The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-05-09
CUBA TO BE SOLD BY SPAIN.
WHY CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON
CUBA HAS BEEN DELA YED.

Rings Alleged 10 ENtst LOT thc thrpose "
Making Money out Of Cubn-Has Prim
Agreed to Sell the Island to the spanish
Volunteers for s10O,OOO.O .OOOs
terresponIence OF The sun.
wAsnrSGroS May THE expected action Of
Congress in the matter Of Cuban belligerency las
been delayed in q manner which seemed long unac-
sountabe, hut which recent developments explain.
The House has been waiting for the report OF the
Committee on Foreign Affairs. The favorable reso-
iution to which that Committee agreed several
weeks ago together with the report then prepared
has been held back partly under influences which
have been actively operating in other directions To-
ward the end.
This Is the more to be regretted by the friends OF
Uupu because tho rspes, n question contains. among
p,her important matter, extracts from onncia Spar
Ish accounts Of more than two hundred combats and
tsnguinarv skirmishes with the insurgents, who are
said from the beginning to have been on their last
legs with narrowing accounts OF crueties and mutt
iatlons perpetrated on the bodies living and dead,
Of Cubans and Of American citizens.
Two rings, organized here for different objects,
have In fact been industrousy and successfully at
work To stave OF any action by Congressin this
matter. The FIRST consists OF pretended friends Of
Cuba and their dupes, whose efforts have been d.
rected 10 prevent the granting OF belligorent rights
until the Cuban agents would consent TO heavy
further this object, they are, that their gams is
understood, equally powerless to impede it.
The other ring includes highly influential person
ages in Spain and in this country, among whom are
prominent Gen. Prim and Minister Roberts, with
the full aid, sympathy, and concurrence Of our Sec
rotary OF state. spain despars OF retaining posses
sion OF Cuba, and Mr.. Fish knows It, and cannot
deny but that he has long been thus informed BY his
agents,
The scheme on foot, and now msturcd for practi-
cal execution is that Spain shall sell the island to
tie Spanish volunteers for one hundred millions of
dollars, OF which ten illons to be paid down,
ard bonds given for the balance secured on the
hland guaranteed II feasible by the United States
II this cannot be obtained, the arrangement Is to be
made by its mediation, or with its moral aid aad
countenance. Mr.. Fish and his friends do not hesi
tate express the conviction that the cession OF
Cuba TO the Spanish volunteers would be the most
desirable solution Of the question As an argument
to Senators, members, and others for not pressing
the question OF Cuban belligerent rights, and a
plea for delay II s confidently intimated that Spain
will soon sell the island 10 the Spanish volunteers
and tina, he Spanish roiHnteers piR sell 10 TIE United
Sdt<s In what manner, or in what form Of organ
s,ion, the volunteers to buy the island, Is not
stated but shall doubtless soon be able to inform
you Asyet, however. the scheme has not become
known. But he ice has been broken here. and he
uhOlt affair iCiA soon BE- reredied.
The great objection made to this plan by clear
headed men who have been consulted respecting it,
Is that, great would be the value OF Cuba in a
peaceful and productive condition, and desirable
might be the annexation OF the island to the United
States, It would be absurd to pay hundred millions
Or dfiy millions, for ferocious civil war. The
answer 10 this is, that the Cubsns generally de-
eire annexation, they will be TO acquiesce In the
Transaction soon the volunteers shall transfer
their right to the United States and that thus the
civil war will be brought 10 q perfect and perma-
pent conclusion. Or It Is said, II the volunteers
should not at once make arrangements TO sell their
claim, their violent, brutal, and insubordnste char
heter III at once lead them into outrages Of so
IRENE nature that 1t Will become the duty Of the
United States to interfere by force, drive out the
volunteers, relieve the patriots from their enemies,
and then proceed to annex the island
Such the arguments which have been used
privately here for some time past, and with such
effect as to check all action the part OF Congress,
TO render the Republican party indifferent to It's
duty toward the patriots OF Cuba, and its obligations
toward the people OF the United States and to place
this great Republic In the disgraceful attitude
which for many months 1t has occupied before
The world
As for the ten millions in cash II is believed that
tbe volunteers will have little difficulty in eItortng it
from the wealthy slave.traders and bnsin men Of
Havana in the shape OF what is called forced loan.
THIS amount in hand would be a perfect godsend to
The bankrupt Spanish Government which is now
on the verge Of death by starvation. No doubt
either that Prim and his partners will get for their
own much Of this money as they can but
ths, their affair. and we have no particular con.
eern with n. The interesting question for us is
what the volunteers will do with the island ailer
Cey get 1t, and whether they will really attempt TO
Sell IL to the United States or not
Who are the parties TO this project In the United
etstes not able to state, except that Secretary
Fish is Its adherent and advocate but cannot tell
what makes Mr.. Fish believe that the people Of the
United states will consent TO buy the island OF
lot o. turbulent assassins, when the Cuban patriots
are in possession OF tno-thirds of It's territory lie
night to know well enough that II the volunteers
coud not put down the nsurrection with the aid OF
Spain 1t is preposterous to suppose they can do SO
alone, lie ought to know that the Cuban insurgents
would sooner treat with Spain than with the ig
rorant and ferocious volunteers who 6ght only be.
hind walls, whose course has been undeyatingly
marked for year and half by murder rape, and
rapne, aud whose organs avow the policy OF exter.
minalirg the whole native population OF the island
which numbers over million and a half while
'hes themselves less than hundred thousand
Originally and decima,ed by war, disease, and ex.
cesses can nope for no aCcreton to their ranks
However, will not sentence MIR Fish unl.ard
for that would be conraryto the policy OF Tur sry
which bas always waited for his public acts and has
never condemned him without examining All t,.
e-idence that could be aGduccd in his favor. But
the main features Of this hew scheme Tor separating
Cuba from Spain, and the mnrence which has pre.
vented any action by Congress, are Of such mport.
anre that / deem 1t ny duty at once to lay them
before tue public,
4 Cuban Victory Admitted by the Spanish
Organ In Havana.
The following extract from a letter from San
tago de Cuba, published Ia tIe Nayto de Ia Marina
oi Havana, is curious, as being the worry frs. con
iesson OF a defeat which we believe the Spaniard7
haze admitted since the outbrssk OF the revolution
II Is so extraordinary that we hardly know
whether We should infer, from Its pub'ics ion In
spanisA paper, that the editors OF Havana have
Warned tho absurdity OF converting defeats In Il 6
Leld irt victories on paper, or wbother II slipped
l1to me Diario uniutentionoy.