The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-09
Cuba and England.

Cuba and England.
We laid before our readers yesterday an ar
tole from the London Times on the CUBAN
question, that they might be acquainted with
the views of this subject entertained by por
tion of the English press. AS well as we can
understand the article, it expresses an appre
hension on the part of our English friends that
the Government of the United States is too
feeble to restrain armed expeditions Of its citi-
zens against neighboring countries, and that
European nations will be justified in assisting
such countries by an armed Intervention to de
fend their soil against these aggressions.
We apprehend that the Times is ndulging
an hl-founded solicitude. The AMERICAN Go
vernment is abundantly able to execute It's
laws, and to punish their infraction The 90
vernment of SPAIN can protect its own posses
slons without foreign aid; and we presume will
hardly entertain the project of placing the pro-
vince of CUBA under the guardianship of
GREAT Britain. When Lord HARcouRr, in
1894, offered TO IRELAND the services of four
thousand foreign troops, in room Of a greater
number that had been draughted to AMERICA,
the Parliament of IRELAND declared that they
would "accept of no foreign help, as they felt
competent to defend themselves, or If not that
they tcere not 1corth defending :" and this too
at time when the fleets of FRANCE and SPAN
were In possession of the channel If the
SPANISH government cannot maintain itself in
CUBA without foreign assistance, we apprehehd
hat C,uu lie dafo ~ =
nothing more certain than that the interference
Of any European nation in this matter will lead
TO inevitable collisions which may disturb the
peace of the world.
We sustain in all cases the laws of the Uni
ted States, the expression of the will of the
American people. We desire to see them en-
forced at all hazards and to the last extremity
whether on Northern aboitionists or Southern
Fhbusters-in their spirit, to the letter-with
all the power of the country. There can be no
such thing as government where there is an
absence OF the power to enforce the law. We
consider, therefore, that all combinations TO re-
slst the law, on whatever pretence, should be
met at once with the whole force of the
Government, and that the issue should be
made, in every case which admits of it, whether
we are living under laws or in a state of an
archy. In this we feel that we are sustained
by the good sense and the patriotic attachments
of large majority of the American people
Therefore il is that we would, under all cir
cumstances, m7intain to the letter the neutrali-
ty law Of 1918. 1t is essential to our position
& a. IL A
maintain it in good faith. Our Government
will protect CUBA TO the extent of its power
from all invasion from this country. But
a very different question is presented when
European nations propose to intervene, and
to protect CUBA from the consequences OF
alleged Legitimate interference. If the SIAN
IsB government cannot maintain itself in
CUBA without foreign Intervention, it would
seem that the time had come when it ought to
Ieilnqulsh It's dominion; for this kind of inter
vention can be prosecuted only under circum.
stances that viii materially affect the rights, in
terests, and relations of third parties. The time
has gone by weapprehend for the interference of
GREAT BRITAIN, or any other European power,
IN the affairs of this continent, beyond the lin
It's of Its own colonial dependencies, in the ex
Pectation OF accomplishing any practically use
ful result. We are well persuaded that Euro
pean nations for the future will be much better
occupied in attending to the affairs of their own
continent than in intermedding with ours
In throwing out these views we are speaking
the universal sentiment Of the American peo-
pie; and we warn the Times and all whom il
represents, that the first show Of British inter
vention in CUBAN affairs will be the signal for
movement that neither CUBA, nor GREAT
Britain, nor all the European powers combined
can resist; for on this point the mind Of the
American people is made up, and their will
In this respect will give the law to American
policy and conduct There is no disposition on
the part of the large majority Of the American
people for the conquest Of CUBA, or her forci
bic annexation TO the UNITED STArEs-and
the only security for CUBA is in the protection
of the Government Of the United States. and
the absence Of all foreign interference.