Ostend Manifesto

In 1852 France and Great Britain, fearful of the filibustering expeditions against Cuba and the po ible future favor of the United States toward such expeditions, suggested a tripartite convention in which each should disclaim all intention to obtain po e ion of Cuba and shonld discountenance such intention by another power. October 9, 1854, the American Ministers to Great Britain, France and Spain, James Buchanan, John Y. Mason and Pierre Soulé, met at Ostend and drew up the ‘Ostend Manifesto.’? This declared that a sale of Cuba to the United States would be advantageous to both governments; but that if Spain refused to sell, it was incumbent upon the Union to ‘‘ wrest it from her,’’ rather than see it African i zed like San Domingo.