New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-06
INTERNATIONAL DUELING.

will answer that all wars are unnecessary. We
use an indefinite phrase, however, to convey a
definite meaning. We accept war as necessary
where principle is involved-where truth is
compelled to crush error by the force OF arms
where people find it incumbent to struggle
with crime and oppression. BY unnecessary
wars, we refer TO the contests arising out OF per.
sonal vanity-the differences OF small military
and naval mmanders-ambition cupidity,
yearning for territorial aggrandzement-yery
much as though two testy gentlemen get
angry over q cup of wine, or the necessity
of some political acton-the minister's last
sermon-the editors last leading article
and from dashing wine across the table-cloth
come to swords in the ante-room, or pistols on
the dewy grass in the outskirts Of the town.
No good comes of these quarels. We OCCASION
ally hear of q German student being killed, for
dueling is said to be as necessary as Euclid to
German education. In the beginning OF this
century the Irish used to cut and slash each
other, merely, it seemed, in the way of physi'
cal exhilarat0n. II man was killed, a Jolly
wake ensued, and the survivors had good
time, whisky punch and q jig around the co!-
fin, and "We won't go home till morning.
Modern decency has changed all this, and mur-
der is no longer in the mode, no longer an ac-
complishment. Merely offering TO let man
kill you that you may kill him, does not
condone murder and prevent us from
being hanged. What society has condemned
as wrong among men, public opinion
is condemning as wrong among nations.
There is, perhaps, no logical objection TO a ma
ton fighting another misunderstanding It's
ports. destroying its commerce. paralyzing It's
manufactures and killing its people. This is an
independent national right, just as it was an in
dependent personal right for Iieenan TO thump
Saycrs and be thumped in return, but il is not
moral right. In the case of nations, public
morality is outraged. Peaceful commerce is in
terrupted and destroyed, and where the indus
try of one country depends upon another for It's
sources Of supply, distress ensues to thousands
of innocent men and women and children.
We can better illustrate our point by referring
to the war between Spain and Chill. When
ever the Spanish Government makes pcriodi-
cal start out of the torpidity Of centuries, and
an ambitious statesman wishes TO SHOW "vgor,"
he makes quarrel with South American Re-
public. There is II popular impression that
these Quarrcls were settled by the successful
revolutions of the early part of this century
that Mexico and Peru, and the nations around
the equator became Republics as absolutely as
the United States. This is a mistake. Spain
never sincerely admitted the independence
Of her American colonies. She gave deed OF
separation, with the reservation that whenever
it suited her convenience or her ambition she
would come back and take her own again. The
dream of becoming once more the mistress of the
Antilles, OF having an Indies rivaling in wealth
and splendor the Indies of England, has long
haunted the Spaniards. The policy of Canning,
doctrine of the United States, prevented any
in favor of this theory. Our
war gave the opportunity. America crippled,
the banner of CASTLE might again be
or cven--darng thought to the land where
Ponce de Leon vainly wooed youth and vigor.
San Domingo was occupied; an attempt was
made upon Mexico, which Napoleon prevented;
war has been declared against Chill In noneof
these cases had Spain any possible pretext.
What had Mexico done that Spain should send
fleets to murder her people' Where is the crime
of Peru that her coast should be blockaded
Above all things, what is the guilt Of Chill
That country, it seems, sympathizeS with Peru;
she refuses to make her territory base OF
operations for Spain against sister republic,
and she is at once blockaded What is the
Chill deiies the blockades, closes
her copper mines, attacks and captures Span
ish ship and says if England and France
can do without her copper, lshe can wait. En-
gland, fresh from cotton famine in Lancashire,
sees before her n famine among the workers in
brass and copper. This Chill sends her 1900
tuns of copper annually. Because Spain is on a
rowing commission Of insult and depreciation
must she lose all this wealth. So England be-
comes angry and along with France sends word
to Spain that while they do not claim right to
interfere with that neighbor's personal matters,
they do not want the peace of their people, their
comfort and prosperity destroyed, by reason ofa
Spanish whim Of honor"
So Spain, brought to hersenses, has submitted
her cause to England and France. We presume
there will be an end Of the quarrel. SO we
trust all such quarrcls may end. Let the ma