Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-27

the bloody course pursued by the Spanish Govern
ment has done more to prejudice the people United States
against Spanish rule and in favor of The Creoes than any
other measure Il could have adopted AS stroke Of
political policy, was the fatal error that could have
ben committed 80 far from aordng any additional secu-
ty TO the island, II has made il hundred fold more inse-
If does not cause the loss Of it forever The inhu-
act has been received with feelings Of horror and ndg
nation throughout the United States and has raised up thou
sands Of friends for Cuban independence where there was one
before. II an act that for all time come will
bloody stain upon the character Of the Spanish Government
and receive the seal Of reprobaon of all civilized people
throughout the world. =, Y
"And should Gen. Concha shoot in three hum
dred four hundred Americans in the same summary
a. those slain at the Castle Of Ataes will awaken
and extend fame Of indignation from end Of the United
States TO the other which human author check and
which will satisfied until every footprint Of Spa
nsh desposm is forever swept away and eaced from the
island
"For him Lopez] to have successfully accomplished the
revelation of The island be and bis friends unwse
have landed with less than ten thousand men, we'll supplied
with artillery and cavalry equipments, provisions. end other
stores Should such farce once land the island, cith
experienced military american in Command the con-
fict pouM neither be long nor doubtful"
Now; we do not ambition to be the apologist
either of "Spanish despotism" or of Gen. Con-
cha's {" brutality The expediency Of the policy
pursued by the Captain General depends upon such
a variety of elements, combined with his own con-
ception Of the exigency in which he was suddenly
called upon to act that it becomes no easy matter
for remote observer of events to decide what was
his duty in toro conscienfiG, and as faithful SUBJ
ject Of his sovereign. But that he is amenable be-
fore the august tribunal of history and posterty,
the charge of having violated the laws of nations,
in the summary execution of those whom he cap
tured while apparently seeking to overthrow the
constituted and legitimate authorities Of the island,
ha had n ret tn w
not prepared either to deny to affirm, and there
fore leave Mr.. Philip Van Vechten to argue this
question with Mr.. Jones. y - - gl
But the entire augmentation of these self-styled
/" Liberators and largest-libery,men rests
upon prof0n pseud0s, and indeed is so subver-
sive Of tie very buttresses and munimens of a ra-
tiona liberty, that it needs to be confuted and de-
nounced by every lover of a freedom founded on
and controlled BY law 1t is both natural and right
that we should sympathize with the oppressed Of
every land and of every cline Who, for instance,
that has read the revelations of Mr.. Gladstone re-
speeding the organized despoism and judicial ini-
guilty Of certain Italian Governments and not felt the
indignant "bood mounting to the very roots Of his
hair I" tits natural and right that, with Milton,
should exult at the prospect Of noble and puis-
SAINT nation rousng herself like strong man after
sleep, and shaking her invincbe locks, as an eagle
mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undaz-
zled eyes at the full midday beam. But long may
we be delivered from predatory patriotism and
propagandist liberty! Let no bar sinister be in
scrbed on our national escutcheon, bearing instead
of the eagle a /" m0using OWL s3 #
1t behoOves us ever to bear in mind that no form
Of government is abstracty best, and that he who
would insist upon the universal prevalence of sin
gle system deserves to be ranked with those fool"
dashed in well-known line of Pope, who contest
for the mere "forms' Of government, and by so
doing ignore the existence of thousand concrete
facts which nulify the abstract excellence of fa-
vorite polity. Scion, that greatest oof Athenian
legislators, whose name did not lose all its author
ity even when vena orators I" welded at will that
fierce democratic" of Athens, gave intimation Of
great political sagacity when he confessed that his
code of laws was not the best possible, but main
tained that il was the best his countrymen could
bear. And, in fact this political doctrine has
ceived The sanction OF divine INSPIRATION; Tor we are
expressly instructed by the Teacher of Galee that
certain regulations Of the Mosaic Legislation under
the Hebrew theocracy were introduced, not be-
cause of their universal application or necessary OBJ
legation, but because of /" hardness of heart" in
those upon whom these laws were destined to ope-
rate, and which incapacitated them for the due
enjoyment of more humanizing institutions. sl
I For ourselves, we are almost disposed to ayow
a sort of political optimism, which our readers may
suspect US Of having learned from Candde's tutor.
Now, though unwilling to- be considered disciple
of the Baron Thundertentronk, yet, despite Of all
the ridicule which may be pointed against us from
the celebrated fiction of Voltare to which we al
lude we candidiy confess, without intending pun,
that, in our opinion, every nation has on the whole
just about the government that is best adapted to
1t; for so long as people acquiesce in the govern
ment under which they live, it is thereby evinced
that that government is adapted to secure their hap
piness, and therefore, under existing circuristan-
ces, the best so far as they are concerned And II
free institutions be deemed the ultimate Develop
ment of good government and we believe them 10
be best when ushered in under circumstances adapt
ed to their due exercise and proper enjoyment,
not therefore proved that would be best for every
nation Immediately TO attaina consummation which
is only then "devoutly to be wished when il can
be appreciated. II is not we believe, until in the
natural progress Of events clearer and wiser con-
ception of their rights has created desire for bet
ter government 1--WE mean in this connection freer
one,) and until this desire has strengthened into
general and magnanimous resolve 10 attain and to
maintain such government that il is safe to trust
people with liberal institutions liberty, like any
other pearl of great price, is not to be cast under
the feet of swine, for they will turn again and rend
you. Like all other good. the gods have given
liberty only at the price of the toll and patience of
her votaries il is "a boon not to be avished, and
least of all to be forced upon nation--it must be
won. Finally, let us bear in mind that freedom in
its urasm may be as tyrannical in its edc@ as the
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