The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-30
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPICs-o oMPILED EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
GRANTS NEUTRALITY HUMBUG.

'eThe promptness and energy with which tne ad-
minstration has acted towards the Cuban nlousters
Dannot be too highly commended. All the more
praise is due because the duty was IN some respects
nngracious, II not actually unpopular. --Imes'
Whether the movement towards the funda-
mental repeal of our neutral code which was
proposed in the lower house of Congress,
some two wears ago, by Mr.. Banks, the Chair
man of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
passed that body by unanimous vote, and
which was only defeated in the Senate, amid
the confusion of the closing hours of the ses-
sion, by the persistency of Senator Sumner in
demanding that it be referred under the rules
TO an appropriate committee for considera-
tion, was conducive to the future national
welfare of the United States, we do not pro-
pose now to discuss.
II is sufficient for our present purposes that
the enactment is now upon the statute-book,
and one of the laws which General Grant, not
four months ago, made oath that he would
take care was JdSthfuIy executed. Has he
kept his oath
The neutrality law makes it the duty of the
President to secure the punishment of 60ery
citizen of the United States who accepts and
exercises a commission to serve Cespedes in
war against Spain; who hires or enlists in the
United States q soldier to serve under Ces-
pedes; who enlists himself to thus serve; or
who begins, sets on foot, or provides the
means Of any military expedition or enterprise
against Spain. Has Grant executed this law
with ''promptness and energy 2"
The eighth section requires the President,
when he has reason to believe any such enter
prise or expedition exists in the United
States, to employ, if need be, the land or
naval forces, or militia, to prevent their de-
parture. He is clothed by Congress with
every required power to arrest and detain the
expedition which his subordinates well know
has been in notorious existence in this city
for two weeks. Has he exercised the power
thus given? The news reports of the Times
during the period the expedition has been
aggregated and organized in Broadway, Hous-
ton street, and other localities in the neigh
borhood, furnish sufficient answer.
The Washington correspondents of the
Times informed the public at the time that
Grant refused the application of the Spanish
Minister for the issue of proclamation, SINH
lar to those issued on similar occasions from
the days of Washington, warning our people
not to take part in the insurrection. Why
was this?
Did it come from the commitments, made
by Grant previous to his Inauguration, in
respect to combination by which resolu-
tion in favor of the insurgents was to be
rushed through Congress by General Banks,
and which actually got through the lower
house?
Either there was no occasion for the pro-
clamation of warning made by his predeces-
sors in office-Polk, Fillmore, and Pierce
In respect to Mexico, Cuba and Nicaragua,
or else Grant was backward in his duty when
he refused the application of the Spanish
Government.
And yet the Times says
sue S e to d OT an m 4 %Ss
enough for it that it was bound by its own neutrality
law and by the general law Of nations to take no
active part In the conflict and to de6ar its people
sought no excuses for delay, practised no shifts or
subterfuges-went straight to its duty, and did 1t
to-day that faith stands bright and clear before the
werld, not only above reproach but above suspicious
Such adherence to strict duty Is refreshing 1t
ries back to the earlier and better days OF the
public. 1t is just such conduct as Washington and
Madison observed in similar circumstances towards
other nations which gave u.s. while yet in the grstle
matchless honor throughout the world"
Will that journal inform us of single en-
terprise or expedition in favor of Cespedes
and against Spain which the administration
has effectualy prevented /?
Has it not, as Government, sold arms and
munitions of war, knowing they were for Ces-
pedes, in violation of the duties of neutrality
announced in Mr.. Summers speech, which, as
the Times published day or two since, Grant
approvesP
Will the Times produce a single order from
Washington presumed to have the endorse
ment of Grant, which has directed the prompt
and energetic prevention Of the expedition
under Ryan
1t is notorious that the orders or instruc-
lions from Washington relating to the en-
forcement of our neutrality laws were, up to
the arrest of the Junta, confined to the deten-
tion of the Quaker City; and the Times has
again and again said that the inculpatiOn of
Lemus and his associates before the Grand
= Jury and their subsequent arrest were pro-
NOTED by the Spanish Consul in this city. The
Grand Jury ordered bills of Indictment with
out and Independently of any influences from
Washington. In fact, it was everywhere
known the day after the arrest of the Junta
that neither Grant nor his Secretaries were
aware that the movement was on foot. Dis
trict Attorney Pierrepont, when in court, on
the question of allowing the Junta to give
bail, carefully excluded the idea that he had
any instructions from Washington, direct or
indirect. He acted judicially under the
statute and on his own responsibility.
Why is it that the Indictment and arrest of
the members of the Junta and their promi-
nent military agents in this city, together
with requiring them to give bail not to violate
,the neutrality laws second time, produced
UNDERSTANDING influences ON the operations of
the efficient managing persons, and the bus-
ness went on just as before Simply be-
cause they felt Grant was on their side, and
would continue officially to shut his eyes,
and the eyes of all his Secretaries, to their
conduct!
Whatever has been done thus far, within
our knowledge, to enforce the law, has been
done outside of Grants direct intervention;
and whenever that direct intervention has
been needed, as in the matter of alresting and
OBTAINING the recruits of Ryan, which have
been marching and cOuntermarcbinp across