The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-15
A MESSAGE ON CUBA.
From the ". Y. World.

President Grant is as uncomfortable as o
fish out of water Monday afternoon, soon
after his return from his trout excursion in
Pennsylvania with Simon Cameron, he sent
to Congress an ill-written message on Cuba,
in which he disclosed his unhappy dread of
the forthcoming report of General Banks on
our relations to the civil war in that island.
The main positions of the report have leaked
out within the last day or two, and General
Grant justly regards it as a censure of his
policy. The report is understood to recon-
mend a recognition of belligerency between
the Cubans and Spain, and the President
dares not to let it 60 before the country with
out an antidote to save the little remnant of
his lost popularity. He is very emphatic
against recognition, and in defense of his
own position which the report of the commit
tee is expected to assail His attempt to ward
off the coming blow shows how damaging he
fears it will be.
When the message had been read in the
House, General Banks, against whom it was
directed, rose in his place and moved that it
be laid on the table and printed. But Mr..
Judd, a friend of the President, who did not
wish the message stifed in that manner,
moved that it be referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs. General Banks opposed
this motion, saying that the Committee on
Foreign Affairs had fully considered the sub
ject, and that their report would be presented
for the consideration of the House.
This was saying, in effect, that the message
would have no weight with the COM
mittee, and that they would not reconsider or
revise their conclusions in consequence of
anything the President had said. This was
contemptuous enough, and implied rebuke
of General Grant for his impertinence.
But it was yelled in guarded language calcu-
lated to conceal from the country the con-
tempt of the message which was implied and
intended by the speaker. At this point, Mr..
Cox, whose quick perceptions of General
Banks drift, and desire to clear it of parlia-
mentary ambiguity, served useful purpose,
expressed in plain language what Banks had
only ventured to insinuate. Mr.. Cox thus
precipitated dramatic situation more anus
ing to the Democratic members of the House
than delightful to any section of the Repub-
licans Mr.. Cox made it apparent that the
Presidents message was an attack on the
| committee and an indecorous interference
with its functions, and by placing the an
| tagonism in strong light, he compelled
| General Banks to retreat from his first motion
| and accept a reference of the message to the
| Committee on Foreign Affairs.
But this was hollow and extorted cour-
tesy. General Banks had already said, in
substance, that the message would have no
influence with the committee; that it would
neither delay their report nor modify their
conclusions. If he stands firm in this resolu-
| ton, the reference is mere idle civility
yielded to avoid the appearance of treating
the President with disrespect The conjunc-
ture which thus brings the President at log
gerheads with the House Committee on
Foreign Relations, is one of awkward embar-
rassment to the Republican party. The sensi-
tiveness of General Grant shows how morti-
flying it will be to him to have his Cuban
policy arraigned and censured before the
country in the forthcoming report If
the committee should quail and retreat, OF
modify their report and speak with bated
breath, the Republican party will be CON-
mitted to the views of General Grant, and
the strong popular sympathy with the Cubans
will be turned against the administration in
the elections of this summer and autumn.
If both sides stand their ground, there will
be an unseemly wrangle in the House over
the report, resulting in a schism even more
damaging to the Republicans than united
support of the policy of the President. II
the Cubans should gain any advantages during
the summer, the strengthening enthusiasm
for their cause will react against the admin
istration. If, on the other hand, they should
be subdued and crushed, the administration
will be arraigned before the people and hello
responsible for their defeat. In either case
the Republican party will suffer.
Whatever may be the real merits of tn,
question, it cannot be doubted that Genera
Grant has been hurried into an indecorum b!
his weak and feverish dread of Banks
report. His own dignity and decent respec
for Congress should have withheld him from
sending a message which is SO obviousl.
aimed against a document which he has NJ
right to criticize, and least of all in advanc
Of its submission to the body whose provinc
it is to debate and act upon it. If Congress
passes a bill 81 resolution prescribing
different policy from that which he has pur