The Van Buren press., 1869-05-18
International Obligations.

not lntenu 10 Interfere Will tSpto'l'oHS
fitted out with view to assist the Cuban
insurrectionists. All that Is required is
that the thing shall not be carried on too
openly. The parties may do as they please
provided they do not confess too much
The departure no vessel, whether she be
loaded with arms or not, will he prevent
ed, provided her apparent destination, is
not Cuba.
The Chicago Tribune lays down the
law of the case to conform with the prac-
tice Announcing that vessel has sail
ed from New York with two hundred
men and cargo of rifles, field-pieces,
shot and shell, intended for Cuba, to join
the insurgent forces, that journal reasons
with more thar Judicial GOODNESS, as fol
lows: .raG st.1. I L
"These men have the right to expatri-
ate themselves and have the right to go
to any other country and unite actively
in any revolution, or to uphold any gov
ernment they may find; but they do so
as private individuals, and upon their
personal responsibility. The entrance or
the fitting out, within the limits of the
United States, Of any expedition against
foreign country, with which we are at
peace, is a violation of our laws; it is an
unlawful enterprise, and those engaged
in it cannot claim the protection Of the
United States against such penalties as
may attach to their proceedings under
the laws Of the country they propose to
invade. 1t is well that those Of our peo-
pie who propose to take an active part in
the Cuban revolution should fully under
stand this matter, and calculate, before it
is too late, the almost certain conse-
quences Of failure" .1Fli...
"The entrance or the fitting out, with
in the limits Of the. United States" says
the Tribune, " of any expedition against
foreign country is violation Of our
laws J" but what is the penalty for such
violation Simply, according to the
Tribune, that, if the parties happen to gel
caught by the authorities of such foreign
country, the United States will not inter
fere for their protection.
In this, in reality, all \? Has the United
States no duty to perform, no respect tc
nations with which it is at peace, but tC
withhold its protection from such Of it:
citizens as fit out expeditions in its ports
for the purpose Of invasion when they
are captured by the forces Of such natior
.fagrante delicto. r.s. .... ....
If we are not greatly mistaken, th'
Government of the United States il
prosecuting claim against Great Britain
upon very different predicates from these
Expeditions, it is said, were fitted out il
English ports to carry on war against tn
U. S.; and for all the public and priv
ate, all the direct and incidental damag
done by these expeditions, we are seekin:
to hold the British government and na
ton responsible
Vt is true that before it closes. the Tr,
bune seems to have caught intellectua
light from another quarter, and suggest
that "the Government owes duty t
the country as well as to Spain, to TAX
all proper precautions to prevent the vic
lation of our laws, and of the laws Of na
tons by the fitting out, in this country c
armed expeditions to Cuba" and tha
"we must practise the same law toward
Spain that we demand shall be compile
with by England" But how is this CON
patible with its doctrine quoted above
Taken together its teachings amount jus
to this: We must look very just, but W
may be very insincerc. With the mos
excellent sentiments, we way permit tn
most atrocious acts. For the sake Of on
controversy with Great Britain, our prt
tences must be of the most virtuous d.
scription for the sake of our appetite fo
territorial extention, philanthropic mis-
chief, and party supremacy, our doing
may be of the most fragrant character
: In short, our role is that Of the Tartutf'
the Pecksnif the Amanidab Sleek Of tn
nations. ... .n.i ..sf
The Cincinnati Garats charges the En-
qu,rer with having said that "America
impudence is the only ground for tn
Alabama claims 2" Well what else is it
Indeed, only few days ago, the Gazctt
admitted the same thing mquiring wha
right We have to proceed against Greo
Britain for doing in our case what we ar
deing in that of Spain. If the action o
! Great Britain was precipitate, ours is fla
grantly wrong. The Confederacy had
government complete in all its function
and in full possession of a vast territory
the insurrectionists of Cuba are littl,
more than a parcel Of lurking bands
The British Government did the thins
openly: proclaimed its neutrality an(
acted accordingly; the Government o
the United States evadcs the question o.
billigerency, and under the guisc Of
friendship, does the acts Of an enemy
81. Louis Republican. ..
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