The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-05
rFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

Cuban Republic, called on the President and
several members of the Cabinet and suggested
that the United States Government offer its
services of mediation to Spain on a basis of
settlement that Spain cede to the Cuban revo-
lutionists, or their organized government, the
island of Cuba for thirty millions of dollars in
coin, this government to support its offer Of
mediation by representing that the revolution
seemed formidable, that protracted war
would be q greater loss to Spain than the sale
of the island that public sentiment in this
country might compel the United States to re-
cognize the independence of the island, &c.
This was taken into consideration and dis
cussed in Cabinet, and an offer drawn up
somewhat on the above plan. On July I'd
Secretary Fish went over to New York with
the official documents, where lie met and con-
ferred with Minister Sickles, whom he hastered
to Europe week sooner than he intended.
The week after Sickles arrived in Madrid he
submitted the proposed mediation to Regent
Serrano The proposition was received rather
favorably, but held for action.
In the meantime the Washington newsmon-
gers got wind of the matter and published
enough to put the Spanish Minister here-than
whom keener official does not exist-on the
lookout. He obtained sufficient facts to show
that the mediation was not spontaneous Of
fer of the United States Government, but was
merely the reflection of q suggestion made by
the representative here of the Cuban Junta.
This was enough. The Madrid officials hesi-
tated at once, and, doubtless, thought that the
scheme came from the Cuban rebels who
could not hold out any longer and had resort
ed to this plan to get Cuba by purchase at the
last moment-the United States to act as sort
of an endorser Of the proposed bargain.
About the middle of August the plan of media
tion was returned to Minister Sickles, with
an amendment In the nature of substitute,
as they say in Congress, which proposed to
suspend hostilities, &C., and allow the people
of Cuba to vote on the question Of indepen-
dence, which Secretary Fish at once declined
to accept The original offer was returned in
a modified form, and its consideration again
asked. 1t is at this point that Minister Sic
kles, toHowing the language Of ccble tele-.
gram from the Secretary Of State. called the
attention of the Spanish officials TO the in
creasing public sentiment in the United States
in favor OF Cuban independence, and that the
administration could not Withstand 1t
always, that il had faithfully executed
its neutrality laws, and would adhere
to them until forced to take another step by
the dictation of higher national duty, &c
Quite likely that Sckles' ignorance Of diplo-
macy permitted him to use the full force Of
this expression to Regent Serrano; but if he
did do 80, or its equivalent, he obeyed IN
structlons, and the fault is really with the
Secretary of State Spain declined the media
ton on this rate, and there the matter rests.
Secretary Fish, week ago Friday, telegraph
ed Sickles q reteration of the motives that
impelled this government to offer mediation,
and instructed him what to do in certain con-
tingences, and renewing the intimidation,
so to speak, about the influence of public
sentiment here on the recognition OF Cuban
independence. Sckles is a bungler at diplo-
macy as well as at everything else; but at the
same time he got the idea Of his offensive
note from the State Department here. Let
Congress call for all of the correspondence in
December and these facts will appear. There
IS, however, nothing likely TO be renewed in
the way of mediation. Spain will listen to
no plan of settlement that does not first re-
quire the Cubans to lay down their arms, and
the administration of President Grant has not
the slightest intention Of recognizing the
belligerency of the Cubans. The Spanish Min
lister, on the other hand, says that in two
months there will be no Cuban rebellion for
anybody to recognize.
There is a class of so-called political econo-
mists about the Treasury Department who are
constantly struggling for notoriety. If they
cannot devise something new they revive
something old, and in this way the recent story
of again taxing cotton got afloat The COM
missioner of Internal Revenue, unless he
changes his mind before Congress meets, will
recommend that tax of one or two cents per
pound be put on new cotton but Secretary
Boutwell, and Special Commissioner Wells are
both averse to any such tax, and their position
will have the greatest weight. Congress tried
IT, and almost unanimously suspended and
then repealed the old tax. It is reversal Of
the great law of taxation-that of transferring
the tax from the manufactured article to the
product of the earth. 1t would be just as alb
surd to tax the tobacco leaf after it is plucked
as to tax cotton in the bale. If the treasury
must bleed the South for more revenue, let it
be patient and it will come through legitimate
channels, to be created by the use of capital
obtained from the sale of an untaxed cotton
crop, and in way, too, that the burden Will
not be so severely felt.
Journalism always multiplies in Washington.
As soon Us one paper dies two new ones start.
up. The Express suspended two weeks ago,
after losing for its various owners about fifty
thousand dollars, but the Morning News at
once appeared as new journal, and the old
Intelligencer was issued from the material Of
the defunct Express. The Intelligencer Is
edited by L. Q. Washington, one of its former
editors, but otherwise none Of its present al
taches had anything to do with the old issue.
The new proprietors, in their issue OF yester-
day, seem anxious to have this known, and
they plainly intimate that 1.-The scent Of the
roses" hanging around the old firm of Snow,
Coyle e. Co. Injuries them not little. The
Chronicle and Republican are keeping up