Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-09

Ihcre eoOHl5 W NC u SITOnB proD"
ability that our government will
yet get into a row with Spain, or
rather with the Spanish authorities
in Cuba, which win be made a. pre-
text for Selling that island. Itap-
pears to be perfectly well under
stood that Gen. Grant is more than
anxious to annex Cuba to the Uni
ted States, and that he looks for
ward to this event as a distinguish
ing feature of his administration,
Ii is well known that a number of
citizens Of the United States, either
native or naturalised, have been ar
rested by the Cuban authorities
upon one pretext or another. The
friends of these parties have repre-
scented the facts of their arrest and
Imprisonment to the Presidet, and
he has assured them that the gov
eminent would at once take effect
i've measures to protect citizens OF
the United States in Cuba. There
are some very significant move
ments of both the navy and army
taking place with reference to Ca-
ba, and we shall not be surprised
if these movements eventuate
in the seizure of that is
land to be held until am
pie separation is made to these i'm
prisoned citizens. For instance,
Gen. Stoneman, who is in Wash
ington, is preparing to embark with
his regiment (the twelfth Infantry
for Key West, the destination of
the regiment having been changed
from California. 1t is thought in
Washington that the sending of this
regiment to Key West is only pre-
liminary movement, and that its
real destination is the squadron of
Admiral Hoff, the flag ship ofwhich
is now in the vicinity of Havana.
This belief is stronghold by the
fact that Chaplain Kane, Of the flag
ship, has been ordered to his vessel,
bearing highly important dispatches
from the government to Admiral
Hoff. 1t is understood that these
dispatches have reference to the
American prisoners in Cuba, and
that a demand for their release
will follow from the Admiral. A
refusal to comply with this demand
will of course result in the bonn
bardment and reduction of Havana
and the garrisoning of the place
with United States troops This
step would be followed up by others,
and the assistance thus rendered
would give the insurgents the vic
tory. Annexation would then most
likely follow. A Washington dis
patch to the Cincinnati Commercial
dated the 9th inst, throws some
light on this subject
"Cuban affairs continue to occupy
much attention here, andare the subject
Of discussion in congressional commit
tees, in the departments, and by mem.
bers of the cabinet. There is a wide
spread sympathy manifested toward the
insurgents inthis struggle, not only by
the officers of the government, but among
private citizens and persons who are
emDqEaFFE sP0 6 hsrs 56 i
subject, and in the treatment extended
to the representatives Of the insurrec-
tionary forces who are now in the
city. 1t is said the subject
was considered in the cabinet meeting
to-day, which lasted three hours. The
latest news bearing on the question wa:
communicated in q dispatch to the Navy
Department to-day from Admiral Hoff
commanding the North Atlantic squad
ron, in which the Department is advised
that expeditions in aid of the revolution
being fitted out at various points in thu
United States, especially on the Missis
sippi, and that he has dispatched orders
to the commander of the steamer Mar
ragansett at the mouth Of the Mississippi
to keep sharp look out for expedition
and to seize all crafts destined for Cub
with warlike intentions"
The drift of sentiment among
government officials and congress
men is in favor of the insurgents
but being at peace with the govern
ment of Spain, we must make a
least show Of preventing expedi
tons fitting out in the United Statei
to aid the Cuban insurgents. TIL
policy of the Grant administration
with regard to Cuba will probably
be very fully developed in a few
days. In the mean time, it look
as if our government was preparing
to pounce upon that island.
/