Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-02-01
VIRGINIA., TUESDAY. FEBRUARY /, 1859. Isl NO n,

from the simple family relation upwards
70 the grand structure Of an organized
government in successful operation; with
out which, as Mi. Calhoun remarks,
"society itself could not exist Look,
sir, at the position Of this Republic al
most the only one worthy the name On
the face Of the globe', with the monarchies
ofthe Old World the growth Of centuries,
ready to be arrayed against Us in, solid
phalanx at "a moments notice. Observe
our geographical position our immense
possessions upon tie Pacific coast and
the necessity Of our having j dominant
control over Central America for transit
purpose and tell me ii 1--WE. should, MOI be
justified IN asserting our supremacy q
And who shall say, sir, that we could
MOI maintain /. af1f s4 Ill
Another objection, sir. which I haYe b
this treaty, and which ! will bring for
ware here as under its appropriate head,
is, that it prevents us, from alH time to
come, not only from acquiring say por-
ton of Central America as Janitorial
appendage, but even from incorporating
i 4 sovereign State in our goHfederaey
notwithstanding every citizen within its
limits, as well US all our own. should desite
II. For tits plain. sir, that the language
Of the first article of this treaty efiectually
Percludes any such action on our part. 81
Now, it may be said that the idea Of such
growth and expansion on our part, IN the
legitimate manner IN which ii has hitler
70 taken place, IS to renderit expedient 10
annex any portion of the country spoken
Of 70 our Union, is visionary. and would
be nuprecedented in the history ofpations.
Sir, YOU cannot judge in this case by
the past mean BY the historical past.
You can only judge our future by OR
past by that past Of which men now hY-
ing are the contemporaries; by that past
whose achievements and discoveries ii all
the arts ard sriences have been such as to
revoiutionize the world in all that apper.
tains to tie progress and development 81
nations and races. Aud Judging BY this
past, what may we not predict for the fiji
ture From the eminence which, as a
nation, we have already reached, what
horizon can bound our political prospee.
tive /? Already, sir, grave Senator'S dis.
cuss the question Of professional over
Mexico, With proteclorate, Mexico
would rapidly become AmeFicanized ID
thought, feeling, interest, population, and
indeed, IN everything calculated to ft hsg
to enter our political system. / tell you,
sir, that 10 this case absorption would
prove 70 be the corollary of a protectorats.
When You begin the Que. you may pre-
pare for the other, And Mexico once &C.
qhired, Central Amefiea would follow III
the most natural manner. aI
For one, I am unwilling 10 say 10 the
genius of American Institutions, n thus
far shalt thou go, and no father.'f The
Roman God, Terminus. is not one Of my
political ideities, however grand lie may
appear in heather mythology. lido not
wish t. be understood as advocating ii
discriminate annexation. might be- for
it. under some circumstances, and OBJ
posed to it under others. u would HjQd 10
each individual case ofI the sort as il arose
and decide Il accordingly. But I say,
whether We may ot may not desire 10 H.
corporate any part Of Central America
within our political system, | do not BE-
lieye that We should do, as We are made
to- do BY this treaty, five continueeit IN
force, give bonds ID all the world in gen
eral. and TO our rival, England, in partic-
ulars that it shall not be SO incorporated.
Was it not, then, a fatal error Of. short
.sightedness in us to enter into this treaty
for any of the reasons that Influenced Us !?
A treaty which has thrown us So far
back ID the race fos empire : Sir, III
seems marvellous. al this day. that We
cowld have made such d tressy andii
will seem moro wonderful still 10 the fiji
ture historian. The public mind dfthis
country was diverted from the true view
Of this treaty / have already said that
with this Government the proposed inter
oceanic canal. with It's commercial advan-
tages, was an ostensible, rather than a
real object bat, sir, there is no conceal
ing the fact that this consideration did OBJ
crate upon the country al large, however
little il may have Influenced our Govern
ment. Sir, at the time this treaty was
negotiated. so intensely was the public
mind fixed upon our Pacific possessions,
and, above an, upon the immense miner.
Igl developments in that region, which
each succeeding day nagnitied almost Be.
Igond conception where gold seemed IL
grow as9in the garden 81 Hssperides
that this treaty, which appeared b facili.
tate connection between ocean and
ocean. and thereby 10 enable uss almosl
by stretching forth the hand. TO seize- Up.
on tile glittering treasures Of the PaciiiC
coast, left us unmindful Of its ultkrior 10,
llitical effect. And as Atlantis though
fabled for her fieetness, vet pausihg 4 MO
ment TO grasp the golden fruit, vas dis
tanced b. her conpetitor, 90 we! 100, In
tent upon the golden treasures that sud
denly dazzled our vision, have permitted
. rival 70 stride between US and the goa
Eof our ambition, who now threatens Il
distance Us in the mighty race for en-
pife.
] have endeayored, sir, 10 look at liz
question Of the abrogation of this treaty
calmly aud % give al due weight to sucl
|suggsssiofs of my own niEd IS seemed L
be obstacles to that course: but mrs
say, Sit, 10 al frankness and capaor, tiia
those suggestions have not for q momsn
been abs 70 outweigh. 81 even to pdis,
Fin the balance, the important considers
tions # State policy that impesatifslj