The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-09
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or course the treaty was a COM
promise OF undoubted American rights
but It was a wise one under the cir
cumstances; for after a war over Tex
as the United States were in no mood
to stand up to Lord Palmerston as we
are fortunately now able to do in tho
case Of Lord Salisbury.
The next statesman who overmas-
tered the foreigner end who boldly and
successfully maintained American
rights was William H. Seward. OF
Stewards personality and commanding
position the people are fully aware.
The generation which knew him first
as a leader of the Senate and after
wards as Lincoln's competitor at the
Chicago convention of 1860 are deeply
sensible of his mastery genius in the
greatest crisis of the Union. The
grasp and firmress of the man are re-
sponsible for three things that have
profoundly affected American history.
First, the sudden dispatching of tho
Russian Fleet to Hampton Roads.
when 1t became known in Washington
that Lord Palmerston had troops land
ed in Canada, and that the Navy of
England, If opportunity afforded would
be used in behalf of the Confederates
Second, that stubborn Americanism
which triumphed over Lord Lyons in
the Trent affair, and afterwards se-
cured the settlement Of the trouble
some Alabama claims. Third, the ac-
QUESTION of Alaska, which was really
written off by the Emperor of Rus.
sia as a graceful concession tn tbe
Monroe Doctrine, and in reciproca-
tion Of Stewards magnanimous Offer
to recoup the Car for the coal burned
by the Russian feet in the darkest
hours of its history. Seward was
probably the greatest and most feared
In Europe of all our great American
Secretaries of State.
But 1t is the Secretaryship of Will
liam l.. Marcy in the administration of
Flerce that has most Interest at the
present time and bears more directly
tnan any other upon those stirring
events through which we are now pass
Ing. The rather fiabby foreign policy
OF Taylor and of Fillmore who preced-
ed him, greatly angered the masses
OF the American people. They were
tired OF government that did police
duty for Spain in Cuba. They want
ed to utterly reverse that policy OF
scat, scuttle and surrender" which
under the Ashburton arrangement. and
the whole Oregon boundary upon the
saw part OF Maine absorbed in Canada
protection of which they had set their
hearts given away on the Northwest
IN the Oregon contention, and having
Valiantly contended for Fifty, four
forty or fight" they gave the Pierce
ticket an overwhelming majority.
Marcy who thus became Secretary Of
State determined at once on driving
Spain out of Cuba and England out Of
Honduras. The circumstances Of
Marcy's time were in some respects
very like the present. Then, too, the
Cubans were in arms for their liberty.
The Order of the Lone Star instituted
in 1858 to "liberate Cuba from the
despotism of Spain" was very like the
Cuban League now organized in the
United States for the same purpose.
Then. too, Spain was busy off-setting
outrages on American citizens by
Spanish claims of filibustering. It Is
the question Of the destruction of the
vessel called the BLACK Warrior"
then, that stirred the indignation OF
the people. 1t Is a striking remin-
isence that there was also division OF
opinion between the President and
Congress OF that period, with the trif-
ling difference that 1t was the Presi-
dent who was then anxious to make
war on Spain. and 1t was Congress that
then declined the responsibility. Just
as in President McKinley's case there
was also a proposal to place sum OF
$40 100000 at the disposal of the Presl-
dent as mark Of confidence; and a
resolution authorizing levy OF 60,-
900 volunteers to fight in Cuba. FL
nally there was an alignment OF the
principal European powers which SO
closely duplicated that Of the present
Grand Alliance, II we may so call 1t.
as to be little less than wonderful how
almost exactly on the lines Of Marcy's
day the Cuban question comes up once
more in great international diplo-
matte problem.
There was then as now an abiding
desire to stiffen the foreign policy OF
the country, and Marcy, who sent
naturalized Frenchman as Minister to
Madrid. gave instruction to sound
Spain on the delicate subject Of pur-
chasing Cuba. The Secretary of State
also took step then far in advance Of
to-day. 1t was 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 dislike to see Spain make use
of the assistance of other powers to
assert its supremacy over the island"
tSee Won Holsts' Constitutional His
tory, 1S54-61, p. 29). He also sent to
buchanan who was Minister to Eng
land, a protest about sending ships of