The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-04
Home ana Foreign Policy-Some Light.
r. ,vs troav fsr,at The reportera. we have

ersl GRANT. q. a recent dinner, SAID
Let Reconstruction alone. These minor
"perplerilies soin soon be swallowed up oy
"greater epents, groaosng ont Of the reeogn'-
ton of Cuba and contest ooer the Ala"
"bama claims"
The New York Times, which we may con-
slider as probably more in the confidence OF
General GRANT than any other New lork
journal, states that he has con more than
como occasion lately made some important
declarations in regard to the future poiioy
"of the Government on the subject OF the
Alabama Claims" and it adds: " ne
"does not approve of the Johnson treaty
"no,o before the Senate" BE objects to II
on the ground that it is based on dollars
and cents " and ignores "the grave inter
national and moral questions involved"
The Times continues that I" he will strenu-
ously insist upon the proper settlement" and
England will have to apologize as well as
pay"
Thisis plain talk, and if fair represen-
tation Of General GRANTS position, we
have q stake driven down to which we must
plow!
On the subject of the connection between
the question of our foreign relations and
Cuba and reconstruction the Times has
this version of what General GRANT SAID :;
Reconstruction being practically set
tied. society in the South would soon re-
sumo its old status of good feeling and tel-
lowship, and old Issues would be forgo'ten
in the more absorbing ones Of the ALABAMA
claims, Cuban annexation" &c.
We consider these outgivings more i'm
portant than any which have yet proceeded
from Washington. We observe that contem-
poraneously with their appearance the New
York Herald has an article in which 1T an
ticipates from General GRANT the very
policy which he, if rightly reported, pre-
figures for himself.
England played double part during the
late civil war in this country, and disap-
pointed the South as much as the North.
1t would be no injustice to make her pay
for her duplicity, and the South will have
not scruple or regret on the subject. She
has no love for England. Besides her dou-
BILE game with reference to the war here,
she played double game in the Mexican
project, in which she and France and Spain
were equally pledged. In that scheme,
which was hostile to the power of the
United States, she went just far enough to
inculpate herself morally, and withdrew
lust in time to save herself from the physi-
cal consequences of the enterprise. This
was exactly in correspondence with her dali
lance with the South and her subsequent
recreancy. Both these things are tree
cured up by the Government, and there is
nothing in them which interferes in the
slightest degree with the existence of en-
tire harmony between the people Of the
South and the National Government in
whatever step it may take.
When General GRANT brings forward
Cuba in the same sentence in which he
alludes TO the policy towards England he
shows that his mind is quite up to the
"situation and the present exigency Of
the country. One report attributes to him
the words recognition Of the independence
of Cuba "; another, "Cuban annexation"
They are convertible phrases. The recog-
milton Of Cuban independence is another
name for Cuban annexation. That Is a
necessity long foreseen and on event long
predicted by this paper. That island is
too near us-its products are too valuable
to be allowed longer to remain subject to
the disturbance of revolution and the pa
ralysis of on uncertain future. 1t is also
one Of group Of islands too near us for us
not to own one Of them. Therefore the
commercial, the political, and military ne
cessity demand that we shall annex Cuba
to the United States. General GRANT as q
shrewd military tactician no doubt sees
this. lie sees that Cuba is but malig'
nant ulcer on the side of the United States
which can be gotten rid Of in no other way
than by Selling it. We must have strong
military and naval post in the West Indies
and We must make our supply Of sugar re
liable and cheap.
With such foreign policy as this
which We regard as altogether suited to tn
vastly increased power Of this countr,
and the times in which we live-wha
would be the views and the duty of tru
statesman concerning our domestic affairs
Atonce to restore equality, harmony, ant
contentment at home. This would be tn
true policy at any and all times. But shall
We incur the dangers of foreign wars whil
at home all is strife, ill-will, and disoon
tent9 General GRANT is not the man
surely, to advise such folly as this. Thu
juxtaposition in which he places the for
eign policy Of the country and the question
of reconstruction, shows that he had con-
sidered them together, and that he believed
the former would facilitate the completion
of the latter-thst the important questions
Of foreign differences would "swallow up >
our differences at home. Which we inter
pref to mean that General GRANT will Sc,
that our domestic troubles ara "swallowee
upn in settlement Of them, and We be
lieve upon grounds more liberal than those
laid laid out by the majority of the Con
gress just about to expire.
We would be glad to know that Genera
GRANT has not been misrepresented in thu
words above attributed to him. And while
in all these matters being sufficiently
guarded not to be surprised if what has