The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-03

Dissrace OF spain.
Spain has finally delivered one blow in her
war against the South American republics. She
has asserted her dignity, and, it is to be
supposed, satisfied her honor. Not, it Is true,
against embattled hosts or forts bristling with
cannon; but against rows Of hostile and empty
dwelling houses, against bales on bales of
dangerous dry goods and innumerable pack
ages of threatening merchandise of every de-
scription. She has subdued this terrible array
and doubtless feels that she is safe. She has
burned twenty million dollars worth Of pro-
perty to show the world how delicate is her
sense of propriety and how impossible ii is for
her TO rest under an insult. But it is doubtful
whether this assertion of her national honor,
this glorious victory over dry goods and hard
ware will not put deeper stain upon Spanish
honor than the one that Spain believes she has
wiped away. 1t is doubtful whether Admiral
Nuiiez would not have done his country better
service by following the example of Admiral
Pareja and blown his brains out months ago.
The harm done to Chile will be repaired
sooner than the harm done to Spain. The
physical injury is a mere scratch; trade will
restore the millions of the merchants as readily
as the masons will put again in their places
the stones knocked out of the Valparaiso Ex-
change But the moral injury done to Spain
the responsibility before the world for this
piece Of barbarity-will thicken the odium
that centuries have gathered around the Span
ish name, and will hasten tho fall of that
decrepid and shameless Power. In an age
when nations fight for ideas, Spain is the one
nation that, having no great idea-never moved
to any grand purpose-declares war over ideas
that others justly despise, and prosecutes that
war in way to earn, not glory, not the
applause Of any people under the sun, but the
sheer and the detestation of every civilized
portion of the human race. The character of
Spain Is typifed by the scene in Valparaiso
harbor-a nation Boosting its courage and its
chivalry with Incompatible bombast, assert
ing that courage where there is none
to render blow for blow, and exhibiting
that chivalry only whore there is no danger,
to dignity destruction.
The British and French authorities in South
America were hardly less to blame than Spain.
They exhibited disgraceful weakness Com
modore Rodgers and General Fitzpatrick acted
wisely and deserve the gratitude of the coun-
try. While they preserved a proper temper
and moderation, they put on record a
protest against the disgracefnl act that will
be echoed by the whole people. 1t is to be
deeply regretted that it was out Of their
power to do more. Even the remarkable cir
cumstances Of the case did not justify single
handed interference; but an ordinary display
of firmness on the part Of The English and
French authorities, or the assumption by the
that taken by Commodore Rodgers, would have
stopped the Spanish incendiavy. If the English
commandant had only been tinctured with That
British arrogance that has led to British inter-
ference in so many doubtful cases he might
have covered himself with an honorable fame.
This Spanish bombardment must stir to
action the governments thai have hitherto
quietly looked on and held their hands. Spain
defies the common decency of the world. She
simply runs muck against British, French
and American commerce, and cannot even put
up the pretence that she accomplishes by her
destruction any legitimate object OF war If
ever there was q case for national Intervention
this certainly is one. There ia no cause of
quarrel, no wrong to redress; but because a
Power is not ready to meet Spanish
punctilio half way commercial city
must be bombarded. Where is all
that sensitiveness as to humanity Of which we
heard so much from England and France when
we were at war to re-establish the authority of
our government, But If the case does not
touch the sense Of humanity in England and
France, il reaches and awakens the indgna-
ton OF our people, and our government will
not properly reflect the will Of the people if
it does not initiate on this very point measures
whose ultimate result will be to drive Spain
from this hemisphere.
II will be seen by our news from Rio
Janeiro that on the very day of the lombard
ment two vessels arrived at Rio, built in Eng
land, for Peru. They are heavily armed IRON
clads. This is the practical Intervention of
British neutrality. We would rather have
heard that the British government had made
some positive declaration. We would prefer
to rejoice in any other event against Spain
than one due to that neutrality" from which
we have ourselves suffered 30 much; but we
cannot regret that the ships of Admiral Nufez
are likely soon TO be in position less safe
than that in front of Valparaiso. 1t is saying
all that is possible against the conduct of Spain
when we declare that it in some measure justi-
6es the neutrality of British shipbuiderA
TRuNBuLLs AMENDMENT TO THE Posr OFFICE
BnL.--No one thing during this session has
exhibited the desperation of the radicals in
Congress more than the attempt to force the
a. III l.. A.