Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-29

Semi.OfFicial Explanations Respecting
the ESePsrted Recognition OF the COnfsd-
crates by the Spanish Authorities OF
! Cuba.
The following is an official translation Of an edit
orsl article which appeared in the Gacsla De "a H.
5ana, of the % inst
The steamer Columbia arrived at this port the
day before yesterday, bringing US the New York
papers, in which we find multitude of articles in
! which it is assumed that the Governor General OF
Cuba declares in favor of the people of the SOHth
in which is affirmed the existence Of proclamation
to such effect, recognizing officially the flag of the
Confederation, and in which it is stated positively
that Spain has declared herself hostile to the Fede
raj Government. This news comes with comuen-
tsries in thousand forms, and all offensive to the
honor of Spain to the loyalty with which she is act
ing in all matters relating TO the dissensiOns whics
agitate the United States; and, above all, to the
laws of truth, because they spring from a suppOs-
ton. not mistaken merely, but completely false
leading to conclusions most calamtous, as they can
not fan to be, when such premises are once laid
down.
For the purpose of preventing public opinion
from going astray, or from accepting az inCOntesti
Bile afirmatCnS which are only the phsntasy of the
patrons of those papers, we are duly sut1Orized7le
relate the facts which have, perhaps, given room
for sucI Interpretations and we shall do Il IN the
briefest manner, and with scsnt comments beC2Cse
any such are needless as soon what has really
stances:
Under date of August 22 the Gogernor of Man |
tanz4s addressed to the Governor General Of the |
Island a COMMUNICATION, in which was enclosed an
other from the Consul of the United States at that
city asking that he should inteTpOse his authority
so that the captain of the sloop NoaUk. from |
Charleston, under the Southern flag, should ac /
knowledge his consular authority and, falling to do
So should be compelled to leave the port. The pre-
tensions Of the Consul could not seem other than !
NOfF
ever to It's purpose Of forming its decisions deber
ately, and the more when the question concerns a |
country which, with no little frequency exctes ds
cusslOns which are apt to be without precedenEs, |
consulted the Commandant General of Marine Of /
this naval station This disting gUished functiolzry
in an extended and well reasoned report demOnstrs-
ted that the slOOp coming from Charleston, the chief
port Of South CarOlina-One of the seeded States,
and at this time at wa= with the Government st
WashngtOn-it was plain she could not come pro
ected By the flag of the Union nor with clearance
from the Federal authorities, which have no exist
ence at that point; that the flag of the Southern
Coniederacy has not been recognized butts tolerated
BY the Government of her Majesty liberation
founded on the of u which the States of all
the South find themselves with those of the N1rth
liberation which is also the necessary consequence
of the neutrality of Spsin in that strife; tOl ra
ton in fine, which recOnces eur political relations
with the Government at Washington to those. com
mercial in their nature, which we have not re-
nounced and ought not to renounce, as, to do tlat
would be equivalent not to admit to our ports ves
sells from the South, because they do not bear the
flag of q clearance from their enemies. The Fede-
raj Government may, by blockade prevent South
.rn vessels from goiug to sea, bat that right does
not extend to a requirement that we also should
close our ports it quite rational that the sl0op
Noqnk should refuse to ackno wedge the authority
of the Consul, because she neither arrived under
the fi8E of that Government. nor with clearance
from the authorities at Washington; that in such
cases she could neither submit to the authority Of
the Consulate, could the submission be OF effect
because, to exist the Consul himself would be
obliged to authorizs her clearance undcr the South
ern flag or refuse II. It's not to be supposed he
co1ld do the first and the secOad would be equIya-
lent to making prize within Spanish port and )
with the assistance Of its au.Orites that, in cOnse
1uepce of all this, the result that the Eoank
was cleared from Mantarzls under the same flag
with which she entered, and in the same form as
other foreign vessels whose nations are without ac
credited Consus shutting out the prctsntons Of the
Jonsuls to which, in the opinion OF the person pre-
,enting the report it not possible to acCeie.
In view of an argument 50 well founded, and hold
ng in great respect the terms of the royal decree
he 18th June in which her Majesty has directed j
hat the most strict neutrality must be observed
he question was settled, not by debating clrcuilr
Is is said in an equVOcsl manner, nor IN dispatch
nR direct srders nor even by issuing the imaginary
proclamation, but by providing, a. provisional
Measure. what shall be done with the NOGuk and i
,thpr vessels that NAV be iu a ike condition until
here should be an express and dHaite deci.Ion bE
he supreme Government. Tlis measure embraces
he three points following u
First-the admission into the privileged ports OF
ressels under the Confederate flag, engaged IN law
nj commerce. when the documents they exhibit do 8