The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-05

Auh uttSmptc " w ~ WcTe muuC. Iuc
Washington journals are at the bottom Of all the
jobbing at the capital; and it is they who have
nuIsed the fostering sore that is eating into the
vitals of the country. And still their cry il,
"Give give! give' The last Oliver, sneaking
up to Congress with his pap bowl and spoon,
would only he a subject Of ridicule were not the
fact too serious for trihing.
The Cuba Question and tho Traps OF Poli-
| ticians-A Hint to Statesmen Hero and I'm
| Europe.
The favorable manner in which the proposition
of Senator Sldell to authorize the President to
negotiate with Spain for the sale of the island of
Gala, and to place thirty millions Of dollars at
his command to make the earnest payment has
been received in Congress and by the people, is
marked and suggestive evidence of the tone
and tendency of the popular mind on this
question.
To the question of the acquisition itself no op-
position deserving of attention has been made
either in Congress or out Of it. Mr.. Slidell's bill
has been opposed on the grounds Of political ex-
pedicncy and constitutional propriety, as ques
ton that should not be carried at the present
time because of the low state of the treasury, as
a political manGuvre looking to the next Presi-
dency as q mistake in policy calculated to delay
the acquisition, as measure that may provoke
opposition in the Spanish government, as
parts trick on the part of the President and for
sundry other similar reasons of light and
frivolous character. But the measure itself is
acknowledged by oil to be popular one, and
an integral portion of our national policy. Mr..
Seward, who led off the opposition to
the bill, states that he has always received
as a political axiom the declaration that
Cuba gravitates back to the continent from which
it spraDg, and he believes that sooner or later it
will come into the Union through the force Of
political necessities. One of the Seward journals
in this city frankly acknowledges that "if the
question were an open one, and could now be de-
cded upon its merits by popular vote, we have
very little doubt that four ffths of the people of
the United States would be in favor of the peace
full acquisition of Cuba" The 7IiJune-another
Seward organ-uses still stronger language. 1t
looks upon the Slidell proposition as "a dodge
of political gamblers-a bold stroke for triumph
in 1902 and it adds: "Let them only with the
help of sundry whiting journals in this city and
elsewhere, infame the popular lust ofacquisition
and direct it towards the gem of the Antilles
and their battle for 1860 is half won"
There can be no doubt in the mind of any
clear-headed observer of public opinion in this
country that these admissions of the popular
character of the question of Cuban acquisition
are correct; and if any corrob0ration of them is
required, they can be found in the present course
ofaction on the subject in Washington. The lead
ing Senators and representatives in Congress are
busily engaged just now in laying their lines and
setting their traps for the Charleston Con-
| vention and the next Presidential cam
paign. The cunning democrats are perfectly
willing TO save the powder, rockets and fire.
works of the Cuban argument until period of
time nearer to the Presidential election; while
the disorganized opposition are busily casting
about in the vain hope Of bringing up some new
issue, such as the tariff, Pacific Railroad, econo-
my in the public expenditures, to engross the
popular mind AS blind, the democracy feign
now to present divided front, and to wrangle
among themselves upon all sorts of empty alb
stractions, letting the Cuba question rest mean
while; but as the time for the Presidential race
comes on, they will drop all these, and, MOUNT
| ing candidate upon thorough-going Cuba
platform, will discuss the question before the
| people with a warmth that will surpass all for
mer campaigns, and carry their man into the
| Presidency with an overwhelming majority
| The seed for this movement has been sown in the
| popular mind by the logical and unanswerable
report Of Mr.. Slidell and the warm reception it
has received all over the country has shown to
the politicians that they have got hold of the
right string, warning them at the same time not
| to pull it too soon. Hence their readiness to
delay action upon the thirty millions proposition
now.
What the effect of q popular Presidential dis
cussion in this country upon the question of
the acquisition Of Cuba will be in that island,
can easily he foreseen Cuba lies within hun
dred miles of our shores. Her ports are visited
annually by one hundred and fifty steamers and
fifteen hundred sailing vessels from our own.
The Cuban mind partakes largely of all the fer
vor and excitability Of the Latin family. Every
argument used here will be magnifed and aimed
there by the popular mind against the hated colo
NAL government, in which they have no share
or part. Every evil will be aggravated thou
sand fold every hope will seem to become an at
tainment, and if the colonial government of
Spain can ride out the storm in safety it will be
a miracle. The material prosperity of Cuba is
great, and her people are rich. They may east
ly buy over to their cause part Of the Spanish
army ITSELF and precedents for such course are
not wanting even in the Spanish army now in
Cuba, although the miscarriage Of collateral pro-
jects have prevented some of the cases from be-
coming known even to the Spanish government,
which is well aware Of not few instances A
qronancian'into during Cuban Presidential can
| Vase In this country made by q norton of tho