The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-10


as In any manner whatever, may co ontrhute tn abst
or encourage the instruction in this proyince irr,
sptcuYe OF thclr point of departure or destination
and after examination of their papers and register
wiz he considered de facto enemies to the Integrity
w % uut ne a1u Treated as pirates in accordance
WIN ,g,, wv hufa VIuihahccS
"the persons who may bo thus captured, Whatever
thcir numbers, shall he immediately shnt
"liavana, March u, 1859. D0MlNG1 DULcE"
While it cannot be disputed that American
citizens who engage in this insurreclion forfeit
the protection of their Government aud NAV he
yu,lIs IeIt 10 such customary penalties as the
Spanish government may infict it is equally
true that II innocent citizens arc punished or
the guilty punished with extreme atro,ity our
government cannot stand still and tamely look
ON. The objections to this decree of the C,n-
tan-General are, first, that il exposes innocent
citizens to be summariy shot at the mere ca
price of excited Spanish naval officers without
any scmblance OF a trial; and secondly, that
even II guilty, they are threatened with punish
ment for different crime from that which they
have committed Persons giving aid to the in
surgents arc not pirates" 1t il an abuse of
language, to call them so, and an
The same epithet was applied by the
British government to the Americans who
aided the Canadian insurgents in the Patriot
|, War; but Mr.. Webster, in his reply to the Bri-
tlsh Minister, demonstrated against such a mis-
application of the word. ''rhe undersigned "
he said, docs not admit the propriety or the
justice of this designation. If citizens of the
United States fitted out, or were engaged in fit
States intended to act against the British Gov
ernment in Canada, they were clearly violating
the laws of their own country, and exposing
thcmselycs to the just consequences which might
be inflicted upon them, if taken within the Bri-
tish dOminions. But Notwithstanding this, they
were certainly not pirates, nor does the under
signed think that it can advance the purpose of
fair and friendly discussion so to denominate
them. Their olfense, whatever it was, had no
analogy to cases of piracy"
The CaptainGeneral of Cuba has made grave
mistake in using this offensive word, and threat
ening to summarily shoot pirates men who
can be called such only by a gross msapplica-
| ton of the term, and who being put to death at
| once without any trial, may be innocent of any
| crime. He needs to be very cautious how he
| carries out SO barbarous threat. Not only is
intrinsic justice against him, but the zeal haste,
or indscretion of his officers is liable to aggra-
| yate every wrong and set the United States in a
| flame. General Dulce ought not only to have
| treated our national dignity with more conside-
| ration, but to have weighed with more care than
| he seems to have done the character of our new
! President-a feeble statesman but an energetic
| soldier, who would be glad of an opportunity to
reawaken the tagging admiration of his cOun-
| trymen by the vigorous prosecution of
| u popular war. The Captain-General could
| perpetrate no greater blunder than by
| giving him an opportunity to win
| new military laures. In war with Spain, we
should, of course be the allies of the insurgents,
| and Cuba would easily be wrenched from the
| Spanish crown forever. The Captain-General
| must not make 1t impossible for moderate, pa
triotic Americans to raise their voices with effect
| in favor of non-intervention and the strict OBJ
| servance of our neutral obligations. Perhaps
| he will not deem it inconsistent with his dignity
to withdraw his ill-judged decree; but he should
| lose no time in giving such instructions to his
officers as will prevent its execution in the spirit
in which it is conceived. His prompt compli-
ance with the request of Admiral Hoff for the free
withdrawal of American citizens from the island,
looks as if he appreciated the Importance OF
| treating with consideration. 1t is to be hoped,
| in the interest of peace, that he will permit no
greater severity against abettors of the insur-
| gents than may be necessary for foiling their
| designs.
We have no complaint to make of the prompt
| precautionary steps taken by President Grant;
| and so long as he confines his measures to the
| simple protection of American citizens, entorc-
ing their obligations of neutrality us well as de-
Tending their rights, he will be cordially sup
ported by thinking men of both political par
ties; but he must not turn ilibuster for the sake
| of getting up a new war; and so long as the
| Cuban authorities do not inlict any wrongs
| upon our citizens, General Grant must not inter
| fere between them and the insurgents. 1t is his
clear duty to prevent tlibustering expeditions
from being fitted out in our ports or leaving ON
shores; and if few should escape in spite o
reasonable vigilance, he owes them no protec-
ton in case of their capture, if they receive only
such severity is.customarily practised in SINH
| lar cases.