er Spain should be ready to sell Cuba, with the consent of
its inhabitants, the United States should accept the chance. With spirit
he exclaimed that if Spain should transfer Cuba to England, or any other
European power America should take Cuba by force. "It is folly," he
said, "to debate the acquisition of the island. It naturally belongs to
the American continent. It guards the mouth of the Mississippi River,
which is the heart of the American continent and the body of the
American nation." This led Douglas to speak, and with bitterness, of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which had given England joint control of any
canal across the Isthmus of Panama. "I was disgusted with this treaty
as I was disgusted with the settlement of the Oregon boundary. Just look
at it! Here the Monroe Doctrine has been an avowed policy for thirty
years, declaring that no European colonization will be permitted in
America. And what happens? Whenever there has been no opportunity to
enforce the doctrine, because there has been nothing at issue, we have
cock-a-doodle-dooed; and whenever a chance has arisen to enforce it we
have beaten a retreat, frightened to death by the awful consequences if
we do enforce it. Frightened by our own spokesmen, Senators and others.
Frightened by England in the main; for truly we have no other power to
fear. So when the Clayton-Bulwer treaty came up I fought it as I fought
Polk on the Oregon boundary of '49. I said then, and I say now, that the
time may come when we shall want to possess some portion of Central
America. It has come to the pass that I can't stand for America as to
new territory without having the Abolitionists charge me with favoritism
to the South. But it's a lie and history will vindicate me. But if I
want Cuba or Central America for slavery I want them also for America.
And what does England want them for? For freedom, I suppose, for the
good of America! The agreement not to fortify the canal was not
reciprocal, because England holds Jamaica, which guards the entrance to
the canal. What rights did England have to the Mosquito Coast? Well, her
title is at least doubtful.

"But what I hate about the canal treaty is the recognition of the right
of European powers to intervene in American affairs. We contracted with
England to protect any canal or railroad across the Isthmus; and not
only that, we invited other European powers to join with us in that
protection. And that lets in all the kings of Europe,