The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-17
GENERAL sICKLRs.


5asns,obas in soma of our oontem poraries in
reference to the relations OF General Sickles
towards the President, and deny upon autho-
ritv the statement that there has been any
misunderstanding. All the interviews be-
tween General sickles and President Grant
have been especially friendly aud cordial.
We understand tha: the President took an
aarIv oocasion after his Inauguration, to ten
der to General Sokles various public employ
ments He was offered command In one OF
the Southern States, which he declined; and
the mission to Mexico, which, for domestic
reasons, he was compelled also to decline.
He was asked to accept the mission to Spain.
The President has recognized in General
Sickles q man Of more than ordinary gifts,
with brilliant record during the war, and
selfsacrifcing in his devotion to the Republi-
can party. Few men have been 80 strongly
tempted. When President Johnson meditated
his detection from the party which made him
President, General Sickles was among the men
he especially sought to seduce. He named him
to a prominent foreign mission. He rendered
him the Collectorship of the Port of New
York, and we believe II was understood that
he might have succeeded Mr.. Stanton as Secre-
tary of War. He was sent into the Carolinas
at a critical time in the work of reconstruction.
II he had carried out the spirit of Mr.. John
sons policy he might have paralyzed the
loyal element in those States, and delayed,
If not destroyed, their rehabilitation. No
General was more patient, earnest, and liberal
in his policy both towards the blacks and the
whites. While with one hand he secured
freedom to the oppressed, with the
other he showed justice and magnanimity to
the dominant Rebel party. His administrs-
ton was brilliant and successful. He brought
the Carolinas into proper relations with the
Government. No States have been more thor
oughly reconstructed. He was stricken down
on the eve Of the completion Of the work, be-
hnH Hofxx nnI IL,
President. Coming back to the Northern
States, he gave his time and intellect to the
consolidation Of the Republican party on the
basis Of universal suffrage, and especially to
the nomination of General Grant as the caudi-
date of that party. He was among the earliest
supporters of General Grant for the Presiden-
tial nomination.
Because of this record, General Sickles is
now made target for the virulent abuse of
the enemies of freedom. He leaves the army;
he takes no public office; he returns to civil
life. Those who attacked him when he was a
leader in the party of justice, now attack him
rs q private citizen. We regret to lose his
oounsels and his efforts at this time. There
are few men SO gifted now in pu bic employ
ment. The assaults made upon him will be
regarded by his fellow-countrymen as the idle
wind which passes by. General Sickles be-
longs to history. The nation which he has
served 80 we'll will surround him in his re-
ts
SPANISH oUTRAGEs ON THE AMERICAN
FLAG.
From the NJ Y. Herald.
We can find but one explanation for the
notoriOusly unwarranted proceedings of the
Spanish cruisers in the peighboring waters Of
the island Of Cuba. The seizure of the
American brig Mary Lowell, while lying at
Ragged Island in charge of the English GUS
toms officers; the landing of an armed force
on the British territory of Stirrup Key in
pursuit of the crew of the steamer Comandi-
tsriO; the capture of the British schooner JEFF
Davis while at sea, and the shooting of two
of her passengers; the sezing of two passen-
gers on board the American schooner Lizzie
Major, while many leagues from shore, and
taking them as prisoners to Csibsrien, per-
hsps to be executed without trial; and the
final decision of the Spanish Admiralty Court
in Havanathat the brig Mary Lowell is legal
prize, are all such fsgrant violations of the
law of nations that they can have but one in
depreciation, and that is that they are parts Of
q meditated design, the object of which has
not been made apparent.
The Spanish naval officers are, in general,
well-eduoated men, and are far from being so
ignorant Of military and naval law as the
commission Of these acts would seem to indi-
cate. But even II those holding subordinate
grades are not versed in international law,
and apt in the use of its dusty tomes but in
the organization of the military and naval
bureaus in Cuba ample provision is made for
the constant Intervention OF competent legal
skill in their proceedings. The plea of igno.
rance Is therefore inadmissible, and some
other reason for these fragrant outrages must
be found. To our mind this exists in the
conviction on the part OF the Spanish autho.
rites that they are incompetent to put down
the existing revolution in Cuba, and that the
best solution for their difficulties is to 30 com.
plicate the matter with neighboring powers
as to bring forcible intervention, and thus
save the honor Of Spain. 1t would be dis.
honor to be whipped by Cuba unsided; but tc
give up Cuba under a complicated pressure
from the United States and England would
not incur that stigma, and would leave oper
the claim for remuneration, as intimated re-
GENTLY by our Madrid correspondent
But whatever may be the motive of th'
Spanish officers in committing these outrages
the safety and integrity OF the American flaI
upon the high seas and in the ports OF
friendly nation must be secured. Mr.. Fisl
may entertain grave fears that course O
proper selfrespect on our part will involve u
in unpleasant relations with Eugland, France
and Spain; but the American people entertai
no such tremors. They, on the other hand
have q pretty thorough conviction that 1t
time our Government did something effsotiv
towards making the Stars and Stripes sal
flag upon the ocean, as 1t was In the days
yore. No principles OF maritime law are MOI
clear or more universally admitted than thi
OF the national jurisdiction extending to Il
distance Of one marine league from the shor
and that when ship is at sea beyond Il