Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-24
sICKLES AND CUBA-SPAIN AND
THE UNITED STATES.

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sickles in Spain ought to satisfy Grant of
the great mistake he made in appointing
him to an important diplomatic position.
Those who knew Sickles best declared
that he was utterly unfit for the posi-
ton, and his first act after presenting his
credentials has fully verified their opin-
ion. 1t seems to be clear that in pre-
senting the proposition of this govern
ment to mediate between Spain and
Cuba, he exceeded his instructions, and
conveyed by his language the intima
ton that, unless the proposed me-
diation should be accepted, the
recognition of the insurgent Cubans as
beIligerents would be sure to follow. The
iniudicious utterances of Sickles have
produced q wonderful degee of excite
ment in Spain, which has been seized ups
on by the gold gamblers in New York,
and an advance of eight or ten cents in
the price of gold has been the result of
their manipulations Grant FASTENED to
Washington In response to telegram
from Secretary Fish, and on the 22d
inst had long interview with that mem-
Der of his cabinet at the State DEPART
ment. The result of that consultation is
given in a dispatch to the Louisville
COurier-Journal as follows
"A cable telegram was received from
Minister Sickles, from Madrid, announ-
cling that the Spanish Regency had per-
emptorily declined the offer of media-
ton made by the government for the sets
Element Of the revolution in Cuba, by the
cession Of the island to the insurgents by
purchase The President has directed
Secretary Fish to reply by telegraph to
Sickles that this government accepted
the rejection of its Offices as mediator,
and withdrew fully and finally all prop
ositions looking to any future acts on its
part to secure peace in Cuba This ends
the whole matter. This information is
derived from an official source, and TO
it may be added the declaration of a
member of the cabinet, that the admin
istration will not recognize the belliger-
ent rights Of Cuba, but will 90 on in enr
forcing the neutrality laws, awaiting fur
Their developments in Cuba, and handing
the question over to Congress-"
The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Herald wrote on the 18th
instant of Sickles and Cuba as follows
"The tone of the British and Spanish
press ON the Cuban question, as con-
veyed by cable, is not regarded in Off
cih circles here with any alarm. The
London papers seem to misunderstood
the question entirely and the position
which our government occupies towards
Spain. That position has in no mates
rial point changed from what it was
when the Spanish Regency formally &C
cepted the United States as a mediator
for the settlement of the Cuban difficulty
"The note said to have been written
recently by Minister Sickles, and about
which the Spanish press is reported to
be so indignant, was nothing more than
gentle reminder that as the good Offices
Of our government had been accepted by
the belligerents it would like to proceed
to business. 1t contained no threat, but
intimated that circumstances might arise
which would force the United States to
act Independently, and that protracted
delay on the part of Spain was danger
Gus.
'These circumstances have already
been alluded to in my dispatches as the
destruction Of everything on the island
Of Cuba within reach Of the insurgents,
so as to make it untenable FOR the Spans
iar1s. 1t is no secret that if the pending
negotiations fail, this is the policy which
the Cubans have marked out for them
selves. The crops now coming forward
on the plantations, l am informed by
Senior Lemus, will never be gathered
except favorable action should in the
meantime be taken by Spain on the
Sickles' proposition or some other looking
to the independence Of Cuba. Among the
reasons he assigns is that the Cuban plan.
ters firmly believe that as soon as the crops
are gathered, they will be seized and cons
fscated by the Spaniards, and the pro-
ceeds devoted to the support Of the Spans
ish army and navy. The planters argue
that, as they are likely to lose their crops
in any event, they would rather destroy
them than have them contribute to the
support Of their enemies. This action
becoming general on the island would of
course produce condition of affairs
which would demand the interference not
only of the United States, but of other
civilized commercial nations.
"There are still strong hopes entertain
ed by our government that Spain will
eventually accept some proposition which
will secure the Independence Of Cuba and
put an end to the war. 1t is known here
in official circles that Napoleon has adj
yised Prim to sell Cuba for whatever he
can get, bring home the Spanish troops,
and devote the money and troops to sub.
DUNG the CarlistS and other factions in
Spain.
The idea OF auy serious difficulty aris.
ing between Spain and the United States
on account of any contemplated action Of
our government relative TO Cuba is not
thought of in official circles here II lie
not supposed that Spain, with all her traI
ditional pride and obstinaey, would he 40
reckless az TO go TO war with the United
States in her present condition, especially
with the moral certainty of not only losing
Cuba without getting any money for il,
but of getting badly whipped into the
bargain"
Cash FIR Chiffon Seed,