New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-20
DON OUIYOTE.


Tho man who created the Knight OF La
Mapcha. and that other genius who gave to the
world CAPTAIN Bobadil, understood Spanish
character well. The whirl OF nina whlch ID
said to have caught up the good people OF MA
drid ON hearing that Gen. Sickles had offered the
mediation of the United States, reminds US Oh
what happened to the dear old knight When lie
charged upon a windmill. Something IKE q
vertigo has turned the head of Mother Spain'
and made her believe that Spanish honor Is
involved in keeping open this maelstrom OF the
Cuban question, and throwing into it ships ana
ornaments. money and men. The worst OF 1t
ia that nobody has good word to say for the
land of Prim and the Cid, and that while men
are busy proppng'up a throne and fabricatlng
a King for her. not soul can venture u
assure us of her peace or her integrity.
Lamentable is the fate of a country whose
national humor has so much blood In 1t, ana
whose serious moods are instanced Ill the as
sassinations of Cadiz and Havana. Old ana
cautious observers of Spain are only enabled 10
say that il BourbOnism was bad, the Regency
, is inluentially no better; that, as ever the
Madrid ministry is uncertain of its mind, and
that Spain, though her best are at
her head, is in want OF great men.
The story is an old one-that of chaos, we fecr,
with titlep page; anarchy, qualified by the dawn
ing sincerity that followed the September revo-
luton, and by the formidable menace OF the
loss of Cuba. In short, we have in Spain the
elements of disintegration only half governed
and kept together by Regency built upon the
shifting sands of a revolution, and unfortunate
enough not to know. until too late, that pos
sessions are not to be preserved by passions,
but by principles.
Cuba is not 10 be conquered by frenzy. IL
bafiled now, she would only plot 10 rise again.
IL Spain chooses to make herself warm in such
a phnnixs nest as this, she is welcome. 1t
will be her own body that will be burned. her
own means that will be consumed, her own
lives that will pay the forfeit for her terrible
freak of lunacy. AT time when England
stands ready to give a matronly benedicuon
TO her colonies should they decide to leave her
household and erect establishments OF their own,
Spain with n bloody mind is bent upon repeating
performance of the middle ages, when con
ouerors became murderers because they were
stupid in the first place, aud avariclous IN the
second. The fierce exclamation which has gone
forth from the press OF Madrid Mt word oil
our Minister addressed in behalf of common
sense, has, no doubt, decided the hestating and
not entirely incorrigible Government of Prim
and Serrano upon making the demOnstra'
ton of vessels and troops which Admiral
Topete is to command, and which are now,
according to report, to sail for Cuba. The
demonstration, if it be not much more, may
be rated ut its worth in the light of future
events II il mean crusade as earnest on
the part of the Government as the people OF
Spain are blind and mad upon this subject of
Cuba. we doubt not it will be q fair represen-
tation of a people who, however cruel and
however ignorant, can be ferociously patriotic.
Gen. Cabalero de Rodas may find fault with
this highly tempered compliment, as he has
with some other not fattering remarks OF this
journal upon his policy and administration.
But we have to refer him to the butchery OF
Cadiz and to his words favoring the sternest
application Of what is known as the stamping
out process to the Republicans of Spain.
Foreign opinion Is discussing the possibilities
of war between Spain and the United States
upon what pretextf Not the conduct OF America
as respects her international obligations, for,
though at variance with Spain in her torture OF
Cuba, We have felt bound to maintain our neu-
trality with circumspection that nations have
seldom used and which, upon the whole, has
told rather to the disadvantage OF Cuba thar
of Spain. Not to the note of Gen. Sickles, for
he disclaims and 80 do the Washington
authorities anything moro than an offer OF
friendly mediation. What thenf We presume
that the latest temper of the Spanish people
is due primarily to their ignorance OF
the spelling book and the map. by far tho
most of them know not how to read and write,
and it is in obedience to their unlettered pas
sions that the Regency is apparently wreaking
itself upon last effort to retain province.
How can the Galatians and Vascongadas know
that the United States is q great country, and
that Spain is almost bankrupt, and Cuba al
most ruinf All this we might feel provoked
to teach them, but not till after long suffering.
Prince Frederick of Hohenzollern Hechingen
is dead and with him dies the name of the