The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-30
Tie Arrest Of the Cuban minister.

| The Arrest of the Cuban Minister.
| The country has learned, with surprise
md Indignation. of the arrest Of the Cuban
Minister to this country Don Jose Marales
| Lemus- together with several members of
the Junta, in New York. The pretext for
their arrest was alleged violation of tile neu-
traIitJ laws, by attempting to organize a
1 military expedition againsta portion Of the
Spanish dominion. Two of tile members
| of the Junta were thrown into prison The
| whole party were allowed to go free by
| giving bail Of five Thousand dollars each
To stand trial, and twenty five hundred dol
lars each to keep the peace towards Spain.
1'hA By whose authority this action was per-
formedisn not definitely known, but everything
leads to the belief that it was done by order
of Secretary Fish. We understand that he
| denies that any orders have been issued by
the State Department for the arrestof these
I gentlemen. But it is evident that if the
idea did not come directly from Secretary
| Fish, it came from some high government
office. Perhaps the Attorney General was
the person who issued the order 'i&ff
+ At all events, in view of the large majori-
ty by which Congress passed the resolution
in favor of Cuban independence, the action
| of the United States authorities in New
York demands an explanation. The senti-
ment of the American people is known to
be in favor Of Cuba, and aproper regard for
theirwishes should have pre-, ented the issu-
ing of this order am adi Rou;i ,EgullH
ni 1t has always been heupolicy of Ameri-
cans to recognize as belligerents that people
who, in contcsting for freedom, have proved
themselves able to so maintain their cause
as to justify their claim to belligerent rights.
The warm sympathy of our government
with the Greek rebellion of 1926, was freely
responded to by our entire people The
ldpeople now syupathize with Cuba, whose
people are a9unitin their desire to throw off
the Spanish yoke. Why, then, does not the
government, at least, accord belligerent
| rights to the Cubans, and allow to them the
same privilege that it accords the Span
iarls? Everything that can be learned of
the Cuban rebellion, indicates its ultimate
success The so-called Spanish government
of Cuba is in the hands of a bloodthirsty
and degraded mob, whose lawlessness and
ferocity have brought upon them the disap-
probation of the civilized world. The revo.
lutionists are composed OF the worth and
Intelligence of the island. Why, then,
should we allow the patriots to be at the
mercy of the rufianly Spanish soidiery,
when the recognition of their rights as bel
ligerents would give the protection of the
rules of civilized warfare? =
Two nations-Chili and Peru-have
already recognized the independence of Gu
ba They were not afraid to aid a republic
in its attempt to defend itself from the at
tacks OF a. monarchy, while the United
States, twenty times more powerful than
they, stands tlmidly aloof and witnesses the
heroic struggles of the newborn republic
without even giving it the aid of expressed
sympathy. The monarchy is allowed to fit
out vessels of war in our ports, and is per-
rmittcd to luy arms and munitions of war,
while the Republic is denied these privi-
leges, and any attempt at private aid is pun
ished.
The people do not understand this
strange course of the government, nor do
they wish to- Ifthe government is afraid
p IF fjustifying the action of certain powers
: during our late war, 1t has onlyto remember
3 how entirely different is this case from any
preceding one. Let the government, if il
Will not aid the Cubans, refrain, from dis
tressing them, Let it treat Spaniards and
-Cubans alike. Its lat G action will arouse
the indignation of every true American, fol
our people have no desire to see our gov
ernment officers made the tools to aid Euro
pean monarchies in expressing American
Republics. We hope that all proceedings
against the Cubans in, New, York will be
at once discontinued. and that the ordel
may be declared unauthorized. The gov
ernment should remember the principles tc
which it is pledged, and carry out the wish
es of the American people. We have con
tidence that it will do SO, and only wish
that its action may be immediate, >, ave5
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