Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-05-16
pTCHMOND, X.
sATURDAY MORNING, MAY t3, 1s1l.
Rl-pTrRE WIFI SPAIN.
RE RITCHlES g. PElOK.

The policy Of the Administration III rSF'N''
In il the subject of much discussion ah" "'""rl'N
hcnsion. Washington correspondents S' """', -,
trajectory rumors with IN cqunl affection U, III
in every instance; and so the public m"" :,
dcrcd by every sort of absurd story al'" ~ r."
lutiml., Among tlc most industrious III" S'"','N 81;
these scrihblcrS, is the y correspondents !" NV
moro SIM, whose communications are al""f' NV
| able in proportion rs his statements arr po'".,,
This pentlrman, clleris!iins an equal DISLIKE VI VA
sou,sona tbc President, has sought 10 rr"laEa'e 'he
| opinion that while the Administration Il U '''"", W
assert tic homer Of thc country, Our s'nS''
lna IL so rash us ncedlesslv and for SENS"
provoke the anger OF the Spanish ""Nc''""'" 80.
Without pretending 10 any peculiar "TPm'"
&C ,6;,;,l information, we may venture 10 III" '""'
,,it,cr is tlc administration disposed To s"pn"' :"
III. ;ns,l.nt AGGRESSION uf the Spanish government
uor does Mr.. Souic in lls rcnunsIralIce nh""c''''''"
,ruusnrcss the strict letter of his Instructions:
The public have Il very inadequate r"'N'p'o' "
the grievances Of this government "G"'hs' i"'
They have been repeated III detail through" sun
sion of years, until they furnish i'll the "sS''S"' ~"
ample Justification for any rctaliat"ry or h"S'"e -"
sure. Here is a brief synopsis ofsuc' ""'r"SeS y"
| rbNGEIUnlttlt US i''''
within the last four years:
ION the I'D Of january, 1919, eu"f'e' g
Esnard, all American citizen, was aires'eo :! y.
Cuban authorities, and incarceriiel III 'ne ''' Y.
Havana; 10 charge having erer nee" o'""H''
against linn. In May of the same year, TWO Hu'''-
can vessels, the Georgiaiia and the Susan Loud Nrrc
captured ut Contoy by The Spanish Eercrai oil MA
rines aud brought Us prizes into the port oi Havana;
their crews were imprisoned. On the 22th MaF'N;
1851, john Salincrn, an American citizen, was "rrrs''
ed by the Spanish authorities, no accusation beng hiau'
against him. On the 10th August, lS]l, inc hle0
States steamer Falcon were fired into AMI boarded
bv a Spanish mar-of.war without any excuse or pre-
text. On the 10th February, lSI2, the Alncrn.ah
scbooner Lamartine was fired into by II Spanish YES
sci, also without assignahle native or pr!etcX:. on''d
October. 1852, the CrcscWlt City was driven from
Havana, and prohibited from landing her mails on the
childish and frivolous prctcN' that the pnrscr SPOKE
and wrote ill of the Cuban authorities on his visits TO
New York. In the, MnrclI following, the OH" was
detained three days ut Havana; under an unprerr-
denied and ridiculous plea that she ought t" perform
quarantine. On the litll Of tlrdt month the schooner
Manchester was boarded hv Il Spanish vessel OF war,
searched, anl detained twcniy-four hours, without
the shadow of my prctext whatever. IN fcbiilnry'
1874, and subsequently, the United States mail bags
were broken open By the Cnban authorities, many OF
the seals broken, and the privacy of American cor
rcspoudencc violated. On the 9TH May Of the same
wear, three American Scamcn belonging to the Amcrl-
can bark Jasper, were arrested on vague suspicious
of bcin. concerned in the slave trade. thrust into PR
son, and subjected to uncomfortable indigritics md
ia: Il, N,yynl,r pn,lr. Rpir.ns. n natIfll-III
citizen ofthc Unitc,l States, was arrested at Havana, II"
crime being charged against him; was 'rled aud se'''ei'-
ced 10 a year transportation. Shortly afterwards an
other nu,uralizcd citizen oitlie L nitcdS tates, lsi'lore Iii
choux, was forced TO leave the island :ot Cuba. IL"
motive being assigned for his expulsion. The notorI-
Gus case of the Back Warrior completes m imicr-
fee, catalogue uf the ufrulls We haze suffered Al the
hands of Spain during the las, four years
We NAV safely affirm that from No nation "i greater
prowcss than Spain, would the United States have
submitted to such injuries ind lndi=nItIcs' II etl'er
France or Great Britain haul displayed such contempt
for our flag and the rights oI or citizens, we would
l,ur since have been driven to solne violent retalla'
ton. In the cusc of Spain, 4 feeling OF maSnanill't.y
has subducd our resentment, and restrained lis from
measures Of hostility against Il weak and conicmp'i-
Die empire II ~ u lCS kuphp ss' 49,
this catalogue of grievances against the Spanish gov
crnment, Great Britain threatened to invade tic httle
kingdom of Greece, and dcsiStcl from lis purpose only
after ample analogy and rrlarati"I. Nnic'triiths I'll
the wars that havcd desolatcd Europe, were kundIcd by
causes. which. in comparison with the outrage To the
Black Warrior, were insignificant instances al new
litv.
The time is come when this country can no longersll'-
nit 10 the imsu!cIt aggression III the Spanish govern
ment, and when some satisfactory ato'c'ncnt must IN
made for pust insult and outrage. i.iisoldeIed by
long impunitv, and stimulated hy the olt'ci"us inter-
ference of the Anglo French alliance, The govern
mept of Spain has ut last pushed its violence to n
point beyond which the United States cannot retreat.
The circumstances of the moment nrc pr"pitlons 10
n final and satisfactory settlement Of MI our dillichi-
ties Will. Spain; and the Administration has seized
the occusion To initiate II negotiation which whl TER
inmate either III adr- 0r:in.tho restoration OF Il stable
and honorable peacc. No timid or tcmporizins nfca-
sure; no pacific policy Of diplomatic. cxpedlcntsi IL"
reluctant apology or ambiguous explanation, Will sui
fee for the emergency: and the country may be us
surcl that the President will not accept any such sa-
tistuction for our wrongs. The Administration nave
sourbtuI mlduncc of the SIauish government with
tI,r Deliberate determination To settle now IL dinrcrcr
c;ycry matter il, dispute between the two. nations, aid
TO provide an adequate security against the rccur-
renco Of the ,outrases which have provoked the pre-
sent rupture. That they will be successful III Their
patriotic purpose is our confident anticipation; 'hat
tbey will not submit to defeat, and will maintain the
dignity and the honor Of the country in every er1S'S'
mud without regard to consequences, we have every
guarantee in the character of the Cabinet, and III the
energy with Which the negotiation is conducted
Whatever the result may be, it will Justify tho opi''-
ion that the country stands now ON the threshold f
some great event which will affect its destiny to the