Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-21
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rhe threatened flibuster

EI4AnDc< 6AAM0s "1
The threatened filibuster move
ment ON Cuba is exciting good
deal of alarm among the friends of
Spain. 1t is reported that the for
eign legations in Washington favor
able to the Spanish government are
very much exercised because Grant
does not issue a proclamation of
neutrality, warning all good citizens
from taking any part in the pro-
posed expedition. The failure TO do
this has caused the friends of Spain
to look upon Grant with suspicion,
1t will perhaps be remembered that
when Gen. Thomas ]. Jordan, who
was Beauregard's chief of staff dn7
ring the war, left Charleston to take
part in the Cuban revolution, it was
stated as coming from him that he
had Grants personal assurance of
sympathy with the movement
This statement excited gooddeal of
surprise atthe time and the fact that
he has taken no steps on the sub
ject, is now regarded as confrma-
ton of the Jordan report. 1t is
true, the commander of the Gulf
squadron has been ordered to keep
a look out for filibuster expeditions,
but he has seen or heard of none,
yet it is announced that an expedi-
ton has already sailed. A WASH
ington dispatch of the 18th inst. to
the Cincinnati Gazette says: Z
kilograms from Savannah lead
friends Of the Cuban revolution here to
believe that General j. B. Steedman has
been successful in landing in Cuba with
a picked force Of men. The expedition
has been in preparation for a number
| of months Steedman himself spent
two weeks in Havana, and during the
latter part of the time was so far under
arrest as to be ordered quietly by the
Captain General to report to him daily.
The first rendezvous of his party
was ON one of the islands near
New Orleans When Admiral Hoif res
ceived his first orders, the headquarters
Of the expedition were changed to o
point on the Florida coast. A blockade
runner, captured from the Rebels in the
late war, was obtained, and the belief is
that nearly a thousand men, well sup
piled with arms and thoroughly accus-
toned to them, have been landed. The
Cuban leaders have been fully acquainted
with Steedman's movements for some
time. Information has been received
that bodies of men are nightly drilling
in New York whose ultimate destination
is Cuba, though they will probably not
leave direct from that city. 1t may be
stated in this connection that the Navy
apartment has Just added FIVE vessels to
the squadron in the South Atlantic, &c
that it now consists of eleven vessels
with an aggregate Of los guns.
| It's very evident from the word
ing Of this dispatch that the move
ments of Gen. Steedman were
known to the government, and that
Admiral Hoff made no effort to
discover the headquarters of the fill
busters. The Washington cores
pondent Of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial says the administration would
not if it could, restrain the sympa-
thies Of our people on behalf of the
struggling insurgents against Span
ish rule. 1t appears to be we'll I'M
derstoOd in Washington that the
sympathies of the administration
are with the insurgents, and that
nothing will be done to prevent the
departure of expeditions for Cuba.
There is a gathering of government
war vessels in the immediate vicin-
ity of Cuba, but these do not ap.
pear to be sent there to prevent the
landing of filibusters. The Secre
tary of the Navy explains that the
concentration of large naval force
in the Cuban waters is for the pro
lection Of American citizens and
their interests. We shall soon hear
of other expeditions sailing for
Cuba, and our naval forces will not
he in their waV