PEELIMINAEY ESSAY. 



85 



while the glorious achievements of our common 

 arms in Mexico, show only the most fraternal rivalry 

 to enhance the common glory. The confederacy is, 

 in fact, one mighty whole, and whoever will contem- 

 plate it apart from the mists of local politics, will 

 not fail to be impressed with this truth. 



The question of the accession of Cuba to the con- 

 federacy is not a local question, but stands upon this 

 broad national ground. It is pertinent not only to 

 the South, but to the East, North, and West. Is it 

 a question of national defence ? Cuba guards all the 

 approaches south of Charleston to our eastern na- 

 tional frontier. Is it a question of the safety of our 

 domestic intercourse ? Cuba guarantees the safety of 

 the routes of commerce between the Ocean and the 

 Gulf of Mexico, and between the Atlantic and Pa- 

 cific States. The commercial and industrial relations 

 of Cuba to the United States, are also as national as 

 is her geographical position. The lumbermen, the 

 fisheries, and the shipping of New England, have a 

 deep present interest in her welfare, while the wants 

 of her people offer a great natural outlet to the man- 

 ufacturing industry of the same States, which is now 

 closed to them by artificial barriers. 



The miners, machinists, farmers, merchants, and 

 manufacturers of the Middle States, carry on, even 

 now, vast exchanges with her productive industry. 



