The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-04

Forced Intervention OF Spain In tho Anglo
American Conflict.
Translated from 20 Nord, June IT, for the NKw
Two days ago we pointed out the gravity of the
conflict between England and the United States,
concerning the outages OF the British cruisers upon
American vessels. We persist In believing THAT
the United States will only be satisfied when Eng
land, besides the actual satisfaction which they
claim, gives them all the necessary guar
antees that those outrages will not occur
agathat is to say the complete t, and sX
resemble the right of search, and perhaps the with
drawal Of article eight OF the treaty. OF Wash
ngton. But there remains one side OF the question
which we should not overlook although IT seems
scarcely to be in question now. Weare going to eX-
anime how England acts with Powers who offer any
resistance to her. IL is not without interest to COM
pare with that tdbieau that of her cOnducttowards
the feeble. The United States are not alone con-
cerned with England 10 the conflict provoked by the
Outrages OF which the Gulf of Mexico has
been the theatre Spain has also something to do
in it,; and, if she has not forsaken that
true sentiment of national pride for which she was
distinguished among all other nations, she cannot
ail to interfere in the debate.
The English cruisers have stopped, boarded
searched and seized American ships which they
were pleased to look upon as suspicious OF being
engaged in the infamous slave trade; but they nave
done worse with Spain. They have violated her
territory; they have practsed in her territorial
waters and upon her soil system of espionage
and violence which has disturbed the quietness of
her seas and of her settlements, wounded
her own sovereignty and compromised her
whose vessels have been insulted and outraged in
the very midst of her territorial jurisdiction. In
the debate which took place ON the Sth of June IN
the House of Lords, the Earl of Malmesbnry has
contested the eXactitude at least the gertrude Of
the facts charged to the English cruisers as regards
the American ships but he has not denied those acts
regards Spain g must confess" said he, that
some acts have been committed that not justi-
Gahl eth Inv int g
that exist between this country and the United
States. ] am informed that on one occasion body
OF men were landed from one OF her Majesty ships
on the coast of Cuba; though that Is Of course,
Spanish question, which can only be incidentally
mentioned when speaking with regard to America.
Statements have also been made that considerable
annoyance has been occasioned to American trading
vessels lying at anchor at Havana from system OF
rowing around those vessels, watching their cargoes
taken out and taken in, exercising surveillance and
espionage them, and finally chasing them out to
sea after they left the port
Thus a system of police and espionage organized
by British cruisers in the ports belonging to Span
and violation Of the Spanish territory to practice
searches, are the facts confessed; and there
is in those facts bold and 1agrant violation of
the sovereign rights of Spain, against which Spain
cannot fail to protest. She will not alone be led
to it by the OF her sovereign dignity, but she
will be compelled to it by the exterior consequences
which the forsaking of her rights in this occasion
might lead to for her own safety. Some have been
astOnished to hear the Secretary of State ut Wash
ington, in his letter of May Is, render Spain con-
jointly responsible for the outrages committed by
The English cruisers 1t is not, however, according
to us, without grounds; and far from seeing, as
some others, in that letter of General Cass q
threat against the independence Of Spain, we,
the contrary, look upon it as token of respect
| towards that Independence. In fact 1t is in the
Spanish waters that the outrages complained of by
| the United States have taken place; it is in the
Spanish ports that the system OF espionage against
| which the American navy protests has been prac-
tised by the British cruisers. Hervery soil has been
invaded searches have been made by the English
in the dwellings of her planters 1t IL not,
ment compes her to see that her territory, which
| has been violated to the prejudice of Ame-
| rican interests, be respected. 1t is, in fact,
| her duty that on her soil and in the extent
| of her territorial seas no other police
than her be exercised. II, in her Indifference
her feebeness, she allows thus her most invola
BILE rights to be usurped-if she does not protect
against all foreign attacks the foreign vessels going
into her ports the strength of the treatiesis 1t
not to her that the governments protectors OF the
rights of their citizens have TO look first before ar
raignng the foreigners themselvesi Far from being
guilty of indecorum towards the respect due to her
sovereignty is il not on the contrary bowling with
respect before it to compel her to insure, in her
tona jurisdiction, the safety and tranquility which
| are due to all those who frequent her possessions
| and conform themselves To the international
law and to the treaties! Spain has to see that her
territory Is respected or to suffer that the United
States insure TO their ships the security which she
4
Is the pretenson Of the Secretary OF State of the
Union, and we do not truly how the justice Of it
could be contested This pretenson Is undoubtedly
dangerous for Spain, account OF the afterthoughts
of the United States about Cuba. IL is OF the
greatest importance for Spain that the ports and the
territorial seas of that colony, so cautiously
lusted after by her northern neighbors, should
not become the theatre Of an armed contest be-
tween the latter and England. But il Spain
has the greatest interest to prevent the United
States from exercising public supervision of her
to forbid England to usurp that right which belongs
only to her national sovereignty. Spain will thus
reconcile her interest and her dignity.
Spain Is bound to England by four treaties, which,
under the shadow Of the repression OF the slave
trade, have subjected her merchant service 10 tho
right Of search by the British cruisers but the
treaties Of 1914, 1917, 1922 and 1885, which
have given to England upon her vessels that
Jurisdiction which all the Powers-France and
the United States excepted-have granted,
have not, however, given her any right OF
interference and of police on her waters, in her har
bors and upon her soil. Her territory and oil the
rights Of sovereignty thereupon still belong 10 her.
She alone exercises there legally those rights of in
specton and Jurisdiction which the British cruisers
have dared TO take upon themselves 10 the prejudice
of the American ships. She cannot therefore, we
repeat IT, fail to interfere in the existing question
between the United States and England She has |
been hit by the same stroke rs the first, and the in
jury TO her dignity and her sovereign rights Is still
more signal and more fatal. She will, then |
also demand and has 10 obtain satisfaction for |
acts which wrong her and compromise her dearest |
interests. England, which shows herself now 30 |
prompt to give TO the United States the naughty |
satisfaction which they claim, viii she refuse salts
faction to SPAIN In his speech Of June g. the Earl
of Malmesbury has announced that that was ques
ton essentially Spanish, and was only 10 be Incl
dentay mentioned In relation with the American
question The two questions are, however, insepa-
rable; for Spain, formally compelled by the Amer
can government, cannot fail TO unite with IL and 10
demand that they should be decided at the same
time.
American Ciuzcns fSsiiroad Contractors In