The New York herald., 1869-05-14
The Reported Tripartite Alliance and the
Cuban Question.

| Cuban Question.
Whenever the tide of events in Europe or
America runs particularly strong the old idea
that animated the Holy Alliance is sure to crop
out upon the surface, and we hear grand an
nouncements of combination OF Powers
which, by triple alliance, is to control all
action and stop the course of events This
was the scheme of the Holy Alliance origi-
mated at Paris in 1915, and assented to by all
the European dynastes of that day except
England and the Pope of Rome Its ostensi-
BILE object was ''to regulate the States OF
Christendom on principles of Christian amity;"
but its real purpose was to counteract the
spirit of propagandism and revolution which
the birth of the American republic had started
serve existing dynasties which, at the period
when the Holy Alliance scheme was invented,
had just triumphed over the fruits OF the
French revolution and consigned Napoleon to
perpetual imprisonment. --r--
The old scheme received a deadly blow
through that famous declaration of Canning,
which, by preventing the Intervention of the
| allied Powers in behalf of Spain against her
rebellious colonists, called all Spanish-America
into national existence; and the old alliance was
finally buried to rise no more by the French
revolution of 1880. It was when Mr.. Canning
was making his fight with the anti-lberalism
of the original scheme that Mr.. Monroe came
| to his aid with the declaration of the American
principle known as the Monroe doctrine. But
no sooner does any people in Europe or
America move in behalf of freedom than
straightway comes project of new holy, or,
as the modern phrase expresses it, tripartite
alliance, to preserve some existing tyranny.
The most notable recent examples are the cele
brated tripartite treaty proposition which fol-
lowed the Ostend Conference, under which
England, France and the United States were
to guarantee Spain against any development
of the free idea in Cuba, and the alliance
between France, Spain and England, osten-
sibly to collect certain debts of Mexico, but
really to abolish free government there.
As check on revolution in Western Europe
these tripartite alliances are useful things to
the dynasties. They form an organized oppo-
sition to modern political propagandsm, and
at the same time serve each at home as di-
version against local troubles. 1t is a notable
fact in the tone and temper of modern thought
that the people of every nation sympathize
with all rebels except their own. Against this
impulse the moral weight of dynastic alliances
and their concomitant legislation in the shape
of neutrality laws and similar enactments
affords very convenient foil at home. We
may sympathize, but we must respect the
laws and public treaties This is the case
with Spain at this moment. She occupies the
anomalous position of establishing rebeious
government at home and defending the ancient
tyranny in Cuba. It is not principles but
dynastic rights she claims to defend. The
agitation of the tripartite treaty question and
dynastic rights over their own rebels is very
useful foil to the revolutionary government in
Madrid, counteracting as it does the propen-
sty to further revolution which is so strong
among all the political parties in the Spanish
peninsula to-day.
But such combinations can never have any
permanent effect in America. The theory of
firmly rooted in the New World to be checked
or thwarted here by dynastic combinations.
Every attempt of that kind since l776 has not
only failed, but by its failure has weakened
dynastc power in Europe and given new vigor
to the ideas there which are steadily preparing
the impending fall. Our material development
has been so enormous and so rapid, and at the
same time so entirely Independent of European
aid or influence, that we are beginning to exer-
else corresponding counter influence on the
views of cabinets and the schemes of dynasties.
We now form a most important part of that
world outside of Europe which is steadily
belittlng the ancient and venerable idea called
''the balance of power in Europe" We are
uniting the world with the bands of trade and
the ties of material interests China, Japan,
Australia and Russia in Asia are throwing
their commercial interests into the scale, and
the balance of power in the world is the coming
rule of international diplomacy.
A tripartite treaty, therefore, between two
or three of the dynastes Of Western Europe
on the Cuban question is matter of small
importance to us except in one respect. II
shows us that our government should have a
guiding policy. Antiquated politicians may
wait to see what England or France thinks
upon any question before they make up their
minds as to what they will think, but they be-
long to our period Of national babyhood The
coming American statesman will base his ideas
upon American needs. The nation has q
policy enshrined in the popular heart, and it is
the Monroe policy. This is well known in
Europe, and many Of our readers will remem-
Der the excitement caused there BY the con-
gress Of American Ministers at Ostend fifteen
years ago, when it was supposed that the
Cabinet at Washington would accept the con-
clusions of that congress as the cardinal
| .aointa cf American dinlnmacx But the