The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-08-11
Seizure of the Spanish Gunboats-Gene-
raj Grant comes out with Vigorous
American policy.

American policy.
Thirty gunboats, the property of the Span
ish government, says the New York Herald,
were seized yesterday by the United States
authorities. Fifteen of these vessels were
at Mystic, Conn.,, and fifteen here. They
were in different stages of construction, but
some were nearly complete, and at least one
was to sail from his port on a bellicose er-
rand on Thursday. 1t is evident, therefore,
that if our government holds neutrality to
be more than a name and does not cnncede
to Spain the right to use our territory as
base of operations against her enemies its
action in regard to these vessels could not
have been longer delayed with safety. For
it would have been impossible in the future
to plead ignorance in regard to these craft,
since from the laying their keels to the pre-
sent time, it has been notorious that they
were war vessels, and it has been repeatedly
published that they were for Spain, though
exactly what use she intended to make OF
them was not so clear Nations, indeed,
seldom explain themselves on such subjects,
the more especially when popular fancy IS
conveniently ready to cover up real pur-
pose by assigning one more obvious
to the general thought 1t is noteworthy
that this seizure was made by the direct or
der of the President to the United States
District Attorney here, and we understand
that the government is SO sure of the ground
upon which it moves that there is no pro-
liability whatever that the ships will be
bonded, or that by any means Of contriv-
ances they will slip through the meshes of
the law and get away at last. Thus, thanks
to the positive attitude OF the President, we
shall not stand before the world as lending
our great naval capabilities to crush our
neighbors in the interest of contemplate
tyranny beyond the Atlantic. Here certainly
we see the President looming up as the rep
resentative of a prime and grand American
idea; for sympathy with the peoples near
us in their struggles is declared in all our
platforms, and even our metropolitan demo-
Gratis are clamorous on this theme
But on what ground is the seizure made?
Will it not complicate eur relations with
Spain, and is it not practically IL concession
of beligerent rights to Cuba ? Such are the
queries that naturally follow the fact Prac-
ticaly this action may lead to good results
with regard to Cuba; but in its origin and
in its legal aspect this step has no relation
to- the contest waged by the Cuban people
1t may be remembered that her war with the
Cubans is not the only one that Spain has
on her hands in this hemisphere. Her war
with Chill and Peru will long be remem-
bcred for that barbarous fact in
its progress--the bombardment of
Valparaiso-in which Spain sent her
naval forces on wanton GRAND of des-
truction that could accomplish no legiti-
mate purpose of war; She has obstinately
persisted in keeping that quarrel open. AL
though she could not send armies thither,
American republics no honorable triumph,
though she could in no event dc more than
repeat the barbarity of the former lombard
ment, she has refused to make peace, and no
other reason can be conceived than the treas
ured purpose to avenge herself for her very
impotency by other acts of Spanish brutali-
hot OF 10 fha otf ;f,,1a no
tween the several allied South American
States of the Pacific on the one hand, and
Spain on the other, and now these allied
States observe that Spain is building a fleet
of war ships in the yards of this country
They hear, Of course, the conclusion to
which the people iump-that these are for
use in Cuba; but their regard for their own
safety requires them to scan things more
narrowly and in view of their own expert
cnce of the treacherous indirection with
which the Spaniard always moves toward
his object. In this position of affairs the
Peruvian Minister has laid before our gov
eminent what reason he has to fear that the
Spanish fleet constructing here is for use
against his government and its allies; and
thus moved by Il nation with which we are
at peace, the government in the observance
of true neutrality, has no option but 10
take efficient action to prevent the sailing
of the ships.
We cannot regret that the first effect of
this action is to establish sort Of moral
equality between Spain and Cuba in our
tribunals Our law has restrained the Gu
bans, and now it restraints SPAIN Nor do
We regret that IL good reason thus appears
for OBTAINING ships that, if the Peruvian
Minister should happen to be mistaken,
might be used with terrible effect against
that fight for freedom in Cuba with which
every man, woman and child in the United
States sympathizes; for, while in obedience
to our duty as neutrals, we have embarrassed
the Cubans in their efforts to use the United
States as an arsenal and recruiting ground,
we should have seen with pain that their
enemy was free to use all our resources
against them. If, indeed, it should finally
appear that our government has even
stretched the point of good will to-
ward Peru, why that is an offence that the
nation will forgive with a rousing three times
three for the man who committed it. Such n
step once taken commits the government to
policy of progress in all its relations
with these Our neighhors. 1t will put us
before the world, whether we will or no, as
the defenders of these feeble ones, and when