The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-24

pose OF preventing the OuH VI IncAico iiohA S'SA
being made a mare clGusuDa by England, or by
France. or any other great naval Power, that
we would resist this transfer and resist it to the
very death. 1t would be to maintain the free
dom of the seas, to keep those seas open to the
commerce of the world, and at the same time
TO keep them open to our own commerce, that
we would resist its transfer. What may be the
motto of the party upon the other side of the
! Chamber. of which the distinguished Senator
from Georgia is a leading chief know not
but the motto of the Republican party to-day
is, as it was in the war of 1872, and as it
ever will be, "the freedom of the seas, the free
commerce of the seas, the highways Of the
world shall not be closed to the commerce of
the world" We admit no such doctrine as he
contends for, and will never subscribe to it.
l have stated that it has been the settled
policy of this Government, when the Govern
ment Of Spain would consent To the transfer to
the United States, and the people of the island
of Cuba would also consent to the transfer of
their jurisdiction to the United states, that We
would be willing to accept it, under proper con-
ditions. This last consideration, in relation to
the wishes of the population of that island, is a
matter OF SO great importance, that in perfect
ing this bill, before any vote shall be taken upon
il, have desired to offer an amendment; and
will now offer it as an amendment to the
amendment of the Senator from Ohio, which
now send to the Chair, in these words:
And prorided, That in any treaty which
may be entered into between the Government
of the United States and the Government o.
Spain, there shall be inserted an express pro-
vision that said treaty shall be wholly nopera-
tive until the same shall be submitted to, and
ratified by, the majority Of the free white male
: inhabitants, Of twenty-one years OF age and
| &c Tho ,olo of C,,ha
to be held for the purpose, pursuant to lawful
authority"
Another point which I have mentioned in
our national policy is this: that We will never
undertake by force of arms to wrest the island
of Cuba from the Spanish Government against
her will. Our national faith, our national
honor, is plghted to that effect. 1t has been
plighted over and over again and again. The
proposition of the alternative held out to Spain
of either cession or seizure, never found light
until the celebrated Ostend circular, which APP
peared in 1854, and which was repudiated by
the then Secretary of State, Mr.. Marcy l say
that, in carrying out this part of our policy in
relation to Cuba, we are bound to do so to the
very letter by every consideration worthy of our
true national character. Our duty to God de-
mands it, and our duty to man demands it also.
Standing as we do today, in the very vanguard
of human civilization, we are bound to keep sa-
cred our national faith never under any tempt
alton to violate it, by becoming ourselves the
wrong doer and aggressor. l know that gen.
tlemen may quote, for our example, the histo
ries of other nations Of the world-of Greece, of
Rome, of England, Of France, of Russia. You
may tell us that their career is one continued
career of conquest, extending all over the
globe; but their examples are not for us to
follow in this respect. The difference between
them and US is fundamental. While their found
atoms rest upon conquest, the very foundation
upon which our Government rests, upon which
it is based, and by which it is to be controlled
and guided in all its policy, is that of honesty,
justice, uprghtness, and good faith. We have
as yet never entered upon a war of conquest.
| trust in God we shall never enter upon such
a war. 1t would but open the way to the Gre
alton of an immense national debt, and the
raising of immense navies and immense stand
ing armies, the result of which would come
back upon ourselves, in the creation of one
grand consolidated empire, like the empire of
Rome. Much as we should desire the acquisi-
ton of Cuba, much as We should desire to add
to our possessions all the British provinces of
North America, the outlet of the st. Lawrence,
the Canadas, New Brunswick, the Northwest
possessions, the island of Vancouver-all those
vast territories which lie upon our Northern
frontier, and compared with which Cuba, i'm
portant as it is, is hardly to be mentioned yet
1 trust the day will never come when the doc
trine will find favor in the American Senate, or
before the American people, that we shall en-
ter upon a career of conquest, and seize those
territories, because we have the power to do it.
Sir, let us bide our time let us wait until,
in the course Of human events, these great
cessions can be made. These great annexa-
tons may take place to our Government and
our dominion, not by conquest, not by rapine
or by robbery, but they may take place peace
fully, by honorable negotiations, honorable an
nexation. Least of all is it any part of our
policy to conquer an unwilling people to con-
quer territories which are already thickly-set-
tied to conquer an island, like the island of
Cuba which has upon II already more than a
million inhabitants which is as thickly settled
as many of the States of the Union, and more
populous than the great majority of the States
of this Union. 1t is no part of our policy to
conquer and bring under our jurisdiction,
against their will, mixed people, three fourths
of whom are not OF our race; nine-lenths Of
whom know nothing of our language, our laws,
| our customs, our religion; nine-tenths Of whom
| never knew anything about republican, institu-
tions or republican government. 1t is no part
of our American policy to enter upon any such
| career OF conquest as that.
| Again, sir: If there be- anything established in
our policy, II is this, as another point, that we
| will never, under any circumstances, make the
offer to purchase the island of Cuba from Spain,
| at a time and in such a manner as to ofci4a ncr
national pride. But how does this proposition
come forward at what time is it ntroduC cd
iuto the Senate. by the Committee Oh Foreign
Relations? The very morning of the day ~ien
me Senator from Louisiana, Mr.. SLIDEII.
from the Committee ON Foreign Relations, IN
troduced this bill to the Senate, we received
information of the action of the Government of
Spain. This very proposition was contained,
IN substance, in the message of the President
of the United States. It Eas consj dered in both
branches OF the Spanish Cores. in the Cham
| Der. of Deputies it was unanimously rejected
in the Senate, also, it was unanimously reject
ed; and it was declared by those who spoke
upon that question, oil parties concurring, and
without dissenting voice, that at this time,
and under these circumstances, the attempt to
| reopen this negotiation would be regarded by
| the Government of Spain as an insult. The
| Cortes passed this resolution:
| "The Cortes declares that it has received
| with satisfaction the declaration of the Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs, aud that it is disposed
| to give to the Government its constsnt sup.
port, in order to maintain the integrity of the
Spanish dominions."
| Again, on the 4th of January, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs repeated these declarations
in form, relating to the island of Cuba. He
| declared that
off a representative of foreign Power came
to make me an offer FOR the alienation of Cuba
should at once interrupt him in his frs
| phrase, as soon as his first words caused me
to guess his purpose or notion, and woult
tell him the effect produced by such intima
tons on all Spanish minds. The retention o