Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-12-01

United States for the same purpose.
Then, too, Spain was busy off-setting
outrages on American citizens by
Spanish claims OF filibustering. 1t Is
the question OF the destructiaon OF the
Maine today; 1t was one involving a
vessel called the Black Warrior then,
that stirred the indignation OF the
people. 1t Is striking "reminiscences
that there was also division OF opin-
ion between the president and congress
of that period, with the triffling differ
ence that it was the president who
was then anxious to make war on
Spain, and 1t was congress that then
declined the responsibility. Finally
there was an alignment Of the princi-
pal European powers against us. There
was then as now an abiding desire to
stiffen the foreign policy of the coun-
try, and Marcy, who sent a natural
ICED Frenchman as minister to Madrid,
gave instruction to sound Spain on the
delicate subject of purchasing Cuba.
The secretary of state then declared
that while the United States would do
nothing to disturb the relations OF
Spain with Cuba, the United States
would at the same time much dis
like to see Spain make use Of the as
slstance Of other powers to assert It's
supremacy over the island" He also
sent to Buchanan who was minister to
England a protest about sending ships
OF war to our coasts as not being re-
spectful to this republic; and instruct
ed Soule to make 1t plain to Spain that
while she remains In fact as well as
In name sovereign OF Cuba, she can
depend upon our maintaining our duty
as neutral power, however, difficult
1t may be-" Marcy added that 1t was
not proposed to acquire Cuba unless
the inhabitants were very generally
disposed to concur In che transfer"
This was substantially the same po-
sitlon taken by John Quincy Adams,
by Clay, by Van Buren,, Polk, Webster
and Calhoun. Marcy also rigidly in
sisted that no other power than Spain
should be permitted to acquire Cuba
under any pretense whatever. In 1857
the American minister at Paris had
informed the state department OF the
existence OF q treaty between Great
Britain, France and Spain which guar
anteed Cuba to Spain. Webster had
formerly declared that the United
States would never recognize any such
treaty. Marcy now supplemented this
decision by the clear inference or by
the positive statement that once
SPANS sovereignty became nominal
in Cuba, or she refused to sell Cuba
for fair price, we were in duty bound
to wrest the island from Spain II we
possessed the power upon the same
principle that would justify one lndi-
vidual In tearing down the burning
house OF his neighbor II there were no
other way of preventing the flames
from destroying his own home"
Suddenly, however, both Marcy and
the president changed their position
on the whole Cuban question. This
was on May 31,1854. The people we're
exasperated but powerless to give eff
feet to their deep convictions. Con-
gress debated the question during
June, and adjourned without taking
Thus Spain escaped at that time, and
the magnificent opportunity furnished
by the Crimean war, in which Great
Britain, France and Russia were en-
gagged in the following year, found th,s
country divided on the Cuban ques
ton. The southern states were indis-
posed to exhaust their forces in an at
tack on Spain which later on they de-
sired to marshal in the defense of
slavery. The north was also equally
reluctant to admit or acquire territory
that might easily strengthen me
slave-holding interest in the south.
But though local jealousies +hus
prevented the liberation OF Cuba In
1854 the policy Of Macy was well
worthy Of country and 1t was one
which Napoleon's ministers, with all
their ingrained acumen and natural
sympathy for Spain. were unable TO
Withstand.
The sectional divisions spared Spal,.
a humiliation then, but made 1t necas-
sary for Cleveland in 1895 to re-asssrt
the Monroe doctrine In the case OF
England in Venezuela and In Nicara-
qua, and now we see the Monroe doct-
rine far outstripped and foreign ma
tion deprived Of its possessions in Jh.s
hemisphere. In the meantime negoti-
ations are In progress at Paris which
exhibit the strenuous force of a dip;o-
macy which no nation on the face Of