The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-08
JEFFERsON'S VIEW AS TO CUBA.

lpublic life. he had no occasion 10 act
with preference To the relation of Cuba
to the United States. Other complies
tions claimed his attention, among inc
foremost being the acquisition OF Louis
llama and the Northwest from France.
10 baI;ovnd that the United States
nuobt To annex no country which
would make it necessary TO keep n
powerful navy to defend it. If he were
alive to-day it is certain that, under thar
limitation, Jefferson would oppose the
annexation of Hawaii. 1t is not So
clear what position he would take as to
| Cuba In 1S23, when Monroe was
President Jefferson gave as his opinion
| that he had ever looked on Cuba as
the most interesting addition which couid
he made TO our system of states, but
could Honestly join" i'll policy that
we aim not at the acquisition" His
entire letter. which is of timely inter
est at this juncture. is as follows:
Monticello. Oct. 2, 1923.
Dear Sir: The question presented by
the letters you have sent me is the
most momentous which has been ever
offered to my contemplation since that
of Independence. That made us II ma
ton. this sets our compass and points
the course which we are TO steer thro'
the ocean Of time opening on us. and
never could we embark on it under cir
cumstances more auspic;ous Our first
and fundamental maxim should he
never to entanglc ourselves in the
broils of Europe; our second, never TO
suffer Europe to intermediate with Cis-
Atlantic affairs. America. North and
South, has a set of interests distinct
from those of Europe. and peculiarly
her own. She should therefore, have
Il system of her own, separate and apart
from that of Europe. While the last
is laboring to become the domicil Of des-
potism, our endeavor should surely be To
make our hemisphere that of freedom.
One nation, most of all, could distur,,
us IN this pursuit; she now offers n
lead, aid, and accompany us in it-hs
acceding to her proposition, we Getach
ner from the band of despNs, bring hei
mighty weight into tine sca.e of free
&c It rnment, and emancipdte a continent
at one stroke. which might otherwise
inger long in doubt and difficulty. Great
Britain is the nation which can do rs
the most harm of any one, or all. OH
EARTH and with her on our side we
need not fear the whole world-with
her then we should the most sedulously
cherish a cordial friendship. and nothing
would tend more to knit our affections
than TO be fighting once more, side by
side, in the same cause. Not that Il
would purchase even her amity at the
price of taking pat in her wars hut
the war in which the present proposition
might engage rs, should that be its con-
sequence, is not her war, but ours. its
object is to introduce and establish the
American system of keeping out of our
land all foreign powers, Of never per-
hitting those of Europe to intermediate
with the affairs of our nations. lit Is
to maintain our own principle, not to
depart from it, and if. TO facilitate this.
we can effect a division in the body OF
the European powers, and draw oyel
to our SIDE its most powerful member,
surely we should do it, but | am clear
ly Of Mr.. Canning's opinion that it will
prevent. instead of provoking war.
With Great Britain withdrawn from
tier scale and shifted into that of our
would not undertake such a war. fo1
how world they propose to get at either
enemy without superior fleets? Nor
is the occasion to be sighted which this
offers Of declaring our protest
against the atrocious violations Of TIL,
rights Of nations. by the interference OF |
any one in the international affairs o.
another 50 lagitiously begun by Bona
parte. and now continued by the equally |
Iawless alliance. calling itself Holy.
But We have first 10 ask ourselves |
Il question. do we wish to acquire to |
our own confederacy any one or more
IF the Spanish provinces? / candid, |
confess shat / have ever looked on |
Cuba a. the most Interesting addition !
which cowBd ever b. made to our sys |
term Of Sfates-the control of which, |
with Florida point. this island would |
give a. over the Gulf Of Mexico, and |
the countries. and the istl1mus border |
ing On IL. AZ we'll as those whose water
0f our political weII-being. Yet, as i |
arn sensible rslat this can never be oh. |
tanned, even with her own consent, but |
by war and Its independence, which is
0nr second interest land especially it, |
independence Df Englandj. can be ST.
@afesd without ii, have no hesitation |
I'D abandoning my first wish 10 futur, |
chances and accepting its independence |
With peace, and the friendship OF Eng |
lahGs rather than it, association at the
expense vt war and hcr cnmity.
e8g4s& honestly therefore join in the
declaration proposed mat we 2lm no.
az F1a< acquisition Of any Of those pos
sessions ffaat we will not stand in tn.
wag ~ any amicabIe arrangement be-
emee1a tR@g8 and the mother country
E14e eaa&f we viii oppose, with all our
fpeafss she f0rc.fls. interposition of any
other power. az auxiliary, stipendiary,
Or mld&r auF other form or pretext, and |
FslDrt. especially their transfer to any
power 8g conquest, cession, or acquisi
ton bn any other way. / should think
III therefore advisable that the Execu-
tive should encourage tire British gov
ernment 10 q continuance III the dis
positions expressed in these letters by |
an assurance Of his concurrence with |
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