The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-10-08
GEN. sICKLEs' NOTE TO THE SPANISH
GOVERNMENT.

Gan Occasional Correspondent" OF
the London Times, writing from Madrid
on September 10th, says:
G General Sickles' note Is long docu-
ment, and, though couched in the most
respectful and considerable language, IS
fnli circumstances and appeals which
lions between friendly powers. With
some people there is nothing like PLAIN
speaktng, and the American Govern
ment seems to have Thoughts so OF the |
Standards, for the note is in reality |
dressing such as Spanish pride never
received before. | am not quite sure
that it does not 60 little too far in
this respect, or whether the govern
ment at Washington would have ven
tured a similar note to any other power
hut Spain, which she knows is IN no
position to resent it, considering the
work she has now Oh hand in Cuba, and
the desperate state of public affairs i'll
the Peninsula.
.sGeneral Sickles reminds the Span
ish government of the scrnpulons man
ner in which the government oil the
United States have hitherto observed
the laws of international neutrality,
and of the pains they have taken TO put
| UOWn anu DIGNtlit hiObotN'i ~ -
nroOf of their reluctance to emoarrass
Spain in the effort to retain her ancient
posses son. He argues that II they had
: acted upon recent precedents laid down
1 by some Of the nations of Europe they
, would have recognized the Cuban IN
surgents as belligerents long ago. Tor
the latter hal managed to resist for
: over eleven months all the forces Spain
/ had been able to bring against them to
: reduce them to allegiance, and oveI
' which forces they had gained at times
some considerable successes. he hint:
! at the tact that, with two-thirds of the
r island in the power OF the revolters
-, they ought hardly to be styled rebels oil
. insurgents, but that they ought to be
: looked upon asa people struggling fol
their independence. He alludes to thu
growing force of public opinion in thu
: States in favor OF recognition, an opin
ion the government may find it impos
u sibls to restrain, &c.
= But the most serious part of hi
Is note is his allusion to the manner il
:, which the war is and has for some TIM
Ii past been conducted. He condemns ii
e, Strong language the cruelties and bar
Of bariCies OF the military executions, al
&c WAYS summary, and often without du
enquiry. He tells the Spanish govern
10 ment that the Cubans, even thong
they be in revolt, are brave men stru2
ut Cling for freedom from thirty years {
-, colonial msrule, and their treatmer
, when the fortune OF war throws thei
u into the hands of the government;
forces ought not to be such as to shoe
humanity, but such as befitted the rul
ers of q great country. lie cites Tn
case of American citizens, frequent ii
lg non-combatants, who on mere susp
n elon have been executed, and particu
larly two who were lately shot at Sar
tlago de Cuba without any form OF tri;
ly Whatever. He sugge SITS to the SPANS
a. government that they should not
- hard with brave people, who are onl
trying to do what Spain herself did Q
G. the both of last September, namel.
throw off yoke which had become irl
ca some to her, and for which the Unite
N. States government was the very first
all the other governments to recogni2
Oh the revolution. He speaks of the pa
i'll Aviation of the immense trade of Il
IL island of Cuba, inSwhich there are
80 many A merican interests involved, AL
rs hints at the continuance OF the wa
as with its waste and uesolation, leadin
mt to its complete and utter destruction.
in All these considerations seem to
:; .forcing public opinion in the States
IL the direction of bestowal of 5ellige
VI ent rights on the Cubans which q
I'D government may find themselves un
"a. Bile TO resist. He concludes by teilir
them he speaks frankly ''as soldier
soldiers" and trusts his counsels W
be taken into consideration.