Ostend Manifesto drafted

Background. When Franklin Pierce took office in 1853, he was committed to Cuba's annexation. To this end, he appointed expansionists to diplomatic posts throughout Europe, notably sending Pierre Soulé, an outspoken proponent of Cuban annexation, as United States Minister to Spain. James Buchanan served as Minister to Britain under Pierce from 1853 to 1856. Buchanan's exact motivations regarding the manifesto remain unclear despite his expansionist tendencies, though it has been suggested he was seduced by visions of the presidency.

Drafting Process. After a minor disagreement about their meeting site, the three American diplomats met in Ostend, Belgium, from October 9–11, 1854, then adjourned to Aachen, Prussia, for a week to prepare a report of the proceedings. The document was sent to Washington in October 1854. Against Buchanan's recommendation, the final draft suggested that "wresting it from Spain", if Spain refused to sell, would be justified "by every law, human and Divine".

Reception and Impact. The Ostend Manifesto was immediately denounced in Northern states and Europe. Pierce feared political repercussions and did not acknowledge the rumors in his State of the Union address. The incident contributed to the rise of the Republican Party, which criticized the manifesto in its 1856 platform as following a "highwayman's" philosophy.