The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-04-08
'COEUNfBIz, 81: g.
Thurs lay Morning, Arril 8. 1869.

Thursday Morning, Alril 8. 1869.
Bold National Policy Relative 20 Cuba
The order OF the President 20 Admiral
Hoff, in command of our naval forces q,
Cuba, to protect all American citizens, looks
like business and decided policy The
high-handed outrages on American citizens,
to say nothing of the inhnman atrooities
and uncivilized mode of warfare of the
Spaniards, called for this prompt and de-
clded action of General Grant. But it is to
be hoped our Government will 90 further
than this, and recognize the independence
OF the Cubans. The resolution reported by
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
should be passed by Congress ut once, and
the President should lsose no time in acting
upon it, Our countrymen whose interests
or convenience compel them to reside tenn
porarlly In Cuba. are ut the present moment
placed in the greatest peril, through the
bitter hatred for everything American
which animates the mob of volunteers now
ruling the Government and the island. To
add to their perplexity, diplomatic inter-
course in their behalf is denied to our Con-
snl-General in Havana, and they must either
look for redress in case of wrong to the
tarday action of Government 5000 miles
away from the scene or cling to the action
Of our Government in their behalf. In the
emergency, it is right and just that our
naval commanders should be authorized to
interfere in behalf of our countrymen.
There can be no doubt that the people Of
(Inoo docirS l>0s- ind ,lo
termined to acquire it at any cost. This
much at least has been developed in the
progress of the revolution. That fact alone
should be sufficient to call for the sympathy
and support of the American Government
and people. Then the barbarity of the
Spaniards in the war call for the protest or
interposition of this neighboring republic,
and, indeed, for the protest of the whole
civilized world. But, as contemporary
properly says, there is another important
reason why the United States should take u
bold national policy with regard to Cuba
We have vast interests at stake-a large
trade, and prospectively a much larger
one. and broad American policy to carry
out. The opportunity has come, as far as
regards Cu6a, to apply the Monroe doctrine
of excluding, as far as practicable, European
powers from this continent. What wonld
such man rs Bismarck do in such case?
What would the man who seized and an
nexed the small German States, in carrying
out grand national policy for Prussia, do
under such circumstances? What wonld
Napoleon, England or Russia do? Procnim
the independence of Cuba at once, and, if
desirable, annex it. There would be no
halfway measures or hesitation. What
wonld General Jackson have done-that
brave old American who seized Florida.
when colony Of Spain, on high national
grounds? Let Congress and President
Grant take the same high ground and settle
the question at once. Any halfway mea-
sures of quasi recognition of belligerent
rights may lead to diplomatic complications
with Spain and other European powers.
General Grant has done we'll in his order to
Admiral Hotf. Let us see if he has the stuff
OF Bismarck or General Jackson in him to
go further, and settle at once and forever
the Cnban question.
Dcimnr's Statistics of the Census OF 1868.
When Mr.. Delmar was Director of the
NLzIs-