Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-17
Mr.. ssul.,s Demand upon Spain.


Whether this gentleman was acting under instr NC
tious or not in the demands said to have been made
upon Spain, we are not officially informed If he
not he deserves to be dismissed at once from
position for which he had the least qualification
and in which, unfortunately he has been but too
cessful in bringing reproach and ridiculc upon the
American Government. IT, however, he had authori-
ty for his conduct, inclined to believe he
had, then the Administration merits, not the thanks
Of the country, but its rebuke
We at loss to conceive how any Administra-
tion lar forget what is due to the dignity and
character Of great aud chivalrous people, to as
sumo the attitude Of Lully towards weaker power
under any circumstances for any purpose whatever
That our Minister at the Court Of Madrid has acted
in n manner unbecomng the representative Of tie
American Government and in direct conflict with the
wishes and sentiments of our people, is not to bede
MED il the substance Of his demands and the over
bearing tone nc adopted in presenting them have not
been entirely misreprescnted. The people Of this
country earnestly desire the acquisition Of Cuba, but
they not disposed to sanction anything like outrage
violence in order to obtain it. They not wills
ling in the heat Of their anxiety for the coveted prize
to employ any pretex whatever to get hold Of it. II
they are unable TO cnme by it fairly and honestly.
they would prefer its remaining under the dominion
of Span until, at least, some extreme and acknowl-
edged national necessity should impose upon us the
duty OF Selling it by force in sefdefenco. In the alb
sence of such necessity, however, there can be no
justification in adopting any for
the accomplishment of our wishes not sanctioned by
the strictest integrity and honor. To deliberately
hunt up pretexts for quarrel with Spain, and pro-
coed to act upon them in an arbitrary and unusual
manner, to make demands of an extravagant and un.
common character and, in doing so, to employ the
tone and language of bully and braggart, is over
stepping all just and reasonable limits, and pros!itu-
ting national char acter in the face Of the whole
world.
That the reported demand of an indemnify OF
$780, 900 for the injuries inflicted upon our citizens
i, the case Of the Black Warrior is grossly exorb.
tant and that this demand made purposely exor-
bitant with the view to n rupture with Spain, and
the consequent seizure Of Cuba, can doub,
who has any knowledge Of what is customary and
proper in negotiations Of this kind Spain, it is ar.
gued, has repeatedly insulted and injured u.s. and no
PREPARATION for these insults and injuries has been
made US; it is, therefore, proper, have good
opportunity, to make her pay handsomely for her
past aggressons upon the rights and commerce OF
our citizens. This, perhaps, is trne enough; but il
our duty to have demanded satisfaction at the
time OF their occurrence and not make them pretex
for harsh proceedings against her in subsequent
and entirely different matter. If we have received
no Indemnity for past grievances, it is because
either demanded none or had not the spirit to make
our demands respected Each case of aggression
upon our rights should stand upon its separate me.
ritz, and be promptly disposed of as it may happen
to occur. It is not right for the purpose of provok-
ing an unvarraHted contest TO make the Black War.
rior affair for all the offences which Spain has
committed against US in the past.
The other demands made by Mr.. Soule, requiring
the dismissal of the Captain General Of Cuba am
al the other Off :ias who had anything to do with tn,
Black Warrior affair. and that the Cuban authorize.
should be- hereafter, empowered to settle upon tn,
spot all differences that may arise between them and
the United States, VIC shall notice more at length a.
another time. Mr. Pierce and his Minister have evil
IDENTIFY exhibited but little Of the manness and gen,.
rosty OF their countTymen in assuming to hectsI
over weak and feeble nation. II is not the wish
our people to require of other governments, weak 81
strong, what they would not submit to themselves
And that VIC should have instantly and indignant,
rejected such demands have been made upon Spain.
is entirely certain. We would be UNSUITABLE. too,
not only in prom lily rejecting them, but in chastisng
the insolence Of the government that ma de them.
- A correspondent of the London Tine, wri-
ting from Gapoli, YES an interesting description
the camp in the neghborhood of that place III
represe"t the French as infinitely better adapted Il
make head%ay in the way Of procuring provision,
than the English. He also says, that the English
soldiers there subjected to much privaton anG
suffering in consequence Of the want of "fo e4igh,,
on the part Of the Government in making the net
sary provision for them. He says the men suffer
exceedingly from cold. Some of them, officers as
well as men, have no beds to lie on None of the
soldiers have more than their single regulation ban
ket They therefore the natural order of tbn,s
ard dress TO go TO bed, putting on all their snare
clothes and warm clothing before they try to sleep
The worst thing, he says, is the continued want O
comJIts for the sick. Many Of the men, who are la
boring under disease, are obliged to stay in camp If
the cold, with only blanket under them as ther,
is no provision for them at the temporary hospital
The French soldiers represented as being very
well provided with the necessary comforts And be.
ing somewhat faster in their habits than the English
what they lack, they arbitrarily fix price upon
and take from their Turkish neighbors, without fur
ther mony. From the following account Of Tn,
manner in which they make themselves at hon,
among strangers, we should not be surprised If tn,
"protcction" Of the allies was to turn out to be tn,
death of the sick man:
'ludependeh, Of previous arrangements, there Ia n,
dsgu-ng the fact that the French get on much bette
than wo do. why2 Because they bully the natives
where We Try TO carry point by soft sawder" Thus
General CsnroOet treats them very much Ia Rabyls
and respected accordingly. The French Commander
de Place has fixed up tariff Of all articles which the mel
are likely 20 want the walls of the town. aud regulate
the exchanges like local Rothschd. A Z1uaye want
fowl; he sees one in the baud Of an itneraut pour
merchant and he NJ selves the bird and giving III
proprietor Itduc-the tariff ptce-walks or With III
prize Tho Bnglishman, on the contrary more cousde
rate aud less protected is left TO make hard Bargains an
gentraly pays 90 or 25 per cent more than bs a!y-
Tnese ZIuages rstrate foragers You may seetbou
IN al directions laden with eggs, meat fsb vegetable
fonoos) aud other good things, while fellows can &c
nothing Sometimes servant 10 out TO cater 70
breakfsst dinner; no returns with the usual "Me au
the coones has boen all the torn and ca
ger nothing bat eggs and Onions cir and lol round tn
corner appears red-oreeched z,uave Chssseur Dol
lie Of vine uude, his ef arm, half lamb under the 9th
or, and poultry fish, and other Injuries dangling