The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-08-11
NO. 80.
The Alleged Policy of the United States
500 in Regard to Cuba. ~

The Alleged Policy of the United States
in Regard to Cuba. "
1t is well known thai the government has
Cuban policy, and that all its actions have
been in accordance with it: The Intentions
of the government have hcen kept quiet
however, and its policy has not been dis
closed. The New York Sun, however, pro-
fesses to be fully acquainted with it, and
speaks of it as follows: /
We state what is NO longer secret when we
say that the Administration of President Grant
has opened negotiations with the present govs'
ernment of Spain for the independence OF Cnbas
Gen. Sickles has already presented the subject
to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at Madrid,
and two bulky kilograms have been receive at
Washington in consequence. The proposition
which General Sickles has laid before Marshal
Serrano and his associates is as follows: Y
I. Spain shall recognize the independence Of
Cuba under the government OF Cespedes.
H. Cuba shall pay to Spain an indemnity for
the resignation of the rights hitherto exercised
by the mother country. The amount of this in.
demnity to be specified in the treaty.
Ill. The indemnity, whether fixed at one hun.
dred millions, fifty millions, or twenty. five mil.
lions of dollars, to be in bonds of the Cuban
Government, payable with interest at the expira-
tion of convenient period.
". These bonds to be guaranteed by the Uni-
ted States.
V. An armistice to be proclaimed between the
rio otc md ha 2po oh in Cul,o
ately upon the execution of the treaty. The
island to be evacuated by the Spanish forces as
soon as the treaty is ratified by the representa-
tiycs OF the Cuban people, and the guaranty of
the bonds approved by the Congress Of the Uni
ted States.
vi. If these terms are not at once accepted by
the Spanish Government the United States will
without further delay recognize the indepen-
denccof Cuba. "
Should the above be indeed the policy of
the government we think it will meet with
general disapprobation. 1t is a policy which
will not reflect credit upon its originators,
nor, if carried into effect, honor upon the
nation.
It is thought that SERRANo and the Span
ish government are in favor of the proposi-
tions made by Gen. S1cKLEs.- They need
money and are willing to be bought off from
an undertaking they are fully awarethey
are unable to accomplisl-tbe subjugation
| of Cuba. ....v.. ..,s, ..,, 5.3 FL,
But there are two other parties interested
in the proposed arrangement the Cubans
and the people of the United States. ,,rs.,
Will the Cubans consent to this bargain
Will they consent to pay a large sum of
money to their detested foe, to be allowed
an independence they have already practi-
calIy won 2 Will they agree to an armistice
with the men who have for months been
numbering Cubans in cold blood and COM
mitted atrocities wholly unparalleled in the
history of civilized warfare ? We think
not. The passions of the Cubans are too
fiercely aroused, and their hatred of the
Spaniard is too intense to permit them to
hold any terms with the Spanish govern
ment. ,, s.e. ea
This alone would effectually spoil the
little programme of Secretary FISH; but
there is another interested party yet to
hear from, and that is the people of tho
United States who are to guarantee the
bonds.
The people of the United States have
already guaranteed fully as many bonds as
they can do and stand the consequent taxa
ton Their appetite for bonds has been
satisfied, and they have no wish to indulge
in any more Even were the United States
free from debt, enc hundred millions of dol
lars, would be an amount too large for our
people TO throw away. To do so, when over.
whemed with debt, would be madness. The
debt we owe now will be paid If the
government will do nothing to add to the
burden. If it does, repudiation will surely
follow.
To what end the government proposes to bt
so liberal in aiding the Cubans to buy Cuba il
not explained. 1t looks, however, as if is t.
be bought for the United States Ifso, th,
idea is foolish in the extreme. Ifthe Cuban
are worthy of Independence they will gain
it for themselves. If they wish for anncxa
tion to this country they can easily say 90
We have yet no ground to believe they do
We think it evident that but one of th'
three interested parties will consent to an,
such arrangement as is described by tn
Sun. Hence the project must prove a tail
ure. We hope it will. a1 81 ,s se9