of treasure or of blood. But let me tell yo,
that the grounds on which we would resist i
would not be the grounds stated by the honor
able Senator from Georgia Mr.. TooMBsl tn,
other day, in his speech on this subject. Tn,
honorable Senator from Georgia declared tina
it was the policy of the United States to Obtain
the island of Cuba for the purpose of maxim:
the Gulf of Mexico mare clausum-a closet
sea; that IT was our purpose to obtain not onl
Cuba, but all the islands of the Gulf of Mexic,
and of the Caribbean sea and he declared, il
the rapture Of his prophetic vision, that if h
did not live to see it, the youngest of those nov
living would see the day when no flag woul
be permitted 10 float ON those seas but by GU
permission.
Mr.. President, was surprised to hear sucl
laucuaee as that fall from anv Senator uno