Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-14

ever made any propositions. to the
mother country relative 10 the pur-
chase OF the island?
Mr. S.-Yes. the matter was dis
cus-ed last May here In this very
chamber. Two members OF the New
York Junta then called on me to talk
over the situation, and 1 asked them
the question as TO how much they
would be willing to give in case Spain
should rriiuqui-h all claim on tuba.
They said at first fity millions, but on
my pressing the question home and
asking the maximum amount they
could offer, they answered one hun
dred millions. I had lying on nay
desk at the time q proposition rom
General Prim on the very subject, but
their offer did not cover his terms,
otherwise the contract would have
been signed by me on the one hand,
and the representatives OF the Junta
on the other, before the sun had set.
I did not tell them OF this offer by
General Prim, however, at this time,
nor indeed, subsequently,; but l sam
tslerably certain that they got at the
diff Ofmy questions before We parted.
C.-YOu think then, sir, that the
reasons for the present attitude Of the
Government ou the Cuban question
may be found in the probability OF a
war with Spain, which grantal Of bel
ligerent rights to Cuba would prOba-
bly entail?
Mr.. S.-Such is the view enter
tain Of the case, and, as the admins
trStiOn holds to the same opinion, its
line Of policy may be fOreshadowed
by what l have been telling you. Gu
ba i very Jar from being in position
where she can demand recognition
from u, and we shall be in no hurry
to force an issue. / would not have
il understood, however, that the re-
coguitf0n Of Cube is an impOssi0illty,
but for the present, az lest, a strong
imprObaJility.
C.-Has anything transpiredsOf late
to change YOIr views on the Alabama
question IS expressed to the World
correspondent some six weeks since?
Dir. $40. The question has
assumed DO neW phase that am
aware of; We 90 not, however, seem
to be much nearer a TSaeEieai solution
Of the difficulty now than ~e were
then.
CT have heard it stated, on what
ought TO be good authority, that Great
Britain has hinted al the possibility of
Ceding Canada 70 Us in satisfaction Of
the Alabama claims. Do you attach
any importance 10 the rumUr?
Mr.. S.-Nune in the least. It Is
merely one Of tn u~and caaards that
have been set sfoat OF late by parties
who would be directly interested in
the event ot q war between the United
States and Great Britain. Canada
will come 10 Us soon enough
without effort on our part. IN
the present state OF affairs, We
must let things take their own course.
The annexation party in the provin-
css is a much stronger element in the
population than England, or, in tact,
we ourselves have been led % sup
pose. They have hold Of the plOw-
handle now, and there viii be no
looking back until the work shall
have been accomplished. The force
JiGt shall set the ball rolling in this
direction viii come from within, not
from without.
C.-Wilhin what time, sir, GO you
anticipate the annexation of Canada?
MT. S.-Certainly within this de-
cade-I mBy say before the end of the
latter halL We are in no hurry about
it, however.
C.-What is your idea about tae
ultimate acquisition of Mexico aud
other contiguous foreign territory?
Mr. 81 luok forward to their ulti-
mate absorption into our great Fede-
raj Government, beginning Erst with
Mexico and the West India Islands;
then the immense stretch of territory
10 the north, known as British Amer
lea; and finally, the whole North
American Continent. We have Il
moral right, not only 20 this Cont
len5, but tO the whole Of this hsmis-
pheFe, ana We shall acquire both.
C.-What do YOU think Of the rati-
icstiOl Of the st. Thomas, st. Do
mingO and Samana Bay treaties7
Mr.. 81 cannot, for obvious rea- /
sons, express myself as freely on that
question as / would like. l can say,
however, that no immediate action
viii be taken on CaeEl-at least any
immediate favorable action. The COM
mittae is very much in the dark, es-
Decialiy on ECiuJs relating 10 the St.
Domingo treaty. Until we have fuller
on the subject, there is
little, IL any. Likelihood Of the ratii-
cation Of any OF the treaties.