The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-19
The Cuban Observation-Disclosures Con
duct of Our Governments.

The Cuban Question-Extrn ordinary Con-
duct of Our Government.
The old saying, that whom the gods would
destroy they first make mad" appears to be
peculiarly applicable to both General Grants
administration and the Spanish government in
their conduct with regard to Cuba. The I'M
necessary and unjustifable arrest of the Cuban
| representative and members of the Cuban Junta
in this city can have no other effect than to
help the cause of independence in Cuba, to swell
the numbers Of sympathzers, to make more
Americans join the patriot army, to arouse a
general feeling of indignation against the
Spanish authorities and Spain, and to create
contempt for our own short-sighted and
pusillanimous government. The act will be
so universally condemned that the Spanish
Minister will have cause to regret it, and the
administration will sink lower than ever In
public estimation.
The Washington correspondents say the
Secretary of State denies having any know
ledge of the matter previous to the arrest.
Did the United States officials here act with
out authority from Washington? Was the
| District Attorney so anxious to serve Spain,
and so ready to be the instrument of the Span
ish Minister, that he did not in such an i'm
| portant matter consult the wishes of the
| government? Have the courts of the United
| States become sort of inquisition, to be used
at the pleasure of foreign representatives for
vindictive purposes and to destroy the boosted
fraa of tba lic To
Whether Mr.. Fish or the Attorney General
took any direct action or not in the arrest of
the Cubans the administration is to blame; for
it is certain the subordinate United States
officials in New York would not have ventured
to act in the matter had they not known it
would be agreeable to the government. They
and the Spanish Minister saw, from the gen.
eral conduct of the Secretary of State relative
to Cuba, that they could pursue this high
handed course with impunity. Indeed,
there is little doubt that they felt
assured Of the appreciation Of the
administration. Nor has anything been
said or done to show that the administration is
not pleased with the arrest of the Cuban
patriots. 1t has no regard for public senti-
ment or for the emphatic voice Of Congress In
favor Of Cuban independence. Weak as 1t
may be in every other respect II has been bold
enough in the case Of Cuba TO defy public
opinion and to act contrary to the expressed
wish OF Congress. The arrest of Mr.. Lemus
and the Cuban Junta Is the natural consequence
Of the weak, un-American and pro- Spanish
policy Of the government. whether ordered bv
the State Department or not.
We said the administration is short-sighted !;
that il does not see the opportunity of carrying
out broad, national and grand American
policy in the case Of Cuba that it is wilfully
blind to the actual state Of affairs In Cuba, and
that II has no comprehension of our present and
future interests in that island and In the whole
group of the Antilles. But, worse than that, IL
is the enemy Of liberty and friendly to the
worst despotism that disgraces the civilized
world. Month after month the Cubans have
been increasing in power, until they are, in
fact, the only respectable organized govern
ment on the island. They have not only
proved themselves strong enough to hold their
| ground, but have been constantly advancing,
increasing in numbers and materials of war,
and are to-day better disciplined and handled