Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-06-18
America, Gothic and Latin.
BY HORACE GREELEY

That the people of this continent have
common Interests wuich they d. not share
with those OF Europe, and that these inter-
esls should form the basis OF commop sym
pa hies aud (at least measurably) of com
mon policy, are tIuths observed aud pro.
claimed by Washing on ueally seventy
years ago. AT tina. time, more han seven
eigbths of our continent was firmly held in
the grasp of certain European Powers. =
But The Revolution, which had made US an
independent people, destined to become
surely and rapidly great one, reac cd up
on the more enlightened nations of The
Old World, toppllug down or vi.lently
shaking their thrones, upheavng their SO
ciai order. and Transforming their Institu-
lious, until the reHux of the mighty wave
WIS felt in Turn by this hemisphere, aud
Spanish America became independent aud
republican. And now President Monr oe
was prompted from across the ocean 70 in
innate, iuuffeusiveIy but significantly, TO
The crowned dtspots Of the Old World, then
meditating an extension to this conliuen,
of the military purview of their Holy AL
lance, that lhs country regarded our cou-
tinent as aflo ding no further arena for the
planting OF new European coloaics, and
would uot view with indifference the sub
jugailon OF a sister republic by the forces OF
any European state but that which claimed
a parental light to govern the territory
possessed by that republic.
Under The @gis of that declaration the
Spanish American states rested secure
from oil external annoyance until this coun-
try was precipi'at by Slavery's lust of
dominion into the series of eucroachmeuts
which, beginning with the colonization Of
Texas under gluingiy-false p etenses, end
ed in the virtual sui jugaton of M,xico and
the enforced transfer 10 US Of Upper Cali
foruia and New Mexico as well as the re-
gion originally coveted This conquest
was great crime; and, like all great
crimes, great bluuder as we'll II divest.
ed us of the frateInal confidence and the
sympathies not merely of what we spared of
Mexico, bnt Of all Spanish America. Our
country'S protecting concern for her weaker
Southern sisters was seen to be like that of
the hawk for the dove. The bloody career
of rapine and cruelty pursued by William
Walker in Nicaragua swiftly followed, with
the Ostend Circular as its diplomatic expo
tion. For gene atonj our Government
had evinctd an unslcepiDg hostility TO the
liberation Of Cuba from Spanish dominion,
lest the conVulsions attending its struggle
for independence should subvert Slavery in
the "eycr-failhfup isle, and thereby weaken
it forever, and imperil its stability in our
own Slave States Now, Spain was order
ed to "stand aud deliver" iu language be.
fitting the highwayman far more than the
dpIomatist; end any danger 10 Slavery in
our cotton-growlpg region, any movement
toward Emancipation in Cnba, was pro
claimed an ample justification of the threat
ened seizure OF the gem uf the Antilles by
US, at whatever cost OF treasure aud OF
blood.
But suddenly the scene shifts: Slavery
DEGREES the disruption and overthrow ot
our Union; and at once the wolves rush on
the prey whence our attitude, cur strength,
and our readiness for the fray had so long
repeIed them. Spaiu-already by bribery
and fraud installed in San Domiugo--pre-
pares to make good her possession by foreej
aud her legions have since rulhlessly tramp.
leu OUT TUG lllC VI tuO hb'iO
Ilic. France, backed by Spain aud Great
Britain, strike straight at the Independence
of Mexico; aud when allies, diSgusted by
the revelation Of her peridy, abandon the
enterprise and retrace their steps, she per.
seyeres in il alone, and at length aVows her
purpoSe-to plant an exotic aud inevitably
hostile monarchy at our very doors. NexI,
Spain, through one of her officials, picks a
quarrel with Peru, seizes her Invaluable
Guano Islands, and significantly intimates
that she has never recognized Peruvian in-
dependence Hence very natural and
profound alarm throughout the Spanish
Americsn Republics. aud consequent ef'
feryescene of popular Indignation against
France aud Spain throughout their area
We are far stronger in the affections apd
the confidence OF Spanish Tor, if you please
Latin) Americs. 10 this our day Of weak
ness aud trial, than We ever were In th,
hour of our union aud unbroken strength
But for tho dark shsdow cast by the re