The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-18


the action of Congress. II seemed TO be i'm,
patient to aid the Spaniards and to make war
upon the poor Cubans, and therefore would
not wait few days only to hear what Con-
gress would say. Pretending to defer the
whole question of Cuba to the representatives
of the people, the administration suddenly
released the gunboats before Congress had
time to act and in this manner attempted to
influence Congress- The Government has
really become an ally of Spain against the
Cubans, and has made war upon that brave
people Just as much as if il had sent United
States troops or ships-of-war to crush the
patriots. The shallow pretense Of neutrality
or enforcing the laws will deceive no one;
for we all know that the administration,
which detained the gunboats up to a few days
ago, could have held them, if it wished. for
week or two longer, till Congress could act
in the matter.
The American people will be astounded at
this assumption and treachery of the admins
tration when they have time TO reflect upon
the matter. But when we speak of the ad-
ministration in connection with this subject
we are disposed to except the President,
though he is the head of the Government,
and in measure responsible for the conduct
of the Secretary of State and other members
of the Cabinet. General Grant, we have no
doubt, is the friend of Cuba He has ex-
throughout his whole public career he has
shown the most ardent patriotism, love of
liberty, progressive American IDEAS broad
national views, and the warmest sympathy
for the oppressed We saw this in the case of
Mexico, when he was ready to march an
army to drive out the European intruders to
hberate the Mexicans from foreign imperial
power, and to vindicate the Monroe doctrine
of America for the Americans. Nor do we
hplI nc haor rno opta hoe Oh
But General Grant does not comprehend fully
foreign questions, and, trained in the school
of military discipline, he is disposed to leave
the business of the various departments of
Government to those who have charge of these
departments and who are supposed to under
stand what is best to be done. Hence, in the
case of Cuba, he has relied upon the repre-
sentations of the Secretary of State.
The Secretary who is weak, timid and
incapable man for great affairs beyond the
mere routine of his office, has been influenced,
probably, by Spanish agents, and among
these by his own son-in-law, who, it is re-
ported, receives a fee, or brbe, or whatever
it may be called of forty thousand dollars a
year from Spain. He has been influenced
too, no doubt, by Senator Sumner, the chair
man Of the Committee ON Foreign Affairs in
the Senate, who is the enemy of Cuba, be-
cause, forsooth he imagines that any kind
of their belligerent rights might destroy the
effect of his grand sophomorical speech on
the Alabama claims. There is the best rea-
son to believe that the President has been
influenced indirectly and the Secretary of State
directly IN this manner; for both of them last
summer openly expressed their sympathy for
the Cubans, and the opinion that the time was
approaching when the United States must
recognize the beligerent rights or indepen-
xf (',,1,n I,
for the change that has come over them, be-
cause it is well known and the Spanish Gov
ernment is obliged to confess the fact in
directly, that the instruction in Cuba is
stronger to-day than it has ever been. Gene
raj Prim acknowledged that forty thousand
troops, besides an immense fleet of war
vessels, had been sent to Cuba, and yet there
is the most urgent demand for more. Is this
not sufficient reply to the reiterated false
hoods that there is no war worthy of being
so called, and that the insurrection is losing
ground?
Mr.. Summer stated in his remarks, in reply
to Senator Carpenter, on Wednesday, that he
understood the Cubans had not abolished
slavery, or that their decree to that effect
was only pretext for foreign consumption,
Now, ii is evident that this remark, like the
whole tenor of what he said about the
Cubans, was malicious and contrary to what
he must know was the fact He must know
that in the constitution of the Cuban repub-
lie, article "a, adopted April 10, 1869, it is de-
clared, ''All the inhabitants of the republic of
Cuba are absolutely free and he ought to
| know that the mass of the Cuban people have
| been for long time past desrous of freeing
the slaves; that neither the Cuban Govern
ment nor people wish to see slavery exist, and
that it only exists now on the island where
the Spanish power extends So, too, of Mr..
Summers other garbled and studied misrep-
Iesentations to the effect that the Cubans
have no regular organized or established
government, and that they have not acquired
the status of belligerents. If state of war
does not exist in Cuba, there never was a wal
! in the world.
RHE POLICY OF MAGNANIMITY.
! FTODt the " y. Times.
] ll..4I L. -. Z Z L