The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-03-20
SPAIN AND THE SOUTHERN CONFED-
EkACY-LETrER FROM HORATIO j.
PERRY.


Correspondence. Of the y. Y. Evening rost.
WASHINGTON, Feb %.
Mr.. HoratiO J. Perry, the United States Sec
retary of the Legation at Madrid, whose resist
ance % the scheme set on foot by SOule and 9TH
ers, to annex Cuba during the administration OF
Pierce, has given him prominent place in
diplomatic annals, has written long and inter-
estng letter To a Representative in Congress, on
the subject of secession aud its effect on the
relations of this country with the nations of Eu-
rope.
The reader will take pleasure in perusing
some extracts from the testimony Of so inlelli-
gent and patriotic observer of national affairs
AS regarded by him at distance from the scene
of the disorder.
MADRID, Spain, Jan. s, 1861.
81 have fought secession in its first dangerous
form. Behind the black intrigue of lS54-55 for
annexing Cuba by means of war made without
the aid of Congress, in which the power OF the
North was to follow the lead of the South for the
South aggran ndizment, lay concealed the plan Of
secession. 1t was to conquer Cuba by the I'm
ion, and then PROSTATE the North sever the
Union Oh the question OF her admission, setting
up Southern Republic with Cuba and the Sierra
Nevada, Central America and Mexico to be after
wards annexed and delivered up to slavery
President Pierce and Attorney General Cushing
acted as instruments of his Southern intrigue,
without, am persuaded, knowing its extent
How much Mr.. Buchanan knew OF it at Ostend I
am not aware.
"The power of nations is not alone measured
| by their material resources but by the sympa.
| thies they inspire, or the amount of hate which
can be concentrated upon them. We have had
to bear grievous load for many years-a load with
which the question of democratic institutions
has nothing to do. Purge US of slave violence
and aggression, and our road abroad is smoothed
and our true power increased.
| "The United States could undertake any di-
| plOmatic enterprise With any nation in Europe
with ten fold the confidence OF success after the
| separation of the Cotton States. Cotton is king,
but wheat and corn, and beef and pork, and fax
and hemp, and wool, and iron, timber, ships,
steam, manufactures, and gold and tobacco. il
you please are demoer Icy more powerful than
| his majesty. They are invalu able in their own
borders, and can, if need be, send abroad bet
ter army than cotton ever dreamed of.
| AS TO Spain, l am competent TO say that her
whole restriclivessystem on our commercial in
tercOurs. can be easily removed. The Cuban
-four duties may be abolished by an intelligent
negotiation, and our -four, corn beef and pork
will drive every other article out OF the Spanish
colonial market whenever We choose"
Mr.. Perry remarks further, that if the \ orth,
abstaining from war of coercion, sllsws the
Cotton States to be the aggressor, "the South
is isolated, deprived of every sympathy and eve.
ry resource in the good will of others natious -
England will spit upon her; the Emperor OF the
French cannot lift finger for her against the
uumistakable sentiments of that people, regen
crate Italy abhors her; Spain recognises in heI
the enemy OF her colonial peace, and in her for
eign policy, will certainly play into the hands d
| the North"