The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-07
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IA is perfectly well uudaiS ood that the
smpathies of General Grant are enlisted on
he side of the Cuban insurSents WIN al ,li' ene
Lnaoitv of his naturally stubborn character.
rho law. indeed, requires nun TO prevent
Ibe fitting out of expeditions from our
shores. Int he has taken no active steps, ana
means to take none to repreSs sucn expeol-
tions and punish those who engage IN them
IL is well known that the recent arrests were
NOT in pursuance of his instructions. Inc
fordy, zeal of the local officers was self
nromnted The President cannot reprimand
5benn for attempting to enforce the law; but
he has given them and means to give them,
mo efficient support. 1t is not probable that
Ibe leaders of the expedition will ever be
fried The multitude of the enlisted men are
70 be set free without indictment, without
bail without unpleasant consequences OF any
ajnd 70 deter them from embarking in
new enterprises as soon as new oppor-
funitv is afforded Indeed, the idea of in
dieting and trying a thousand men, one by
one, is impracticable and preposterous. Judi
pial remedies are not adapted to emergencies
in which multitudes of men run into frenzy
and violate the laws. Judicial process cannot
bepin to act until after the otfense has been
rommitted Judicial proceedings are too
slow. too technical, too much embarrassed by
the necessity of dealing with each individual
offender separately, and allowing swarms OF
witnesses to be examined on each side, to
meet cases in which thousands of men rush
into q violation of the laws by common i'm
pulse The fact that General Grant does not
20 beyond judicial proceedings, and that he
does not even set these in notion but merely
refrains from actively obstructing them when
set on foot by subordinate officers without his
Instructions, would of itself prove even if we
BAD no other evidence, that the affected
neutrality of our Government is a sham and
pfarce.
If the President had any sincere intention
10 enforce the neutrality laws, he would long
Jince have issued a proclamation, as has
always been done in similar cases; and if the
mere warning had proved insufficient, he
would have had recourse to the preventive
measures authorized by the act of April 20,
1918 The eighth section of that act is in the
following words:-
''S. In every case in which vessel shall be fitted
out and armed, or attempted to be fitted out and
armed or in which the force of any vessel of war,
cruiser, other armed vessel shall be increased
augmented or in which any military expedition or
enterprise shall be begun set foot, contrary to
the provisions and prohibitions of this act and in
every case of the capture of ship or vessel within
the jurisdiction protection of the United States as
before defined; and in every in which any pro.
cess issuing out of any court of the United States
shall be disObeyed resisted by any person or per-
sons having the custody of vessel OF war; cruiser
or other armed vessel of any foreign prince State
Or OF any colony district or people, or Of any sub
1ecs or citizens of any foreign prince State, of
any colony district or people: in every such case it
or such other person as he shall have empowered
for that purpose to employ such part of the land or
thereof for the purpose of taking possession OF and
OBTAINING any such ship vessel with her prize or
prizes, II any, in order to the execution of the pro-
hbitons and penalties OF this act to the restor
ing the prize or prizes in the which restora-
lion snail nave been adJudged; and also for the pur
pose of preventing the carrying on OF any such ex.
petition or enterprise from the territories or urs-
dCnon OF the United States against the territories
SSoiQny, dstrlct, or people with whom the United
states are at peace"
This section of the neutrality act confers
npon the President ample authority for deal
Ing efficiently with such expeditions; but Pre-
Sident Grant has made no use of this autho-
rty. 1t slumbers as a dead letter in the
statute book. For anything he has done or
is likely to do under it, it might as we'll have
never been enacted The moral support of
the Government is given to the Cuban insur-
gents. With SO much popular feeling as exists
in their favor, and the moral support of the
Government, they will find the means of fit
ting out expeditions from this country, and
the hope of an open recognition will encou-
rage them to hold out, and prolong the con-
test-perhaps until the island is ruined The
diseases incident to the climate are making
havoc of the Spanish troops. The dilatory
tactics adopted by the Cubans, who suffer
much less by sickness, may enable them to
wear out all the forces that can be sent from
Spain.
Both parties to this contest, and the United
States as interested spectators, have com
mon interest in shortening the struggle, an6
permitting the industry and commerce of the
island to be revived. If the insurrection il
TO be crashed, the sooner it is crushed tht
better; if it is to succeed, the sooner it sue
ceeds the better An early decision eithe
way would be better for all parties than tn,
desolatien of the island by sanguinary con
test, continued until its industry and pro
perty are destroyed and it's population re
duced to barbarism and beggary Wit
President Grants known predictions tn
Influence of our Government is likely to b
exerted in such way as to prolong the strug
gle and desoate the island-a result NOR
to be deprecated than any other
Is there no solution of this difficulty whic
would satisfy the honor and save the interest
Df all concerned? Considering the attitud
of our President, the unsettled condition @
Ihe Spanish Government at home, and tn
hopes entertained by the insurgents, we ca
Zee but one solution; and that is, the sale G
Cuba by Spain to the Cubans Spain ha
far better sell the island at fair price tina
conquer it by long and wasteful struggl
which would destroy the value of the posse!
sion. The troops, which are falling victims
the climate, are needed at home to aid in cor
solidating her new institutions She ha
better sell the island while it has value, tina
fight for it till it becomes worthless. On tn
other hand, it would be more for the advantag
of the Cubans to purchase it while it has
value than to win it by protracted strue
gle, from the effects of which it might II
ouire years, and perhaps generations, to n
cover They could afford TO start with a deb
if they could have the island before it
..,,,oo,o5 and laid xUagta nv Uar ffQ WOOda