The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-30 00:00:00

SPALY AND THE UI%'I7ED STAI ES.

(Frc,rn !le Ang7o. A7ncri:an Times.)

Had the position in which the Times represents
Gen. SICKLES to have placed himself been accurately
described, itwould have raised a storm of indignation
in the United States. If that journal had been right
the American Minister at Madrid, presuming on the
weakness of Spain, addressed a letter to its Admini-
stration so dictatorial in spirit, as to be described
by the Times correspondent as a regular dressing,
and by the Ambassador himself as plain-speaking
from a soldier to soldiers. Now a good dressing
might not be a bad thing to administer to the
Spanish Government, and there are thousands of
General SICKLES'S countryme❑ prepared to sustaii
him in such a course, believing that in thus acting he
only would do his duty. But the Times goes on to an-
nounce that, alarmed at the flame he had kindled
in Spain, he telegraphed for further instructions
from Washington, pending which he had expressed
his desire to withdraw his note altogether. In that
case the thousands of his countrymen who would
have upheld him in his arrogance would be annoyed
beyond measure at such a course; and instead of sup-
port, certainly on Lis head would fall their severest
denunciations. The dictatorial tone of his despatch
will give all the greater offence to another large
portion of his countrymen that it is addressed to a
weak power, while every American could not but
feel humiliated should it appear that a Minister
of their's, after having addressed a bullying note
to any Government, had withdrawn the objec-
tionable communication, when the reply was a
haughty national defiance. While this is the con-
struction to be put upon what the Times says,
we have reason to think the circumstances not
only little known in Printing-home Square, but
completely misunderstood as regards America. It
is evident that General SICKLES did write such
a note, and that he was authorized to make a pro-
position by his Government. It is also evident
that that proposition did not propose a money pay-
ment to Spain to retire front Cuba, but that it
urged better treatment for the Cubans, and hinted
distinctly at the recognitiOn of the insurgents as bel-
ligerents by the United States if the war continued.
The meaning of this recognition appears to be
wholly misunderstood in Spain, or perverted by the
Government to serve their ends, for all the papers
fiercely took the matter up, as an announcement by
the Republic that it was about to declare the inde-
pendence of Cuba, and to despatch privateers from
the ports of the United States to carry comfort and
aid to the insurgents, and destruction to the com-
merce of Spain. Some went so far as to state the
number and class of vessels ready in New York to
sail as privateers, and naturally the deepest indig-
nation was created throughout the country, and a
resolution taken to defend the colony with the
whole force of Spain, and to lose it fighting honour-

ably to the last, leaving only a smoking heap of
ruins behind. That the question did come up of
the retirement of Spain, on receiving a payment in
compensation for the Government buildings and
such other property surrendered, is evident from the
message of General SICKLES to his Government, but
his note seems to have so roused Spanish pride that
he was obliged to inform the PRESIDENT that on no
such basis, or, indeed, upon any other, would Spain
deign to treat with America, adding this paragraph,
" that the Spanish Cabinet declined to consider any
proposition from America at present." The Secre-
tary of State, Mr. FISH, disgusted at the bungle made
by General SICKLES, if we are to believe the New
York World, insists on his recall, and the herald's
Washington correspondent believes the Administra-
tion will repudiate the action he has taken. In
estimating the value of this it should be known in
Englandthat the World hates General SICKLES, mis-
representing everything connected with him. That
the General exceeded his authority is believed ; and
that his manner of doing so was a mistake may be
judged from the result, while it is incomprehensible
how he could have asserted that Austria and France
will support Spain. What the measure of support
is Austria could give to anything outside her own
border we cannot imagine, and a man must little
know thie Emperor of the FREcCII who_gugnagea
States to uphold the colonial misrule of Spain in
Cuba. Whatever may be result of the quarrel
if the United States accept the gauntlet thrown
down by Spain, singte-handed -Spain will have to
boar the shock. The Washington Administration
may or may not be annoyed at the po,ition in which
its Minister at Aladrid had placed it; but what the
action of the nation will be if Spain maintains her
present defiant toneis not difficult to predict. The as-
sembly of a large Spanish army in Cuba, the con-
tinuation of a war, remarkable for atrocity even
among those of Spain, and the cry that will arise
from the suffering Cubans will surely touch with
fire a train as combustible and as explosive as any in
Spain; and the Spaniards in Cuba may, before they
have time to take back the gauntlet so foolishly cast
down, find themselves confronted by an American
army, and llavannah blockaded by an American
fleet. That the PRESIDENT and his Cabinet will
earnestly endeavour to avoid being driven to this
extremity may be taken for granted ; for the last
thing to which a really good man will resort to is
war, who knows war as does GRANT, nor can any
human being tell when once begun where it will
end, or whom the vortex may involve. But Ame-
rican pride will be greatly wounded if the course
ascribed to Gen. SICKLES has been really taken, and
while making every allowance for Spanish indigna-
tion no country will lightly endure thus being bearded,
in a cause, too, which is more than any other calcu-
lated to enlist the national sympathy. That the
Washington Administration has foreseen and pro-
vided for some such contingency is shown by the
activity which for many weeks past has prevailed
in the navy-yarrds. We learn by the latest mail
accounts that every ship qualified had been got
ready to be commissioned, that all officers are or-
dered to hold themselves prepared for active ser-
vice. The recent tour of Secretary ROBESON and
Admiral PORTER around these yards was to hurry
the work, and the United States are prepared with
a fleet that would soon sweep everything Spanish
out of the Antilles. Why these sudden prepara-
tions so opposed to the financial policy of the coun-
try, if not to meet the very case which has arisen ?
and when the Times reasons on the fallacy of going
to war to accomplish an end the Republic is sure
to attain by time—because.financially it would be
a mistake, and because so big a dog can afford
to disregard the barkings of a cur—it is but car-
rying its readers to an erroneous conclusion. It is
evident that Americans generally sympathise very
strongly with the Cubans ; that they condemn the
Spanish misrule in Cuba which has led to the re-
bellion, and the harsh and cruel means by which the
Spaniards endeavour to extinguish it ; that they are
in no mood to have their mediation responded to by
a defiance, and to see a large army and fleet hurried
out to crush the revolt without mercy, as an answer
to their pleadings on behalf of the insurgents. Let
the readers of the Times picture to themselves what
the effect is likely to be of the Cuban cry To you
we appealed in our distress, and you have so far in-
terfered as to bring upon us the whole force of our
relentless enemy." The fact may be relied on, that
unless Spain is prepared immediately to make very
considerable concessions, which we by no means
assert that she is not, appearances notwithstanding,
the flame kindled at Madrid, may run like wildfire
across the American Continent, coming back in
thunder from the Antilles, to extend perhaps even
to the Mediterranean, and resound along the shores
of Spain.

The telegrams received since the above was in
type, instead of disturbing, strengthen our conclu-
sions. Indeed, the second edition cf the 7 ini&:
confirms our opinions :—" The American Govern-
ment has not repudiated the acts of Gen. SICKLES.
He obeyed his instructions. The Goverment sus-
tains him in the course he has pursued. There is
nothing new about Cuba. There is no change in
American policy, but caution is urged in dealing with
the subject." The rumour i❑ America was that Gen.
SICKLES had been instructed to demand from Spain
a reply to the note about Cuba ; while the Herald,
Times, and Tribune assert positively that the• A-
dministration approved his course. It should be
remembered that the approval- is with the Gene-
ral's Message before the Cabinet telling how
that note had kindled Spanish resentment

against America, rousing the Peninsula as one man,
the Madrid Administration declining even to con-
sider a proposition from America at praent.
The error of the 7 Imes consists in arguing
the question as the subject strikes a bystander ;
just as, when two men get into a quarrel, it
may appear foolish first to get into the quarrel,
next to try and settle it by fists and sticks. But
the bystander's reasoning has little effect in pre-
venting quarrels, and if he argues from the
light in his own mind that they will not fight
he will be as often wrong as right. it is
evident that the Republic has been preparing
for the emergency, and it shows little knowledge
of Americans to suppose that a Washington
Cabinet is going to back out of a position de-
liberately taken, it being now clear that the Sickles'
note was inspired from Washington. The rapid ad-
vance in the price of gold proves the uneasiness of
commerce in New York in view of the situation of
affairs, and we adhere to our opinion all along ex-
pressed, that if peace is to be maintained, it is
Spain, not the United States, that has to give way,
though America may be willing to erect a golden
bridge for the retreat of Castilian pride.

THE SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS.
BRISTOL, WEDNBAbiIt.

With ilieiigOur which characterises their sex, the ladies
were the first in the field to-day, having met at eleven
o'clock, for the purpose, presumably, of arranging the
details of the Conference to which Sir Stafford Northcote
so happily alludes in the subjoined address. The nature of
the proceedings at this early meeting can only be guessed
at, for the ladies intend to keep their discussions to them-
selves. From their daily afternoon sittings the mem-
bers of the press even are to be excluded—a fact
for which, considering that much talking means heavy
notes, they are not altogether unthankful. Tho direotion
of the Conference is in the hands of Miss Carpenter.
Many of the members of the association attended the
services in the Cathedral this afternoon, when the Bishop
of Gloucester and Bristol preached. The President deli-
vered the following inauEiiar address at eight o'clock in
the Victoria Rooms :