The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-10

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the case in fetid, poisonous atmospheric There
il, therefore, an absolute necessity for change,
and it is to be hoped that the Board of Super
visors will take the proper action in the premises
The PositIon Of the Cuba Qucstion Before
Conxress-HoW Spanish Statesmen Look
Upon IL.
Mr.. Sldell has announced that if the Senate
will not take up regularly, and consider, the
proposition to place thirty millions at the dispo-
sition of the President, with authority to en-
deavor to effect the peaceable acquisition Of
Cuba by peaceable negotiation with Spain, he
will force the subject to discussion by moving
the bill as an amendment to the Appropriation
bill. This will be q legitimate motion, and we
shall hold Mr.. Slidell to his promise to make it.
The whole country wants this question venti-
lated. 1t is Immediately connected with 80
many of the sources of our material prosperity
that it comes home to the business of nine tenths
of the active men in the Union; and If the poll
ticians to suit their own selfish purposes, keep 1t
off and kill it by delay, they must be held to
answer for it TO the country and to their con.
stituents.
There are but two arguments brought against
the immediate passage of this bill, and those are
arguments adduced merely for partisan pur-
poses Of delay The first is, that it is not proper
for at this time to attempt to acquire Cuba by
peaceful negotiations; and the second, that Spa
nish statesmen will not take into consideration
any proposition on our part. The first Of these
arguments is the most fallacious that ever was
adduced against any measure, and is peculiarly
so in its relation to the question of the acquisi
ton of Cuba. All parties acknowledge that
political necessities as well as Industrial inte-
Union. At some future time, then, the thing
will be right and proper then it is surely
| right and proper now. Moral principles never
change their relation to things, and it is always
and at all times proper to do what is right.
The argument that we shall have at some future
time better opportunity to acquire Cuba has
been completely overthrown by Mr.. Seward
himself, the leader of the opposition to the
acquisition of Cuba In his speech on the bill,
when it was introduced, he tells US that "Spain
holds the island now more tenaciously-with a
stronger and safer grasp than that with which
she has held it at any time within the last fifty
years." This is undoubtedly true; and that
grasp in political point of view, will become
every year stronger, in the same ratio with the
increase of trade over the various routes of
isthmus transit, and between our Gulf ports and
those on the Atlantic shore. The construction
Of the Panama Railroad, at cost OF millions
of dollars of American money, increased
the political value of Cuba to SPAIN because
it brought o great increase to the tides
Of national wealth which must pass before its
gates and within its easy grasp. In moral as
well as material point of view, therefore, now
is the time to act, and in delay there is danger.
To the second assertion, that Spanish states
men will not take into consideration any propo-
sitions on our part, Mr.. Seward has also fur
nished the best reply. he tells us in the speech
which we have quoted above that {" to political
necessities all actions of government must bend,
and all sentiments of nations must accommodate
themselves" This axiom is as true in Spain as
in the United States, and ii will bear with as
much force upon Spanish statesmen as it did
upon those Of this country who were so ready to
fight for ffty-four forty, which they did not get
and did not fight for. But we will consider the
subject under point Of view which Mr.. Seward
cannot take, and that is with personal know
ledge of some of the Spanish statesmen.
One of the most eminent of those of the present
day is Gen. Jose de la Concha, the actual Cap
tain General of Cuba. He has been twice placed
hu tho homo rovorpy,orf T.; +bo% ;v,,xortoc+ v,o,t
on account of his practical ability--an honor
that was never before conferred upon any Cap
tain General. During the period of his first
command he passed through the trial of the
second invasion of the island by Lopez, and to
bis ability the crown owed the preservation of
its power there. His services were acknow-
lodged by the Queen, and on his return to Spain
he published an essay on the political state of
the island, in which he showed statesmanlike
appreciation of the force of political necessities
and boldly attacked the policy in civil affairs
which Spain pursued in Cuba. His successors,
wanting his ability, soon brought the island into
state Of quasi revolution, and widely ex-
tended conspiracy there, and the preparations of
Gen. Quitman in this country to cooperate with
the Cubans, created more formidable danger
than the Spanish colonial government had ever
before been called upon to encounter.
Gen. Concha was the only man in Spain that
could be counted on in the emergency, and he
was sent to meet the danger. His success in
Cuba in doing this is the best evidence Of his
ability; but only those who know the details of
his action can comprehend the skill of the policy
he pursued. To-day he is the champion of the
grasp of Spain upon Cuba, and he will be so as
long as the efforts to sever that island from the
mother country are confined to the individual
efforts of filibusters and buncombe seeking poll
ticians. But whenever the policy Of the acqusi-
ton Of Cuba becomes part of he national
policy of the American government, no
mon Lnoura hotter than Canaral Conoho