The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-13
From the London Time. of October %.

for opportunity to crafty the double passion Of
responsiveness and revenge, and that the very frat
opportunity would be eagerly seized to impicate
If possible the American Government in these cul.
pable desgns. Upon the return of the American
prisoners, who had received free pardon which
they had not deserved from the clemency of the
sovereign whose dominions they had wantonly
invaded, these adventures were received with en-
thusiasm in the cities Of the South, martyrs for
the cause of Cuban independence, and their pre-
sence and harangues served to stimulate the pas
sions in which their lAwless enterprise had orig
| mated. secret society formed, under the
title of the clone Star" which was the ensign of
Lops and this association s reported to have its
| ramifications in all parts Of the Union.
We can scarcely credit the statements which
have been transmitted to US Of the power and ex.
tent OF this combinations; but it ia extremely dis
credtablc to the American people that such body
should have been formed at all for the deliberate
purpose Of plundering foreign State; and there
| 10 no act OF aggression which such example
would not justify. Under these circumstances, Il
certain that a repetition Of the attempt on Cuba
would be made, and in the meantime all means
were employed to SOW disaffection in the island
and to engage the United States, nation, in the
undertaking. In fact, conspiracy to promote
these objects has recently been discovered in Ha,
vana. ...f. ...r.s'E .as
The Spanish government has, of course, been
reused by this palpabe danger 10 prepare, az best
it cam for the defence of its possessions; and the
present Governor Of Cuba has thought proper TO
| resort to the strongest repressivc means which
could be employed. Numerous arrests have take
place, the connexions and relatives of Lopez and
his gang have been closely watched, and the
| ternal Communications of the island with foreisn
| porte have been more than once closed by the pc.
lice and authorities of Spain. In the discharge of
this duty, as the Cover nor Of Cuba doubt con-
ceived il to be- it ia asserted by the American agi
tators that the flag Of the United States has
| not been respected. search made on board
the Cornelia, an American merchant weasel. which
led to the seizure of some correspondence impli-
| eating persons Of rank in the island; and al.
| forwards the passage steamer Crescent City
L nHa Thar and moi tn ard
either goods passengers, because she had on
| board as purser Mr.. Smith, who had taken some
| part in these reasonable schemes. This occur
renee has kindled afresh the madness of the Anne
rican people, or rather II has been laid hold of by
| the interruptions cOnspiTators who had already
staked their lives this enterprise and the consc.
| quence is an amount Of excitement which may
| drive the present Government into hostile inca
sures, will at any rate concur with the Presden
tial election to pledge the new administration to
| further acts Of violence At such a moment espe-
| cially candidate protesting moderation this
subject will have little chance Of obtaining the sui
| frages Of the American people.
| The Governor of Cuba may have acted with vic
lence, and il is indiscreet on his part to run the
risk OF converting this affair into national quar-
rel; but, as far as we are acquainted with the par,
ticulars, there is nothing in the principle on which
| he acted which can be attacked Oh legal grounds.
1t 10 the unquestionable right Of every sovereign
power to prohibit access to its territory aliens;
or, rather all 10 the territories Of foreign
State is the result Of permission granted by that
|
drawn. 1t is proper, however. that notice of this
prohibition should be duly given by the refusal of
| passports some such means. We cannot wonder
that the Spanish Governor of Cuba, who receives
| public information by every mail from the United
| States Of meetings and associations formed for the
| express purpose Of wrestling the island entrusted
to his care from the crown Of Spain, should look
with great vigilance and suspicion on all the per
| sons who arrive from that quarter, and should
endeayor to intercept REASONABLE correspondence
| if he
| Suppose that, at a moment when an instruction
was impending in Ireland, American vessels should
arrive in the ports Of that country strongly sus.
| pected Of design to open COMMUNICATIONS with
\ the disaffccted. and having on board men who had
he doubted that the Lord Lieutenant Of Ireland
would be justifed in sending back such vessels to
the place they came from, for his first duty is to pre-
serve the tranquility Of the Queens dominions.
But, ifsuch act were resorted to, it could never
be admitted that the offending party 10 entitled 10
take advantage of it's own wrong, and to resent as
national insult what is no more than legitimate
measure Of defence. We find nothing in the ex-
listing treaties between Spain and the United States
limit this right BY the 7th article of the treaty
Of 1885 it was stipulated that :sthc subjects and
vessels Of the two States should be subject to no
embargo or detention on the part of each other,
| either for any military expedition or any other
private public notve;" but this clause does not
extend to a refusal Ct access to suspected vessel
In the of the Cornelia, it that the ship
boa rded by the Cuban authorities in their own
waters. just after she had weighed anchor tor New
York. Two persons were taken out Of her-thc one
| a Creole, named Guzman, who was conveying
letters from the island to New York, and the other
| runaway engineer. These persons were de-
| tanned, and the vessel proceeded on her voyage.
This step may haye been harsh and ismprudent,
| eign merchant flag does not shelter vessel from
search for persons suspected OF violation Of the
laws, az long as she 10 in the waters of another
country The vessel 10 subject to all the rcgula-
tons OF police as long as che remains there. Sup
| pose, for instance, runaway slave were to take
refuge board British ship in the port of New
Orleans, it would be outrage to the British flag
if the American authorities searched the chip and
detained the fugitive. The question. however.
will not be disposed Of by The rdIes of International
law. The passions of THE people and the political
interests Of the two States are touched; and even
! these incidents may bring on collision. which the
present temper Of the United States will suffer
to be permanently sverted. q
Powerful as T. American people unquestionably
are in the o, "f al that belongs to themselves,
means tq rHn riot in the world and crafty its own
lusts and caprices at the expense of others. This
| rash and dangerous course will. if adopted, bring
them into collision with other States besides Spain
| and they would enter into such contest degraded
| in the eyes Of the world by the popular violence
and injustice which have dictated these aggres-
sions. The conquest Of Cuba will not easily be ef-
| fccted by mere band Of freebooters, if indeed
another Lopez expedition were allowed to quit the
shores Of the United States. But we fear that the
American Government will be gradually led on to
Of honesty condemns. Let them not suppose, how.
| ever that such measures are to be taken with i'm.
| punity because Spain lie no longer the power she
once was. Spain has still the means OF destroying
| the trade OF America with the Mediterranean, and
OF inhcting tremendous losses upon il by means of
! letters ofmarquc all over the world. Except Cuba
and Porto Rico, she has now western colonies
and no important trade for America to assail
Moreover. upon question Of this magnitude and
importance to all the maritime Statcs, Spain does
not stand alone. .' 4 Of
We do not pretend 10 be acquainted with the
We've of cur own Cover nlnent upon this subject
though il il evident that the acquisition of the Ha
vana by the naval power Of the United States
would he change which no British Minister could
view with indifference. But the course which
France may pursue 10 still moro obvious. Louis
Napoleon has every inducement to defend The in.
tercsts OF Spain. and to strengthen the relations
| between his own government and that of Madrid.
Nothing would better suit him than an opportunity
Of displaying and augmenting the naval power OF
France by esPousing the cause Of Spain against
| such an antagonist; for such expedition would
fatter the country, and occupy the public mind
| with no risk TO any French interest. However
this may be, the firm aud collective resolution Of
the maritime powers of Europe to oppose the ag-
gressive policy of the United States, when it e1.