The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-06-23
Col. Curtis Address to the People
Of the First Iowa District.
Continued from last ace
FOREIGN POLICY.

VI eiiO IhSSCHt DeCuUS1
1t seems to follow the plea inculcated in
the Ostend circular, that might makes
right, and repels from us surrounding nations
who, estranged from us, seek shelter and
more favorable alliances with foreign powers.
Not only does the Executive use our Navy
to overawe weak nations pending the
consideration of treaties, but often de.
mands are made and repeated, for Congress
to give him more force and money, to be used
at discretion, for acquiring foreign dominion
and domain. 1t seems also invidous to
make all these demands for Southern wants,
when there is almost as much need of Pugets
Sound, the outlet of the Red River of the
North, and the st. Lawrence, as there was
in former years for the outlet of the Missis-
sippi. But it is solely by direct national
effort that our foreign policy is made aggres-
give. State corporations under the names of
sOccan Steam Companies" "Transit Com
panics," and ''Louisiana Tehuantepec Com
panies," are sent to pioneer the way as the
East India Company" did for Great Britain
These soullcss, intangible, intermedling COR
horations, first secure from Government fat
contracts for mail service. On this basis
they gain power and riches; they employ,
or, if thought best, expel fillibusters, and get
up entangling difficulties with weak surroun-
ding nations. BY circulating their stock in
high places, and other appliances, they Sc
cure the national government to espouse
their cause, and, thus, organized and sup
ported, they are the medium and arbitcrs of
all negotiations and treaties. Instead of
ministers and consuls to represent our nation,
they are selected in view of the part they
are to perform for these companies. When
recently our present minister was appointed
to Mexico it was telegraphed that he was in
some way favorable to the Tehuantcpec Com
pany; and our first news from Vera Cruz
informs us, that on his arrival there he ac-
s knowledged Juarez's government, and im-
mediately we see it announced that he has
received great additional grants from Juarcz,
hot to the nation, but to the "Louisiana
1shuontepec COmpany.' In this way our
naval and diplomatic officers are made drill
sergeants and clerical Instruments for cor
porate spectators, who grow rich by fecc-
1ng both our country, and that upon whose
shores they are thus sustained and supper
ted. In this way commercial avenues have
been created through Central America that
have withdrawn trade and travel that for
'nerly passed by our doors to California
In this way roads and towns are built and
dominion secured in foreign countries, and
our treasury is drained and you are oppressed
with taxes to defend and maintain them
Thus entangled and subverted, our foreign
policy is shamefully prostrated to private
and corporate spccuations that enrich few
and impovish the people In my Judgment
this branch Of service is assuming most dan
gerous perogativcs, and leading us into treaty
alliances and false positions that endanger
the peace Of the country. Demands for
force, demands for protectorate in two Mexi-
can States, and demand for $50, ,OOO, 900 10
bid and barter for foreign islands, were all,
as believe, more the schemes of spectators
than the demands of the public, and they
therefore receive my cordial opposition. In
Nour foreign intercourse we should refrain
from doing what we would not permit others
to do to us, and "do unto others as we would
they should do unto u.s."
APACHE RAILROAD.
l have so often written and spoken on this
Stsubject. that it is needless for me to say
much on this occasion. The Republican
party adopted a Pacific Railroad as part of
their platform; and trust there will be no
filnching or faltering on this important sub
ject. AS a western man and representative,
claim it as one part of the bond. The
travel to California once passed overland
through our Western States; and if our
lines had received the protection and aid
which has been given to foreign routes By
our o''n gocernment, in my judg- our
interior route would now be preferred. A
Pacific railroad is equally important to our
Eastern friends. The parade of great ships
and splendid steamers, that come from the
"waste ofwaters" and escape the perils OF
the ocean, dazzle and attract the admiration
of Eastern cities, but it is the roads, canals,
and trains of cars that flow from the interior
land, that night and day pour into their
marts stores of riches and food and raiment
Every iron rail that is laid in the interior
adds few drops of commerce that swell
some great channel that flows into our At
tic cities Railroads develop the interior,
and give wider and more rapid circulation to
vital elements that strengthen, invigo,ate and
augment the material wealth of all parts OF
our country. A Pacific railroad is needed
as military defence, as means for trans.
mitting mails, as q commercial channel for
t~s&