The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-26

ter IN ha10- Ike cry 6Uv0SnDens, DwA'
may purchase the works within twenty years Every
pers0n present WAS convinced Of the Feasibility,
eeosomy, and mechanical certainty of the project
The elevation Of the reservoir viii enable the CON-
pany to send water 70 the attic of . house ON the
Heights Of Brooklyn ninety four feet above the level
Of tide water. The work would be complete IN less
than two Years, and cost less than two millions Of
dollars IL Is most important matter for al per
sons interested to osDsider Is consolidation and rr
CATION the great topics Of the day in the sister
cities Read the report
Want Of room eompels % to for 70 mentioning in
detail much Of the important matter contained IN
this number Of our paper ghncs at the headings
will enhghten the reader as to the purport Of the
various articles.
LsEu Jeaas R.asell's Despatch en- tho subject
Of C~ba-BrnsAsh intolerance
Everybody has read by this time the despatch
from Lord John Russell to Mr.. Champion,
which we published yesterday. The ability it
displays no less than the importance of it's
theme will have secured tor it az careful an
examination as is generally bestowed on diplo-
matte papers, and most of our readers are now
in a position to form q calm opinion on the
points TO which it adverta
1t is hardly necessary to observe that some
twelve months ago the governments Of Great
Britain and France perceived that Cuba was
likely to separate from Spain and become a
part of the United States. Wishing to guard
against this increase of our territory they en-
tered into an agreement not to seize the island
themselves and Invited us to make similar
declaration. To their proposal Mr.. Everett,
then Secretary Of State, replied in forcible
and elaborate despatch declining to accede to
the terms offered and insinuated with tolerable
plainness that the acquisition Of Cuba, on homo
rable terms. would by no means be regarded as
Q misfortune by the people of this country.
It il to this despatch that Lord John Russell's
letter to Mr.. Champion refers.
Lord John cannot understand why Mr.. Eve
rett entered into full and circumstantial state
ment Of the reasons on which his refusal to COM
ply with the demand of our allies was based 1t
wo Md have been more in accordance with the
practice of European diplomatists to tender
courteous denial, without entering into expla-
nations; and if Mr.. Everett had been Secretary
Of State in Austria, he probably would have
done SO. It SO happened, however, that he rep
resented the United States, and that our diplo-
matte intercourse with foreign nations was not
based on the same principles or guided by the
came rules as that of England, France or Russia.
One Of the most striking features of our system
is the absence Of all secrecy, intrigue and trick
cry in our intercourse with foreign powers. We
say it with regret, since Lord John Russell
deems it fit subject for censure; but we say it,
observation-disclosures are in the habit Of playing
the game Of diplomacy above board and exhib-
iting boldly our hand to our adversary. We
want Cuba We must have it. Cui bono, spend
breath and time in Disgusting the fact? What
purpose could Mr.. Everett have served by con-
cealing truths and affecting Indifference? Was
It not Tar more sensible, far more manly to state
broadly the fact that we look forward to the
possession Of Cuba az most desirable occur
renee, than to affect diplomatic reserve which
could deceive no one?
Frankness is such a stranger to European
diplomacy that Mr.. Everetts candor may well
have seemed criminal in the. eyes of the British
Foreign Secretary. A fair sample of the Euro
pean style Of diplomatic reasoning is afforded
by the following paragraphs of Lord John
Russell's letters. His lordship denies that we
have any greater interest in Cuba than Great
distance from the nearest point Of Florida. and
France and England allow Holland and other
foreign powers to hold forts and seaports much
nearer to their shores. Lord John will permit
us to observe that political arguments
cannot be measured by the mile. The king
dom CT England would constitute several
counties Of the State of New York. and
if at any future day we happened to annex it.
it might constitute three or four respectable
States. Should we be justified in regarding
the British Isles as we would regard Georgia
or Arkansas? Twenty-one miles from Dover
stands the fort of Calais. And at present the
proximity does not seem to infct injury on
either. But how many centuries have been
spent in fruitless wars between England and
France? How many generations of either people
have fallen sacrifice to this unfortunate
neghborhood? We have no intention we
can avoid it-of decorating our annals with q
Greasy. Poitiers an Agincourt or a Waterloo;
foreigners so close to our shores that subjects
of quarrel can hardly fail to arise.
Lord John regards Mr. Everett's fear that
pledge on the part of our government not to
interfere with the Spanish dominion in Cuba
would stimulate flibusterism as "a melancholy
avowal for the chief Of a great State" And we
entirely concur in bis views We regard it as
very melancholy that man should be wicked
We deplore our original sin. We bewail the
natural perversity of our race. We are not
given to indulge in open lamentations on the
subject, as it would DC An unjussifiable en-
croachment on the province Of the clergy. But
we are not blind to the fact. Man-especia)ly
the Anglo-Saxon rsce-is deplorably perverse,
ard given to interfere with his neighbors.
When he sees nation trampled under foot aud