The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-04-20
The War CIouh.

perhaps with England. The late out
RACES upon the American flag, commit
ted by the Spanish authorities, in Gu
ban waters, are the pretext in the one
case; the Alabama claims are the pre-
text in the other.
With regard to the first branch
of the case it may be said that
GRANT wants Cub2. His policy
is notoriously one Of territorial
aggrandizement, and his first step in
that direction will probably be the at
tempted acquisition of the "Queen Of
the Antilles" Without appearing to do
anything this Administration has al
ready done much to foment the strife
and encourage the insurrection going on
in that island. The opinion has gained
universal credence that the Admins
tration sympathizes with that move
ment. The Administration has done
nothing to prevent that result. ENJOYS
from the revolutionists have met most
hospitable receptions at Washington;
their recognition has been, to say thc
least, semi-official. The BANKS resolu-
! tion, full of substantial aid for Cuba,
was but the indirect expression of
GRANTS views. Fillibustering move
ments have been allowed to organize
under the very nose of the Govern
ment's officials, but they have been con-
veniently blind and deaf and inactive.
The latest intelligence from New Or
leans speaks sf formidable Cuban
movement now openly on foot in that
city, which the authorities manifest the
most resolute unwillingness to sup
press.
Another expedition of similar charac-
ter, organizing at New York, is said to
have "tbe tacit approval of the United
States authorities" Under these cir
cumstances, the warlike tone of the de-
mand in the LIZZIE MAJOR case, was not
needed to show the existence of war
like sentiment. Tacitly approving tie
efforts of the Cuban incurrectionists,
and shutting his eyes to the movements
for their assistance now going on in the
United States, President GRANT is so
complicating our Spanish relations that
Congress must back him in a war or
incontinently retreat with dishonor.
In the matter of the Alabama claims,
we doubt if peaceful settlement is de.
sired. The magnitude of the demands
precludes the idea of that sort of solu-
tion. When England agrees to make
good not only the actual loss by the
Alabama, but the constructive damage |
involved in the prolongation of the
war for year or two under the opera |!
tion of English sympathy and the trans !
fer of American commerce to foreign |
bottoms through dread of rebel cruisers
when England agrees to indemnify |
such speculative and indefinite injuries |
as these, it will at the close of bloody !
and disastrous war. To adhere to pres.
ent demands, then, means to insist upon
fight.
We are, therefore, not permitted TO
doubt that war with England or Spain,
or both, is at least among the near pos
slbllities. 1t may be worth our while
to reflect upon the immediate con-
sequences of this belligerent business.
In tho first place, it will stave off that
great commercial crisis which every
body is thinking about, aud with so
much dread, that few have the heart to
speak ont. Money by the quantity will
be needed, and the country, as in '6l, |
will be flooded. Manufacturing estab.
lishments, at least such as furnish army
supplies, will be busy and prosperous.
The producers will find ready sale for
their rproducts. Army contractors, as of
old, will be buying almost everything
and paying all sorts of prices. Prices
will be inflated, trade stimulated, times
flush. a few will be growing rich. all
living high.
This Is the bright side of the picture.
On the other we note a gradual increase
OF the national debt. War would GER
tainly double it. The circulating me.
dlum would be vastly increased; bonds
would be multiplied. With the cur
rency watered, and the interest bearing
debt increased, the financial candle
would be lighted at both ends. We
leave out the possibility of national de-
feat, disaster, disgrace. When settle.
ment day came round we would find
ourselves burdened with debt that no
man wonld think ofpaying. The peo-
pie would be for reputation; the pub
Tic creditors for funding and making
the thing perpetual. This Gov.
ernment is not streng enough
to do the latter. The first Con.
gFesS elected after a debt of six
thousand millions was footed up would
sponge 1t out Nothing short of an En-
pre- could prevent that mode of liquida-
uon. The bondholders necessity might
oe GRANTS opportunity. They would
oacN MIN Tor dictatorship to save their
''a'ms' With his grasping, aspiring.
,!tI'O'y remOrseless ambition to urge
MN on, and with all his tried familiars
anu m'Ii'aTy subOrdinates about in high
piaceS to oturnish him material and moral
support Is the possibility of his sub
Tbo Tbi,'Ig the Government a cbimera
GnTo- ne Imgeria'ist with its strong one man
bSffnIient bopSbni5snat as means of saving the
the march, as photographs i; of ,b, mtGe fn,, ol
to which We are driftinr u tue iu'ofe
salt for Chimney.
ofsa,1 ia eGiriaing ma chimney, pat a quantity
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