The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-12
Release OF MIR. Thrasher.

The ASSISTANTS of the Administration will
have difficulty in reconciling the fact of the
release of JOHN, 5. THRAsuER with the posi-
lions assumed as the ground work of the at
tacks growing out of the LOPEZ expedition to
Cuba
Mr.. FILLMORE and his advisers have been
exposed TO assault from two quarters, differing
from each other in their proiessed views in re-
gard to the expedition itself, but agreeing in
the determination to employ it as a means of
manufacturing political capital. OF these
parties, the open, unreserved advocates Of fill
bustersm in general, and particularly as ap-
piled to Cuba, alone possessed the merit of con-
oietv.oJ- Thui' Arguments were fallacies. and
their recommendations a prolific source of mis-
chief; but there was no attempt to disguise the
purport of either, or TO shrink from their unl-
mited application. The other party, lacking
the manliness and honesty Of their rivals, pur-
sued more nsidious course-deprecating the
expedition, but sympathizng with the expedi
tlonlsts-repudiating alliance with filibuster-
Ism, and yet using the fate of the ilibusters as
an excuse for attack upon the Government that
of political warfare brought these sections into
alliance, and for three OF four months they have
been firing from the same battery, at the same
object, with the same material. The ilibuster
on principle. and the apologst of filibusters
from imaginary political necessity, have
fought side by side with a pertinacity worthy
Of a better cause. First, they conjured up
monstrous grievance from the preventive policy
OF the Government, and the action of the Pr
srDEST in procaiming the well-tried judgment
Of international law; then they heard cry for
vengeance from the graves Of CRIrTEsDEr and
his unfortunate companions and, ere that cry
was hushed, they discovered a long list of rea-
sons for something like declaration Of war
against Spain for presuming to administer her
own laws within her own dominions. The
man whose sources of information were lin
tied TO these interruptions organs must Of
necessity have concluded that the United
States Government had shanefuly abandoned
American citizens-that Spain had been guilty
of an objectionable outrage upon American
honor--and that nothing short Of speedy Ietri-
button could satisfy the demands Of an indig
nant nation. Our Government was sleeping,
it was alleged, while American citizens were
being subjected To torture worse than death
IN Spain; and hints were now and then thrown
out that information was designedly withheld
which, if produced. would place beyond doub,
the truth Of all these charges.
When intelligence Of the pardon of the OK
al, al. L.
siduously employed their pens in an effort to
damage the Administration. suddenly found
themselves deprived Of invaluable material.
The tables were turned upon them uneHpect-
eddy. The question on which they had la
bored TO excite public feeling, as against the
Government, suddenly became decisive eyi-
dence Of the injustice Of their complaints, the
worthlessness Of their predictions, and, more
than all, the wisdom and success Of the line Of
conduct adopted by the Administration.
Still Mr.. TnRasHyR remained in prison, and
he at once became the object Of unlimited sym
patty. until then diffused over some scores of
men similarly situated. His case was singled out
as one Of peculiar atroclty on the part of Spain,
aud peculiarly indicative Of impotence on the
part ofthe Cabinet Of the United States. Jour
nails which had maintained prudent reserve
while the merits Of the LorEz affair were under
debate, joined in the chorus when Mr.. THRASH
ER only was concerned, and Wed with older
grumbers in piing epithets upon the Govern
ment. Collateral questions Of domici and
citizenship were dragged into the discussion,
rendering more complex its bearings, and APP
pealing to feelings and prejudices not available
IN the other cases. II was urged in reply
that the only point really at stake was
whether Mr.. THRAsHrR had had fair trial
according to the laws of Cuba; that we