The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-21
The United States, Spain and Cubn-True
Position Of the Cuba Question.

The United States, Spain and Cubn-True
Po.isson Of the Cuba Question.
The Kansas question is rapidly drawing to a
close. for the country is heartily sick of it, and
the present agitation upon it in Congress is only
kept up by faction to further their own selfish
ends There is no point now in dispute for all
parties acknowledge that the same results will
follow, whether she be admitted under the Lee
compton or the Topeka constitution. The
isotbermal line, and not the politicians has set
tied the matter and Kansas can never be any.
thing else than free State. She will soon
be admitted into the Union, and then the at
tention of the government can be turned to
other things.
We have no doubt that ii is the intention Of
Mr.. Buchanan to take up at once the pending
questions in our foreign relations. and psrticu.
larly those with Spain, Mexico and Central
America, which have become most pressing.
The recent revolution in Mexico is likely to
give Use to large number of claims by our
| citizens, and perhaps TO involve new political
/ issues on this continent. The re-establishment
OF feudal and ecclesiastical tyranny in an
American republic is likely to lead at no distant
day to serious complications With Central
America matters are in fair process Of settle
ment The policy initiated in the recent treaty
with Nicaragua promises to produce the richest
and the ripest fruits. The spirit of lawless
| flibustering is checked, and the grea impulse
| in the hearts Of the people which lies at the
bottom Of il, is leading to a more healthy de-
ve!opcment. A similar policy developed in
treaty with Mexico would lead to similar results
in that republic, aud her rich mineral and
agricultural wealth opened t3the enterprise of
our people. to the nantes; advantage of both
But il is with Spain that our most pressing
and most delicate questions. lie. For long
time she has refused TO listen to our overtures
for the early settlement of the question of
Cuba, which forebodcs serious difficulties in the
future and obstinatey refuses to accord Justice
TO the numerous claims Of our citizens against
her. In our diplomatic intercourse she has per-
| tinaciously adhered to the policy of studied in
suit toward US The Communications of our
minister TO her court are loft unanswered year
after year, or only such as suit her purposes are
| replied to. Had 1.-THE Of the discourtesy that
has been shown to our Ministers by Spain been
exhibited by any Of the strong Powers of Eu-
rope il would have caused a war long since.
She still pursues this course, refusing or unable
TO read the signs Of the times. We publish in
another column an article from one Of her Minis
terial journals. commenting upon Mr.. Bueha-
mans frs, message to Congress. which breathes
in every line the spirit OF her policy. To see a
| decrepit and worn out nation like Spain hold
| ing tone of such insolent bravado is pelan-
I eholy in the extreme Shsdoes It confding In
her weakness, for the very idea of her being
able TO do q hundredtb part OF what she there
boasts is preposterous. But. weak as she un-
doubtedly is. her weakness should not be her
warrant and her shield ftppersistng in wrong.
The savage annouDSem5 tohat she has long
made, Of her determinancSn Pc Ord to Cuba. and
which is reiterated IN the Concluding portion of
the article publishedSn another column, is only
another proof of the Necessity Of early and vi
gorous action on our part in relation to that
island. Cuba is not alone a colony of Spain.
II is an integral and an important portion of
the great scheme Of civilization.
The abundance Of its productions makes its
existence felt in every mart of the civilized
world. Its political and social stability must
be preserved, not only for these reasons and for
it, own sake, but because ii has a direct and
tangible connection with our own progress and
welfare. To us the duty Of this preservation
devolves and the sooner we set abou. Il the
better. Delay will bring only new complica-
tions and new difficulties We are glad 10
learn, therefore, that Mr.. Buchanan is deter
mined to take up this, and all our other cues
tons with Spain, and press them at once TO an
early and just solution.
Spain may talk about war, but she dare no,
90 to war. The firing Of the first gun would
be the signal for the loss Of Cuba and Porto
Rico without an equivalent-for the sweeping
Of her reviving commerce again from the ocean,
and perhaps for a complete change of the
dynasty in possession of her throne. AS for
any Intervention by England or France, the
Spanish writer is right in admitting that
they dare not interfere. Should either
OF them d. SO it would lead to a