THE MONROE DOCTRINE 373 



jurisdiction eminently important for our protection, if not, in 

 the future, essential for the preservation of the rights of com- 

 merce and the peace of the world." This pointed clearly to 

 Cuba. The Southern Democrats were greatly encouraged, 

 and a persistent clamor arose for the acquisition of the island. 

 With that purpose in view, the American ministers to 

 England, France, and Spain were chosen. Pierre Soule of 

 Louisiana was sent to Madrid. He was a radical Cuban 

 annexationist, and had attacked President Fillmore most 

 bitterly the previous year in Congress, for his lack of sympa- 

 thy with the Lopez filibusters. Mr. Soule was determined 

 to acquire the island, and entered upon his mission to Spain 

 with that single purpose before him. President Pierce's Sec- 

 retary of State, William Marcy, was the conservative element 

 of the administration ; he frequently instructed Mr. Soule to 

 bring about a readjustment of the commercial relations be- 

 tween Spain and the United States ; and although he spoke 

 of purchasing Cuba, he did not believe Spain would be " at all 

 inclined to enter upon such a negotiation." "Nothing will 

 be done, on our part, to disturb its [Cuba's] present connec- 

 tion with Spain, unless the character of that connection should 

 be so changed as to affect our present or prospective security. 

 While the United States would resist, at every hazard, the 

 transference of Cuba to any European nation, they would 

 exceedingly regret to see Spain resorting to any power for 

 assistance to uphold her rule over it. Such a dependence on 

 foreign aid would, in effect, invest the auxiliary with the 

 character of a protector, and give it a pretext to interfere in 

 our affairs, and also generally in those of the North Ameri- 

 can continent." 



These mild instructions were not pleasing to Mr. Soule, 

 nor were they in accord with the sentiments of the political 

 party in power. Having arrived in Madrid, Mr. Soule soon 

 reported that Spain was in a hopeless state of anarchy, and 

 that there was abundant evidence tending to show that the 

 aid of Great Britain and France was to be again invoked to 

 forestall any attempts to bring about Cuban independence 

 or annexation to the United States. Mr. Marcy thereupon 



