The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-05
srxR1r OF THE PRESS.
r,,,,.,,,I OpinIons of the Leading Journals
NV" yInon Current Topics Compiled Every
Dny for the Evening Telegraph.
CUBA.
From the NJ Y. World.


From the NJ y. World.
II is not generally known in the United
States but it is a fact, that General Prm has
been all along prepared to acquiesce in the
independence of Cuba, so far as the political
power of Spain is concerned, whenever the
latter could be accomplished without undue
offense to the sensibilities of Spaniards in the
Peninsula The plan for the purchase of the
island by the Cubans, with the guarantee of
this country, first developed in the World,
was cordially iadorsed by General Prim; and
we think that when Congress meets and the
facts of the Forbes-Sickles mission are made
public by resolution of Congress, it will be
felt that the general idea which inspired the
propositions, on the part of this country that
followed tender of our good offices to Spain,
and which she accepted with gratitude ought
to have prevailed and borne fruit.
The plan, as put in shape by the World,
was not free from difficulty. What affair of
that magnitude ever was ? We foresaw that
the opponents of the plan in Spain could
well enough deny the existence of any evil
dence that the people of the island wished to
be rid of Spanish control, or if independence
was their desire, that they preferred to have
Cespedes and his party to rule over them and
make contracts and pledges in their behalf
The propriety of obtaining the popular will
of Cuba before handing the island about,
like q box of sugar, to the highest bidder, or
insisting that it be subject to the strongest
foreign arm, is evident. Anybody is equal
to the task of stating and exaggerating that
propriety. But how is the popular will to be
ascertained? Who is to vote Is it to be
universal suffrage of Spaniards, Creoles, Chi
nese, and the six hundred thousand Africans
more or less, bond and free? The recent
Republican Convention of New York pledged
its hearty support to any action on the part
of the Government tending to the final an-
nexation of Cuba, whenever she shall have
achieved her independence and her people
desire such action.
Who are cher people ?"
We appreciated, too, the extreme delcacy
and difficulty of the task of inducing Spain to
deal, in any form of negotiation, with her own
citizens who are in arms against her authority.
1t was natural that Spain should insist that
the Cespedes insurgents first disband, and go
about peaceful pursuits, on promise of full
pardon; and it was equally natural that Ces-
pedes refuse. But even that matter this Gov
ernment ought to have been able to arrange
although we do not fail to recognize how
much the possibility was diminished by want
of power in the executive without Congress
ional aid.
But, after all, we think the negotiation
broke down because of reasons limited at,
rather than explained There was not
unity of action by the persons consti-
TutlQP JQ0 OONCIullOuJ dG NdSuluPJOu.
So far as we can learn, the Government itself
spoke wisely through tha Secretary of State,
MIR. Fish, insall official notes on the subject.
The instructions to Forbes and Sickles We're
we are told, discreet and considerate; but
while the responsible minister of our foreign
affairs was so sagaciously and judiciously
launching the negotiation, in manner to
commend us and our prolfered good Offices to
Spain, Mr.. Sickles and certain members of
no
pursuing very different methods, or, at least,
methods fairly susceptible of an Interpretation
different from those officially announced.
Grant proclaimed, on his travels about the
land, that ''we must have free Cuba" At
least two, if not three, members of
the Cabinet-and one of them known
to be in every way nearer to the
President than any other member-were
equally outspoken, and were giving au-
diences in Washington to representatives
of the Cespedes pretension in Cuba. Just
then, and while the negotiation in Madrid
was in the crisis of it's fate, came news of
Grants order to seize the Spanish gunboats,
an act which could Just as we'll have been
postponed two months. All this was ex-
tremely unfortunate for free Cuba. 1t was
caught up, of course, and quickly transmitted
to Spain. The enemies in Madrid of the plan
proposed were able to say that the Washing
ton Government was really in alliance with the
insurgents, and hostile to Spain, and that the
purport of our good offices was but reflex
of the demands Of Cespedes. Hence the late
expression Of public feeling in the PENN
sula in respect to us and Cuba AS to
Sickles recent note, we fancy there is much
exaggeration as to its tone; but enough has
been said and done in Madrid, in consequence
of what it contained, or was supposed to con-
tain, to show pretty clearly the condition of
the public mind there as to our interference
or threats of interference, in Cuba.
The cause of free Cuba has earnest friends
in Spain, and it should be our object TO
strengthen them against their enemies at
home. 1t is too late now to stop the rein
forcements which have been ordered The
work Of death must, with cool weather, be
resumed. 1t was sending these reinforce
ments the World hoped to prevent Spain
has right to a reasonable time and oppor-
tunity to reduce her insurgents to objection.
Thirty thousand fresh troops may accomplish
the result. But if they do not, aud in one
year from now the result be as it is to-day,
our hope is that this Government will keep
itself in condition of such honest neutrality
that when it moves again it may move with
better results.
PACKERS OPINIONS.
From The N. Y Tribune