National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-18
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE.
AN INTER EsrING LETrER FROM Elk
SENATOR F00TF.

VIEWS OF AN EMINENT Statesman AND
JURIsT = THE PRECEDENTs OF OUR
FORMER HISTORY TRE-oPINIoNs OF
CLAY AND WEBSTER THE vIRGINIUS
AFFAIR IN NEW LIGHT "a e. z =
To the Senate and House of Representative of the
United States in Congress Gssenbled::
GENTLEMEN: have not the honor OF occupying
q seat in either House Of the National Legisla-
ture, and in all probability shall never again as
pire to position with which is connected such
varied and weighty responsibilities. Nor is It in
my power to approach as nearly as would some
times, for purely patriotic reasons, wish to do,
those members Of your body most entitled to
sway your important deliberations. It Is only as
an American citizenS Iealously devoted to all
that concerns the interests and honor Of my native
land, inside from the antaeonisms Of faction and
In disregard Of the ambitious aspirations Of any
man or set Of MEN aiming to control the affairs
OF this great republic, that desire to eommuni-
cate with you freely as with patriots and gentle
men, touching a duty by You yet unperformed,
but which confidently hope Is to be hereafter
the browning act OF your severe and meritorious
official lsbors Of the present session. ace
Ths new Cuban republic has not been as yet
recognized by you as 90 many have been expect.
ing that it would be, and unless this grave and
further delay many will begin to fear that It will
be altogether pretermitted by you.
Let me ask Of you, gentlemen, In all serious
ment It can be that any, Of your number can
doubt the propriety Of this actf 1hold II to be
positively certain that were the question Of re-
eogntion submitted TO proper vote In the various
States Of this Union thsre Is scarcely one OF them
In which o very large majority OF voices would
not be heard IN favor Of TINS most iSst ah1 PoHT
honor the natal land Of Washington apd his Illus.
trious oOmpeers Of the last century, know that
people have greatly degenerated nom the virtues
and spirit OF their ancestors, snd that the pure
spcuously among the heroes and patriots Of 70 Is
no longer be looked for In their descendants OF
this generation. have not yet acqulesced In this
to have reason to recognize them as deserving
the severe and whitening structures which now
often hear applied to them.
OUR SOUTH AMERICAN POLICY.
bear in vivid remembrance the struggle which
occurred in the halls Of Congress in the year 1855
and lettering in her condition, and having within
her confines q very small population In compar-
rich and fertile fields and her thronging and busy
cities. 1t was on one OF the early days Of March,
Just as General jackson was vacating the Presi-
riousIy held, that this venerable man. united With
the enlightened and high spirited Congress then
sitting, In recognizing Texas as an Independent
tSis Occurrence SSen IN WasSnstSn on thai occasion
can never forget Some are now In this city'whe
cherish q proud gratifying recollection Of the
t nSgis years before II urgs UPON Consress and
the country the immediate recognition OF Mexico
and the infant South American republics, whilst
snsy 20
pect ofthe early termination Of this struggle.
personally know, as do others whom could name,
that Mr.. clay looked back in after years with Pc
cuiIar gratihcation to this part Or his public ca
reer. And we'll might he 90 so; for, when, in 1928
q mem Der of Congress from Kentucky OF no small
opoper 70 saw in The House Of Rspresent.tiVes al
fuding to the great orator Of the West that she
(Mr Clay had himself, at an early day, become
webster, ever ready to indicate the character of
an absent and respected friend unjustly assslied.
spoke as follows: s;..i...es 500. IL - J.
prompted by an ardent love of civil liberty, felt
stTuEElins colonies Of South America, or thai
9d he bad tbe sasaey e Sresss
than others the successful termination OF those
struggles II thus feeling and thus percelying, It
seis Of his Country In her msnifestations Of kind
nese to the rebel governments, and In Der season.
able recognition q that Independence; II 1t be this
il be this course Of public conduct which has iden
titled his name with the cause OF South American
liberty, he ought to be esteemed one Of the most
ropr.ssDssd Ss has acquired fame enough lis
enough for any man thus TO have connected him.
self with the greatest events Of the ago In which
which reflect high honor upon his country in the
Judgment of manknd-" IL "a. % r...s 49,. .
Again, in the same splendid speech, New Eng
lands greatest orator and salesman said: "1f 1t
be weak to feel that I am an American-to think
that recent events have net only opened new
modes OF intercourse, but have created also new
Selves S and d oar nsigSSors; Il s. wssi 70 feel
that the South in her present condition, 10 some
what more emphaticaily part Of America than
under the grinding bondage Of foreign power: IL
e be weak to rejoice when, even In any corner OF
the earth, human beings are abba q riss from be-
Job the proper happiness Of an intellectual ma
ture; II this be weak, IT 10 weakness from which
claim no exemptien-n 20. 4.gig- n. OIL | Z
not so shut our sen ses and smother our faculties,
not to zee that. In the progress and establish
ment Of South American liberty, our own exam
pie has been among the most stimulating canses.
In their emergencies they have looked to our ex-
perience in their political Institutions they have
followed our models; in thelf deliberations they
have invoked the presiding spirit OF our own lib
erty. They have looked steadily to the great
northern light in the hour Of bloody conflict; they
have remembered the fields which have been con-
secrated by the blood Of our fathers, and when
they have fallen, they have wished only TO be re-
membercd with them, as men who had acted their
parts brayely for the cause of liberty In the West
The true duty of the United States a. the lead
ing republic of the world, and the special guar
dian and protector of liberty in this hemisphere.
was thus depictured by the magnsnimous and
high -souled statesmsn whom !. have already 50
literally cited: 81 & l,l -C-r.-f. -ErnE. ~ E
81 wish to treat the subject on such grounds e1-
clusvely Us truly American; but then, In CON
sidering II as an American question, cannot for
get the ago in which live che prevailing spirit
Of the age the interesting questions which agtate
It, and our own peculiar relations in regard to
these interesting questions. Let this be, and ns
far as am concerned, hope 1t will be SO, purely
an American question; but let 1t embrace, never
theless, everything that fairly concerns America.
Let 1t comprehend, not merely her present advan-
tage, but her permanent interest, her elevated
character as one Of the free States Of the world,
and her duty towards those great principles
which have hitherto maintained the relative in
dependence OF nations, and which have especially
made her what she Is" ~. o.. -. :
&c.. THE PAST AND TIRE PRESENT..
Is II possible that can be in error in supposing
that these true American Views are Just as applL
cable to the condition Of our country now. and TO