The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-05
lFRoa OUR own CORRESPONDENT

June, Senor Lemus, the representative Of the
Cuban Republic, called on the President and
several members Of the Cabinet and suggested
that the United States Government offer it's
services Of mediation to Spain on q laSis OF
settlement that Spain cedc to the Cuban rovo-
luitonlsts, or their organized government, the
island of Cuba for thirty millions Of dollars in
coin, this government to support its offer Of
mediation by representing that the revolution
seemed Formidable. tint o Jprotracted war
would be greater loss to Spain than tho sale
of the island, that public sentiment in this
country might compel the United States to re-
cognizc the independence of the island, &c
This was taken into consideration and dis
cusscd in Cabinet, and an offer drawn up
somewhat on the above plan. On July I'd
Secretary Fish Went over to New York with
the Official documents, where he met and con-
ferred with Minister Sickles, whom he hastened
to Europe week sooner than he Intended
Tho week after Sickles arrived in Madrid he
submitted the proposed mediation to Regent
serrano. Tho proposition was received rather
favorably, but held for action
In the meantime the Washington newsmon-
gers got wind of the matter and published
enough to put the Spanish Minister here-than
whom keener official does not exist on the
lockout He obtained sufficient facts to show
thaJ the mediation was not d spontaneons Of
fer Of tho United States Government,s but was
merely the reflection of O sugge made by
the representative here of the Cuban Juhta.
This was enough. The Madrid officials hesi-
tated at once, and, doubtless, thought that the
scheme came from tho Cuban rebels who
couldinot hold out any longer and had resort
ed to tDis plan to get Cubaiby purchase at tnc
last moment- --the United States TO- act as sort
or an endorser Of the proposed bargain.
About,the middle OF August the plan OF media
tion was returnedtto Minister Slckles, with
IN amendment in the nature Of substitute,
as they say In Congress, which proposed to
suspend hostilities, &C., and allow the people
of Cuba to vote on the question: of indepen-
dence, which Secretary Fish at once declined
to accept. Tho original offer was returned In
q modified form, and its consideration again
asked. It is OF this point that Minister Sic
kles, Jollo,oing the language ofsd cable tele-
gram from thdp $ Secretary eE Stdts called the
attention yof the spanistil offiolals TO. the.in-
creaslne naSiia continent In the United States
In favor Of Cuban independence. and and that the
administration could = NOT, Withstand 1t
always, that i5it \ had faithfully executed
its neutrality. laws, and would adhere
to thep antii forced to take another stepi BY
the dlctatIon Of d 'hIghcF national duty, &c.,
Quite likely thai Sickles'! !Jgnorance of; diplo-
macy permitted him to use tho ;nill force Of
this expression to Regent Serrano; but If he
did do SO, OF It's, equivalent, he obeyed In
structions, and the fault is really with the
Secretary Of state. Spain declined the media
ton on this rate, and there the matter rests.
Secretary Fish, q week ago Friday, telegraph
ed Slckles % reiteratoh or the motives that
impelled this government to offer mediation,
and instructed him what to do in certain con-
tlngencies, and renewing the intimidation,
80 to speak, about the influence of public
sentiment here on the recognition of Cuban
independence. Sickles Is b buneler at dtplo-
macy as well as at everything else; but at the
same time he got the idea.of' his offensive
note from the State Department here. Let
Congress call for all Of the correspondence in
December, and these facts win appear. There
is; however, nothing likely TO- be. renewed in
the way Of mediation. Spain will listen, to
no plan Of settlement that. does not flrst, re-
duire tho 'Cpbans to lay down their arms, and
the administration Of President Grant has not
the slightest Intention of recognizing the
belligerenoy Of the Cubans. The Spanish MIN
lister, on the other hand, says that in two
months there will be no Cuban rebellion for
anybody to recognize. s..
There is class of so-called political econo-
mists about the Treasury Department who are
constantly struggling for notoriety. II they
cannot devise something new they revive
something old, and in this way the recent story
of again taxing cotton got a1oat. The Com.
missioner Of Internal Revenue, unless he
changes hisHind before Congress meets, will
| recommend that o tax of one or two cents .per
pound be put on new cotton but Secretary
Boutwell, and Special Commissioner Wells are
both aIerse to any such tax, and their position
will have the greatest weight Congress tried
1t, and almost unanimously suspended and
then repealed the old tax. It Is reversal Of
the great law of taxatlon--that Of: TRANSFERRING
the tax from the manufactured article to the
product of the earth. It would be Just as alb
surd to tat the tobacco leaf after It issplucked
as to tax cotton; in the bale. II the treasury
must bleed the gouth for more revenue, let Il
be patient and It will como through legitimat
channels, to be created by the use Of capita
obtained from the sale OF an untaxed cottor
crop, and In o way, too, that the burden will
not be so severely felt.
journalism always mulHplies In Washington
AS soon as one paper diestvo new ones star
mp. The Express suspended two. weeks ago
after losing for Its yafiouss owners about fifty
thousand dollars, but the Morning News al
once appeared as new Journal, and the OLE
1ntelligencer was Issued from the material O.
thee deflnot Express The Lntelligencer 1,
1 fod hui