Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-22
mADRID-CUBA
How SiekIes Lost the Spanish. Mission
-The Acquisition of Territory by
Purchase still II State Department
Hobby.

W
Purchase still State Department
Hobby.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, April lS.-Apropos Of
this Cuban question, some interesting
facts calculated to throw light upon
Secretary Fish's policy have leaked out.
1t seems Fish, though at first opposed
to war with Spain, for the reasons indi>
Gated in former dispatch, has all along
been in favor of the purchase of Cuba.
His idea has been that Cuba could be
bought for good round sum, and that
after all, it would be the cheapest way
Of solving the difficulty. To go to war,
he believed, would be a more expensive
way Of obtaining possession Of Cuba than
to accomplish its purchase by peaceful
negotiation. With this purpose before
him Fish induced President Grant to
throw Sickles overheard and to pick up
Sanford as the man for the Spanish
mission. Grant had promised Madrid
to Sickles, Of that fact there is not the
slightest doubt, but Fish talked the
matter over with Grant and finally got
his endorsement of Sanford. In his arr
gument with the President Fish talked
pretty much in this style: 20. :. :
Mr. President, feel satisfied we can
accomplish the peaceful purchase Of
Cuba but the negotiations must be
conducted with the utmost skill and COOL
est Judgment. Sickeles is able, but he
is quick tempered and impetuous. Under
strong provocation he might spoil all our
negotiations by an untimely display of
anger and disgust at the conduct of some
of the Spanish agents. Sanford on the
other hand, is remarkably cool, shrewd
and wary. know him thoroughly. He
has great business tact and extraordinary
control of his temper. He has also cons
siderable experience already as diplo-
mat. Such man we want to conduct
negotiations for the purchase of Cuba,
and, therefore, ask for Mr.. Sanfords
appointment to Madrid. The acquisition
Of Cuba by purchase, even at what at
first may seem an exorbitant figure,
will prove the most economical manner in
the end. War with Spain, coupled with
England and France, who would be
likely to espouse the cause Of their sister
kingdom, would involve US in vast out
lays and require new and great sacrifices
from our people, who already suffer quite
enough
This is about the substance Of Mr..
Fish's argument, and it proved strong
enough to cause the President to yield,
though he had already pledged in the
most positive manner the Madrid ap~
pointment to Gen.Sickles. Ofcourse give
these facts now not as intended to indicate
the present policy of Mr.. Fish, bnt what
it was before he made up his mind to deal
with the question in accordance with the
popular wish. That Sanford would be a
more skillful person to manipulate a
delicate negotiation than Sickles is not
conceded in we'll informed circles here.
Sanford is generally known here under
the soubriquet Of the sewing machine
diplomat" from the fact that he is
largely interested in contracts for the
manufacture or sale of that very useful
invention, which has superseded
almost entirely manual stitching. He
is not credited with any largeness Of
intellectual power, and as a diploHsa is
only particularly celebrated az success
full dispenser Of good dinners which cap
tVated the gastronomics of foreigners.
This is believed to be a capital way to
overcome aldermen or members Of Cons
gress but to gain great point in diplo-
matte strategy it is not regarded as pres
eisely the thing. People here say that
it was not very successful in the matter
OF the Alabama claims, and that though
it overcome old Reverdy it had not the
slightest effect upon the American eagle.