The New York herald., 1870-02-11
Tho Cuban QuostIon-Informntlon Wanted
from General Banks.

from General Banks.
There have been several resolutions sub
miited to the House OF Representatives for the
recognition Of belligerent rights or the inde-
pendence OF Cuba. There have boon several
OF similar character also offered In tn,
Senate. The resolutions in both houses have
been referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs. Knowing the implacable hostility TO
Cuba and pro-Spanish feeling of Mr.. Sumner,
tho chairman of tho Senate committee, there
is little hope of tho Senate resolutions being
acted upon, unless Mr.. Summers colleagues
shonld insist that report be made Blu. we
did expect General Banks, tho chairman Of
tho House committee, would act differently,
and that he would promptly report in favor
OF the Cubans. When Mr.. Fitch, Of Nevada,
offered resolution ten days ago ito grant
belligerent rights to the repablic Of Cuba"
and moved its reference to select committee
OF seven, General Banks had ii referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Of which he is
chairman. Looking at the very decided course
General Banks took in favor OF the Cubans
before he went to Europe, and at his express
sions of sympathy for them and confidence of
their success Immediately after he returned,
We had no doubt that his motion to have Mr..
Fitch's resolution referred to his own commit
toe was for tho purpose of reporting back
promptly and favorably that resolution to the
House. We believed he wished it to take that
course in order that greater weight might be
given to il, that he might take the lead In
question he bad at heart, and that tho Cuban
cause might be better promoted.
1t is matter Of surprise, therefore, that no
action has bcen taken by General Banks and
that he remains silent about Cuba.
Did his trip to Europe have the
effect of weakening his lovc Of re-
publican liberty in America? Has he become
enamored with monarchica] institutions and
despotism? Or has he, since his return to
Washington, fallen in with that little clique Of
Spanish admirers and enemies Of Cuba, Of
which Mr.. Sumner, Secretary Fish and Attor-
ney General Hoar are the head and front?
Has Massachusetts become such an enemy to
freedom and to people heroically struggling
iUA SVtCAuuiout tuut uCACIul DduhS uuTt
not follow the generous impulses Of his nature |?
We should like to know the cause of his
present apathy or Indifference. Perhaps the ad-
ministration, being deluded itself by the false
hope held out by Spain of selling Cuba, has
deceived General Banks and induced him to
check any expression BY Congress. Is the
grave of Cuban liberty and hopes to be in the
Congress of the United States, SO far as the
power Of that body goes? And are Mr.. Fish,
with Mr.. Sumner and his Massachusetts con-
vfreres in Congress and the Cabinet to be the
gravediggers? If SO We may well mourn over
the humiliation that has come to this mighty
republic-to this republic which through all
its history has been the friend and champion
Of people everywhere struggling for freedom
and republican independence. We advise
General Banks to cut loose from that clique of
enemies Of liberty and Cuba, to return to his
first love, and to take bold and independent
course on this Cuban question. He will gain
much more by that. Ii he makes himself the
champion of Cuban Independence he will
touch the popular heart and become more
prominent by that than by anything else he
could do. Now is the time to act and we
hope he will not lose the opportunity.