Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-10-23

SOANNAi @AUS' Ii LOOT
Rer. William E. Channing, d. d., New-
port, r. L:

QUINC1I aug. IL 1901.
Rev. William E. Claiming, D. d., Ne,c-
port, R. l.:
MY DEAR SIR-* 1t was in
September, 1922, that the events to which
alluded in my speech in the House of
Representatives of the 25th of May, 1886,
took place 1t was the time when the
Spanish Government of the Cortes was
overthrown by the French invasion un-
! der the Duke D'Angouleme. Great Brit
ain became alarmed, lest under the shell
ter of that revolution the Island of Cuba
should pass into the possession of France
The French Government fabricated
or was imposed upon by report that
the British Cabinet had determined to
send squadron to take possession of the
island. The people of the Havana, di-
vided into parties between the Cortes
and the king, were terrified by premoni-
tory SYMPTOMS of negro instruction and
looking round for a protector. There
was party for resorting to Great Brit
ain, party for adhering to Spain, and
a party for seeking admission to the
North American Union-the last of
which was strongest A proposition was
then made by secret agent from them
to Mr. Monroe to this effect-that they
by popular movement, of the success
of which they had no doubt, would de-
clare the Island independent of Spain if
the Government of the United States
would promise them protection and ad-
NIT them into the Union under a State
constitution, on the model of those of
Hxl
derstanding that as the population of the
Island should increase they should be at
liberty TO divide themselves into two
States, and have that proportion of rep
resentatives in the Congress of the Uni
ted States As the inducement to the
American Government to pledge their
protection, they were assured that the
alternative would probably be the prevs
lence of the party in the Island for the
colonial connection with Great Britain
and a resort to her for protection.
While this proposition was under consid
Grafton of Mr.. Monroe and his Cabinet
the French Minister at Washington, by a
verbal, irresponsible. communication, not
to the Secretary of State, the only me
dunn of official intercourse between for
eign Ministers and the Government o
the United States, but to Mr.. Crawford
the Secretary of the Treasury, assevera
; ted that the French Government had Sc
cret but positive information that the
British Government had deliberately de
termined to take possession of Cuba.
The answer of Mr.. Monroe to the pro
position from the Havana was that tn,
friendly relations existing between tht
, United States and Spain did not permi
them to promise countenance or protec
ton to any insurrectional movemen
o against her authority Their advice tt
I the people of Cuba was TO adhere, as lony
' as possible, to their allegiance to SPAIN
t that an attempt of either Great Britain
or France to occupy the island woulC
/ present the proposal from the Havani
. under different point of view, concern
ing which the President was not author
{. lied to pledge prospectively the actor
y of the United States, but that the peopl
:. of the Havana might be assured of tn
deep interest which, under all the Gil
cumstances which might occur, tn
American Government would take i
$. their welfare and their wishes.
s. 1t was the opinion of at least one men
d Der of Mr.. Monroe's administration tha
A. the occupation of the Island of Cuba b
r, Great Britain should be resisted even g
Il the cost of war Their unanimou
i, IN opinion was that very explicit thong
lie confidential communication should b
r. n made to Mr.. Canning, that the Unite
r, States could not see with Indifferent
n the occupation of Cuba by any Europea
pps power other than Spain, and that RI
oi mors had reached the American Go,
* * ernment that such an intention was el
Eo tertained by the British cabinet, whic
nd made it necessary to ask an explanatio
Of their views.