The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-24
Spain, Cuba and tho United States,


The brief telegram from Madrid, published
yesterday. to the effect that preliminaries of a
treaty for tho cession of Cuba to the United
States had been signed, is said to be based
on reliable authority. The statement comes
pretty direct, and is expressed in unequivocal
language, but, to use an old proverb, we fear
it is too good to be true. Yet to make treaty
with the United States for the cession of Cuba
would be the most sensible thing the Spanish
government could do, as well as the easiest
and most profitable way Of settling the Cuban
difficulty. As wise policy, and for the sake
Of humanity and those liberal principles which
the Spanish people themselves appealed to
when they deposed Queen Isabella, 1t ought to
be true. Still, we have more fear Of the pride
and obstinacy Of the Spanish government in
this matter than confidence in its wisdom.
To give up colony which has been so
valuable to Spain, which has been mine of
wealth to Spanish ofice-holders and to that
particular governing class which alone has the
power to cede or give independence to the
island, is not so easy. The Spaniards have
squeezed and tasted the luscious fruit too long
not to have keen appetite for it, and, even
with the prospect that it may turn to ashes in
their mouths they will be as loath to part with
it as the Egyptians of old were to part with
the Israelites or the Southerners their slaves.
That being the case it may be difficult to make
them see the true condition of things in Cuba
or their own interests. They may hope
against hope and cling to their colony till it is
utterly ruined and nothing left but thousands
OF men uselessly slain and the legacy of
costly war. If we may judge from the repre-
sensations, or, rather, gross misrepresenta-
tions, Of the Spanish press and Spanish au-
thorities in Cuba the government at Madrid can
have but little knowledge of the strength and
prospects of the Cuban instruction, and, as a
consequence, may continue to rush blindly on
to useless slaughter till stopped by defeat and
humiliation.
Yet if the present government of Spain
itself the offspring of revolution-would listen
to the voice of reason and the opinion of the
world it would give up Cuba before any more
blood is shed. The leading press of England
and France and of Europe generally see the
difficulty, if not imposslbility, of Cuba being
held as Spanish colony, and advise the
Madrid government to make virtue Of neces-
sity and give freedom to the island, or, what
would be the same thing, 10 cede it to the
United States. Spain may be well assured
that this advice of the European press is MOI
given out of love for the United States OF
desire TO see the power and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT o
this republic increased, but from a conviction
that Cuba at no distant day Is destined To
become free and part Of our American repub
lican system Then it is not possible TO
Spain TO hold Cuba when the voice O
the American people has declared
| shall be free and when the American
government has plainly pointed out III
destiny. The unanimous expression of tn
House of Representatives at Washington II
favor of Cuban independence was in &C
cordance with the sentiment of the America
people Even our slow, timid and shortsghte
Secretary of State has declared thai Spai
cannot hold Cuba. President Grant, it 1
known, cordially sympathizes with the Cuban
and is decided in making the acquisition {
Cuba part Of his policy, Notwithstanding u