Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-06-25

arce against Spain, and still leads them
to endure the dangers and privatons Of
the roaming life of guerrilla. On the
other side the contest has been conduct
ed and is still carried on with lamentable
disregard Of human life and the usages
aud practicrs which modern civilization
has prescribed in mitigation of the ne
cessary horrors of war. The torch Of the
Spaniard and Cuban are alike busy in
carrying devastation over fertile regions.
Murdcrous and revrngciul decrecs are is
sued and executed by both parties. Count
NaImaseda and Col. Bott, on the part of
Spain, have each startled humanity and
aroused the indignation of the civilized
world by the execution each of score
of prisoners ut n time, while Gen. Quese-
da, the Cuban chief, cody and with APP
parent unconsciousncss ofaught else than
proper act, has admitted the slaughter
by his own deliberate order on one day
of upwards of six hundred and fifty pris-
oncrs of war. A summary trial, with
few, if any, escapes from conviction, fol
low ed by immediate execution, is the fate
of those arrested on either side on sus-
picion of infidelity to the cause of the par
ty making the arrest. Whatever may
be the svmpathes Of the people or of the
Government of the United States for the
cause or objects for which part of the
people of Cuba are understood to have
put themselves in armed resistance to the
government of Spain, there can he no
just sympathy in conflict carried on by
both parties alike in such barbarous vio-
lation of the rules of civilized nations,
and with such continued outrages upon
the plaincst principle of humanity. We
cannot discriminate in our censure of
their mode of conducting the contest be-
tween the Spaniards and Cubans. Each
commits the same atrocities and outrages
alike against the established rules of war.
The properties of many Of our citizens
| have been DESTROYED or embarGoed. The
| lives of several have been sacrificed. and
the liberties of others have been restrain.
ed In every case that has come to the
knowledge of the government an early
and earnest demand for reparation and
indemnity has been made, aud the most
emphatic remonstrance has been present
ed against the manner in which the strife
is conducted, and against the reckless
disregard for human life, the waton des-
truc,iom of material wealth, and the cru
el disregard of the established rules Of
civilized warfare. have, since the be-
ginning OF the present session of Con.
gress, communicated to the House Of
Representatives upon their request an ac-
count of the steps which had taken in
the hope of bringing this sad conflict to
| nd f,Nrc 70 ha Of
| Cuba the blessings and rights of an in
dependent self government. The fl ris
thus made failed, but not without an as
surance from SPAN that the good offices
of this government might still avail for
the objects to which they had been adj
dressed. During the whole contest the
remarkable exhibition has been made of
large numbers of Cubans escaping from
the island, and avoiding risks of war,
congregatng in this country at n safe
| distance from the scene of danger, and
endeavoring to make war from our own
shores, to urge our people into the fight
which they avoid, and to embroil this
government in complications and posi-
ble hostiliies with Spain. 1t can scarce
| ly be doubted that this last result is the
real object of these parties, although care
fully covered under deceptive and appa-
rcnily plausible demands for the mere re-
cognition of belligerency. 1t is stated
on what | have reason to regard as good
authority, that Cuban nonds have been
prepared to large amount whose pay
ment is made dependent upon the recog-
nition by the United States of either Gu
ban belligercncy or independence. The
object of making their value thus entire
| ly contingent upon the action of this gov
ernment is subject for serious reflection
In determining the course to be adopted
on the demand .hus made for the recog-
milton OF bellgerency, the liberal and
peaceful principle adopted by the Father
OF his country, & eminent statesmen OF his
day, followed by the succeeding Chief
Magistrates and the men of their day,
may furnish a safe guide to those of us
now charged with the direction and con
troll Of public safety. From 1889 to l6-
Is the dominant thought of our states
men was TO keep the United States out
Of the wars which were devastating Eu-
rope. The discussion ofmeasures of neu.
trality begins with the State papers OF
Mr.. Jefferson, when he was Secretary oi
State. He shows that they are measures
of national right, as well as of national
duty; that misguided individual citizens
cannot be tolerated in making war ac-
cordipg to their own caprices passions,
and interests, or foreign sympathirs. Tha,
the agents of foreign governments recog'
nized or unrecognized, cannot be permit
ted to abuse cur hospitality by usurping
the functions OF enliSting or equipping,
military or naval forces within our terri
tory. Washington inaugurated the poll
cy OF neutrality, and absolute abstinence
from fcreign entangling alliances which
resulted in 1894 in the first enactment for
the observance of neutrality. The duty
ofopposition to fillibusterng has been
admitted by every President. Washing,
ton encountered the efforts of Genet and
the French revolutionists; John Adams,
the projects OF Mieranda; Madison and
subsequent Presidents had to deal with
the question of foreign enlistment or
equipment in the United States, and since
the days of John Quincy Adams it has
been one of the constant cares OF govern
ment in the United States to prevent pl-
ratical expeditions against feeble South
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