The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-29
SPIRIT OF Tzn PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
Upon Current Topics Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
FREE CUBA.

The HerdJd attacks the administration for
lacking definite policy as to Cuba, the SIN
for having a bad policy. But if the disclo-
sures reported to have been made by Attor-
ney-General Pierrepont and the averments
of the Irj6uH6S Washington correspondent
are true-and we know no reason for disbe-
heving either-then the administration has a
definite policy, and that policy is the best
which could have been devised
When the World, day after day and week
after week. exposed the impolitic proceedings
of those friends of Cuban independence who
were short-sighted not to perceive that
the United States could never serve their
cause and help them with Spain except by
preserving a spotless record of honest neu-
trality; when the World, day after day and
week after week, followed up the administra-
tion with the facts of violated neutrality
and with the law upon our statute-book,
which the President took an oath to execute,
but did not; when the II0rH recalled to the
attention of the administration the fact of
our obligation, according to international
law, to dealope My and honestly by friendly
nation. though the act of 1918 had never been
passed: when the Wor5d finding its counsels
nnheeded alike by the foolish friends of Cuban
independence and by the administration,
urged upon the latter the issuance of such
proclamation of warning as there was prece-
dent for in the history of the administrations
of the founders of the republic both before
and after that act passed-then, indeed,
this administration might have been justly
charged with an indefinite or a bad policy, or
both.
But when the World disclosed its whole
purpose, and proposed a solution of the situa-
ton which seemed to have none consis-
tent with our own integrity. the honor of
Spain, and the peace of the island; when, in
other words, the IVorld proposed Free Cuba,
Yer freedom purchased 10y herself. conceded
unanimously by Spain, and the purchase
-anteed by the United States; and. after
III" 'ug that to be the only possible outcome
qua as eminently desirable for its own
SNOW ein renewed its peadings with the
40 "'n da not to frustrate all their sacred
SAM, ~ iberty for the island of their
Suo"n SDoa oS Si ation, and again reiterated its
poPco 81, administration that only by
Pa'lIC.lo o. I'd honest enforcement of the
"lli,i;t ll,'Liol i. ~ constellation of republics:
t i ~ torn Stration at last put forth
and when the admin - ~ -" W
the strong arm of the ~ - 10 W.
dicated, ere it was qu 80; e3 b3 '9
honor and its justice iowa S"I eNPoHl-
by preventing the Golcot 'oe " ul''I 80 '1T
tion-then it was no longer Poilo! VI oau
Government with an indefinite WI JuOtSlAeIl
policy It's policy became, in ST. oeneA-
at least though long delayed, j.
cent and sagacious policy. es'1l4a'e
For. indeed, il is only a reasonable nave
of the weight which the United State >pe TO
acquired among the nations OF the glC tnaI
suppose that the scheme which this joL u,
has thus labored. in season and out of seasC
to press upon the Cuban Junta, upon ever
other friend of Cuban independence, upon an
administration politically opposed to us, and
upon a country which, except along the At %,
lantic seaboard, was difficult to impress with =
the facts in the case and the conditions OF IL
success. is, in truth, a scheme which only d
needed to be taken up by their Federal Gov IL
ernment, intrusted to some secret and special Sc
envoy mot of course, to leprous Slckles at r
its broachng and BIRTH, in order at once to c,
satisfy the hearts desire of Cuban patriots
nor yet to wound the proudest pride OF re- IL
generated Spain. s.
For confirmation of our confidence and d
hope, we daily look and pray. That will be IL
proud dav for this republic when, neither il
by conquest nor intrigue, but by magnanl- 81
nifty on the one hand and by justice on the ie
other the destiny of a new State IS founded
and established; and when, in the sight OF all m
nations the curtains that conceal from our SC
gaze the plans of cal nets and the proceed IL
inps of envovs roll away, and she appears OF
stretching forth friendly hand to this far IL
young sister of the seas, and leads her to the b
starry heights of self-government and lnde- Il
pendence. 5
For when Spain consents to listen to the t,
mediation Of the United States, or commits c.
to their fellowship and in their trust hence II
forth the self-sovereignty OF that brl8hteSt C
gem till now retained in the casket OF the f
nation which to the Old World once gave all a t
New it is not possible that interference from h
any hostile quarter would be attempted by f
the monarchies Of one tolerated by the a
republics of the other. Not North Germany 1
will say us nay-she has her own States to j
consolidate and boundaries to guard. Not 7
France-her hands are busy apportionin9 the
concessions to liberty extorted from a t
sovereign whose chief solicitude must !
be to perpetuate an imperilled dynasty. Not
Great Britain-half whose Ireland has crossed
the Atlantic, and which, to appease nation,
is dsestablishing a Church. Not any nor all
of these conjoined, whatever their attempt
might be, were an annexation on foot which
neither Spain might concede nor Cuba now
desire, will undertake to hinder Spain II she
shall follow but halfway in the steps which
France took under the elder Napoleon when
Louisiana, Spain herself when Florida, Rus
sia when Alaska, were added to our continen-
tai possessions, and which Denmark stands IN
with the Danish islands.
Certainly, we do not underrate the dlthcul-
ties which must for months, or years perhaps, |
still hedge about plan so large, work SO |
difficult and yet 50 benefcent, as this which
we have disclosed and developed and pressed.
But they are difficulties of detail. An idea is
only powerful said Emerson, when man is
behind it. Then, when a nation OF thirty
eight millions of freemen is behind 1t, press
ing it on to it's consummation in the fact Of
free Cuba must it not be irresistible!