Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-14
The Acquisition OF Cuba

was further discussed ia the senate Oh -.
Friday.
/ Mr.. Benjamin delivered speech u, ......
/ eloducncc and power. COMMUNICABLE
rapid review of the geographical po>,ri.n,ni
natural resources Of the island the SOAK.
proceeded to treat OF its relations to t.p,.
great staple productions which con;rl H..
| markets of the world. AID which cnn,..,,...
the Offering made by compulsory Ialur,,,l-
civilization and comfort OF mankind E.yr.r.
fence has proved that slave labor i, n..i..
pensabc to the growth Of these product. ana
| that the African, released from homda-r ~.
lapses into idleness and the degraialou Of,
barbarism Before England had malc a.,
| disastrous experiment III the West indie,
could not be asserted that emancipatiuu -.
frauyht with evil, IL well to the ,lIbiecr-r,,.
~ 10 the rest Of mankind, but in the Iighr II
existing facts no truth could be- deemed mJgr
clearly demonstrated. Mr.. b. read ;rp,
many authorities in confirmation of this ,ra,,.
ment.
| The ruinous effects of emancipation IN thu
West Indies admonishcd Us Of the injury
that would ensue should Cuba be left 20 ,ui.
fer from the decline of compulsory labor.
For that species of productive industry Size
/ could rely on three sources Firstly, yhs
natural increase Of her present slave popua.
ton; secondly, the influx OF apprentice,
from China or the East Indies; and thirdly
from the continuance of the African ,lavs
| trade
The Senator infinitely examined the fact,
and statistics under each Of these heads. and
after stating the rate of decrease in the nun.
Der of Cuban slaves, remarked upon the h0r.
r0rs and atrocities Of the coolic trade. lr
which it had been sought to partially atone
for the folly of emancipation. He closed tbs
branch of the discussion by declaring that Din,
present productive power Of Cuba could -.
maintained only by pcrpctuatimg the foreign
traffic in African slaves or by ain"&iug the
island to the United States.
He treated ut length on the foreign re!a.
tons of the subject, and rcplicl to the argu.
ments founded OH apprehensonS Of the opp.
sition likely to proceed trom Great Britain
and France. The former had concluded hes.
self from such opposition by her own former
efforts to acquire and hold the island. while
to the Emperor of the French it was sufficient
for us to say that we had the same right 10
buy Cuba from Spain as had his uncle 10
buy Louisiana from that same Power, only
to sell it again to us in the end.
Adverting to the condition of the native
white population Of the island, he described
the oppression u which they were subject,
and remarked on their readiness for revolt.
as was proved by the frequent efforts dies
had made to throw off the yoke Of spain
Cuba was degraded appanagc "t tie Span
1 In, la.. 81 fl...r
litical rights with which il was once endowed
and made subject to the arbitrary sway Of
Captain General, without regard to the III
stinctiye feelings any more than the liberties
of the native white inhabitants. Humanity
demanded that something should be done Tor
their relief, or at least that We should not be
insensble to their woes. Cuba did Rot be-
long to Spain. As Americans we must re-.
pudiate the dogma Of nationa! sovereignty
residing in the soil Cuba belonged to Ii,
t,eopie of Cuba, and they had II right o.
change their civil relations according Ia he
dictates of wisdom and prudence. NJ one
could doubt that if left free to choose they
would elect to come under the jurisdiction u!
our flag. The Senator closed hy tracing Wis.
he presumed would De the drift OF tie ncgO.
tiations "a be instituted under the pending
bill, should it be passed, and he had reason u
hope that those negotiations would be crown
ed with success.
Mr. Doolittle, in a iorcible and suggestive
speech, reviewed the aspects OF the Cuban
questions as now presented to the considers.
ton of the American people. Upon no SUB
ject had public opinion in our country as.
sumed a more definite form or settled down
upon convictions more decided. ThO," ecu.
victions might BIZ stated III the following pr.
positions: That we had no cause 81 com.
plant on the ground Of political necessity
80 long as Cuba remained IN the hands II
Spain, that We could not consent To- the tran.
fer of Cuba to any European Power; ALL
that, under propItious circumstances, the
acquisition of Cuba would be desirable 20 the
United States. The Senator then quoted trom
the documentary evidence furnished by oar
diplomatic history, IN confirmation ot The
first two propositions. Witt regard to the La
he had only Ia say that Tor himself he belize
ed the day would come when Cuba wUu-
form part Of the United States, but hr w.
equally confident that that day had not y"
come Before it came there wrr" man,
preliminary questions t. settle. First ot H.
the wishes OF the people of Cuba were 10 t1
consulted, and he Wa, now prepared To- ~"
an amendment to the pending bill, proyIlm-
that no part Of the $50, 900, 600 which it ap
propriated should be expended in the neg
tiation of any treaty Of purchase until tie
same had been submitted IL Il Vote oi the pei
pie Of that island Who would bring them
into the Union if they did not desir" To- be IN
corporated in it!
II was common, said Mr.. d., to speak oi t@i
resistless logic Of events, the DRIFT Of man.
fest destiny, the tide in the affairs Of mon
Reared in a simpler but higher faith '.'a
that inculcated by confd"nr" in su"!, aga.
cies he believed in an oycrruling Providence
which controlled the destimies ri nations. a,'
murked out for Il EN-, as for individual. ..'
path Of duty. Into that path We should '''h
70 turn our footsteps. Providence. spc"sI-
TO the men Of the present age by the io.'" .'
history and OF reason. had indicated thr o."
perate zones IF the globe a. the dcstInrd ~.
tuition of the white man, and hal! v.
equal clearness, allotted the trUplr- % u
possession vi the African and coIor"d IA ','.
The lines Of popular migration from y.
east TO the west had followed tins ap,''"'
ment, and it only remained for ii, to ''TH
crate in this grand movement Ot ID" caT''
population. The Senator then deVcIop"I o..
outlines of Il theory by which ne i...-,
we could solve the problem II Az q"
slavery in the United States. II 'i'
Il. J