The national Republican., 1861-10-16
WAsuryaros. October is. 1861.

WAsnIxaroN, October Is, 1851.
The following Is a Translation Of an editorial
article which appeared in the Gacaa de Ia Ha'
bana, Of the I'd instant:
fhe steamer Columbia, arrived at this port
the day before yesterday, brings US the New
York papers, in which we nnd multitude Of
articles, In which II Is assum ID that the Gov
ernor General Of Cuba declares In favor Of the
rebels Of the South; 10 which Is affirmed the
existence Of q proclamation to such effect, re-
cognizing officially the flag Of the Confedera
ton; and In which It is stated positively that
Spain has declared herself hostile to the Fed.
ersl Government. This news comes with COM
mentarits In q thousand forms, and all offensive
to the honor Of Spain, to the loyalty with which
che is acting in all matters relating 10 the die
sensions which agitate those States, and, above
ALL to the laws Of truth, because they spring
from supposition not mistaken merely, but
completely false, leading to conclusions most
calumnious, as they cannot fail to be, when
such premises are once laid down.
For the purpose of preventing public opin.
ion from going astray, or from accepting a. in
contestibe ah1rmations that which Is only the
fantasy of the patrons Of those papers, we are
duly authorized to relate the facts which have
perhaps given room for such interpretations,
and we shall do II in the briefest manner aud
with scant comments, because any such are
needless, as soon as what has really occurred
becomes known.
Here are the circumstances Under date of
ed August, the Governor Of Natanzss address
ed to the Governor General Of the Island
communication, In which was enclosed another
from the Consul of the United States at that
city, asking that he should interpose his au-
| thority, 60 that the captain Of the sloop Noank,
| from Charleston, under the Southern flag. should
acknowledge his consular authority, and failing
to do so, should be compelled to leave the port.
The pretension of the Consul could not seem
other than strange, but the Government of the
Island, constant ever to Its purpose of forming
its decisions deliberately, and the more wben
the question concerns country which, with no
little frequency, excites discussions which are
apt to be without precedents, consulted the
Commandant General of Marine of this naval
station. This distinguished functionary. in an
extended and well-reasoned report, demonstra-
ted that, the sloop coming from Charleston,
chief port of South Carolina, one of the seeded
States, and at this time at war with the Gov
ernment at Washington, 1t was plain she could
not come protected by the flag of the Union,
nor with clearance from the Federal author
|
that the flag of the Southern Confederacy has
not been recognized, but Is tolerated by the
Government of Her Majesty; q liberation found
ed on the state of war in which the States
of the South find themselves with those of the
North; a toeration which is also the necessary
consequence OF the neutrality Of Spain in that
strife; q federation, In fine, which reconciles
our political relations with the Govern.
ment at Washington to those commercial In
their nature, which we have not renounced
and ought not to renounce, as, to do that
would be equivalent not to admit to our ports
vessels from the South, because they d.
not bear the flag or clearance from theil
enemies. The Federal Government may, by
blockade, prevent Southern vessels from goinl
to sea, but that right does not extend to
requirement that we also should close ou
ports 1t was quite rational that the sloor
Noank should refuse TO acknowledge tht
authority of the Consul because she neithe
. arrived under the flag of that Government
nor with clearance from the authorities q
Washington that, in such case, she coult
late, nor could the submission be OF effect
, because, to exist, the Consul himself would b,
obliged to authorize her clearance under thu
Southern flag, or refuse 1t. It is not to b,
supposed he would do the first, and the secont
would be equivalent to making prize within
Spanish port, and with the assistance Of IL
authorities; that, in consequence Of all this
the result was, that the Noank was cleare,
from Matanzss under the same flag with whic
/. she entered and in the same form as othe
foreign vessels, whose nations are withou
accredited consuls shutting out the preten
|. sions of the Consul, to which, in the opinion
D of the person presenting the report, 1t was no
4 possible to accede
i In view of an argument 30 well founded
, and holding In great respect the terms of th
= royal decree Of the l7th of June, in which He
10 Majesty has directed that the most strict net
trality must be observed, the question wa
+. settled, not by debating circular, as is sal
In an equivocal manner, nor by dispatchin
secret orders, nor even by issuing the imag
nary proclamation, but by providing as pre-
n visional measure what should be done with th
d Noank, and other vessels that may be in lik
IT condition, until there should be an express au
"a definite decision by the Supreme Government
" This measure embraces the three points 70
D, lowing: first, the admission into the privilege
of ports Of vessels under the Confederate flag eI
J. gagged in lawful commerce, when the docl
n- ments they exhibit do not suggest any susp
cion of piracy, fraud, or other crime punisl
able by the laws of all nations; secondly, tht
once within the port, they will be under sal
Of guard of the neutrality proclaimed, free fro
Vi mOlehIdtiOu W ouy ioioiSh oSOhe WuiiO Cuit
"a ing on the lawful business of lading or u
:. lading, or sailing therefrom; thirdly, that bo
D. the naval authorities at all the ports, as we
as those controlling the financial matters, Al
IN to consider vessels in this category, and in q
II. that relates to their entry and clearance,
arriving from foreign countries which have
accredited consuls in our territory.
or this determination, notice was given
n the Governor Of Matanzas, the Naval Coz
A. Ia. = Al
cienda Real, that each might, in what pertain
:, to his duty, cooperate in giving 1t effect.
IL was also made known to the Minister Of II
n Catholic Majesty at Washington, as II Is do
in respect Of everything which directly or int
rectly may concern the interests Of the Fedel
r. Government; and, lastly, it was submitted
vs. Her Majesty, who will in due season appro
he or disapprove, or annul, as she may jud
~ ~ proper. Loyalty and delicacy were carri,
re ..oonrd;p1 IN our advicpa tn the aYtrama of r