The New York herald., 1869-12-16
Tho Flng Of Dospotism and Blood Flaunting
In Our HarbOr.

Tho Fins Of Dospotism and Blood Flaunting
In Our Harbor.
Never since the United States became free
country have our citizens beheld such humili-
of New York. The flag of Old Spain-of
European despotism-is fauntingly and tri-
umphantly thrown to the breeze in the face Of
our people on board number Of gunboats
that have been built here to make war upon an
American people heroically struggling for
their freedom. These gunboats are simply
bloodhounds, going on terrible, bloody mis-
sion in the service of cruel and tyrannical
European Power and against native-born
American people, who are our near neighbors,
and who, as our own forefathers did, have
struck the blow for republican liberty. These
gunboats have been furnished by the United
States and have been let loose by our govern
ment to crush the brave Cubans, to defeat a
people fighting against q worse tyranny than
exists in any other civilized portion of the
globe, to break down the efforts of native-born
Americans to establish republican liberty after
the example and upon the model Of the United
STATES and to perpetuate both white and negro
slavery, under European and monarchical
rule, within sight almost Of this country.
Yes, this bloody flag, on such an atrocious
mission, is faunted in the face of our citizens
OF community that warmly sympathizes with
the Cubans-and that under the egis and pro-
lection Of their own government. 1t is enough
to make every American heart revolt with
indignation and shame, to make us all feel
humiliated at the cowardly position our coun-
try has been placed in.
1t is doubtful if similar case of the triumph
of red tape diplomacy or Of weakness on the
part OF great government can be found in
history. There certainly cannot in the history
of the United States. Every motive Of
humanity, Of self interest, and of high
national policy should have prevented the
release of these gunboats. Yet we see the
government has ignored all these. We see
the astounding anomaly of government
which is born Of the people and deriving all
its power from the popular voice defying
popular sentiment and taking course in direct
hostility to popular will. And this has been
done under the shallow pretext of maintaining
the national honor and the obligations we owe
to Spain. Is there no national honor, then, in
acting impartially toward neighboring and
an American people who have proved them
selves worthy of the status of belligerent
Power? Is there no honor in according equal
privileges and rights to this brave people
with their European enemies? The honor
Of the American republic lies more
in sustaining the cause Of republican freedom
under such circumstances than in this unne-
cessary and overstrained regard for foreign
and an exotic Power. The honor of the Ameri-
can nation is tarnshed, in fact, in thus favor
ing most cruel European despotism in this
hemisphere. There might be some prudence
in such course had the Cubans proved them
selves incapable Of sustaining the war for
liberty; but what excuse can there be when
they have successfully defied the power Of
Spain, and have been steadily gaining ground
for more than a year, even against the forty
thousand Spanish troops which General Prim
and against all the war vessels and other war
resources of the old country? In truth it is
disgraceful to our government and humiliating
to the people that we have not thrown aside
all such puerile pretexts of international
obligations to Spain and have not followed a
broad and comprehensive American policy
with view to secure the independence or
annexation of Cuba, to stop the frightful effu-
sion Of blood and the work Of devastation,
and to reassert the principle of excluding Euro
pean domination from this hemisphere when
ever fair and reasonable opportunity occurs.
In every point Of view, then, the United States
should refuse to aid the enemy Of the Cubans
and should resolve that Cuba must be free.
General Butler on Reconstruction.
The letter in which General Butler replies
IN fha inuif alton of tho aditor Trc,I,,,,o