The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-18
The Truth about Cuba-Brilliancy of a
Consul-General.


The Truth about Cuba-Brilliancy of a
Consul-General.
One of the strangest OF the many strange
appointments made by Gen. GRANT is that Of
Mr.. THOMAS BIDDLE of Philadelphia as
Consul General at Havana If there Is any
consulate in the world that requires extraor-
binary sense and judgment it is that at
Havana; and Mr.. BIDDLE is by nature desti.
tute of these qualities to degree unusual
even among the first families Of Philadelphia.
However, Gen. GRANT appointed him, and
the good -natured Senate confirmed the ap-
pointment; and for some time past Mr..
BIDDLE has been as mach lost in Havana as
q blind man in q village of prairie dogs.
The dispatches he has sent to the State De-
partment must have been astonishing, and
We dare say they have tasked to the utmost
The mind of the Hon. HAMILTON FISH. A
specimen of their contents is afforded in the
following summary which appeared on
Saturday as n telegram in the ECening Post ::
WASHINGTON. April 16.-Despatches received at
The State Department from our Consus in Cuba
agree in representing that the active Iart of toe in
OF insurgents scattered over the island, with aims
IN their hands.
~ UiH Be impossible TO su6due them for years 10
come.
The Cubnns have commenced the wholesale de-
rtructon OF property, and do not make any distnc-
ton between that belonging to friends and foes, but
serve all alike.
The Cubans profess great confidence in their
ability, when the sckly season begins, TO regain
all that they have lost during the past year hut
these professions are received by authorities with
many doubts and degrees OF allowance.
In f,r . 10; tell Tor, nh
ton, Mr. FISH does not do Mr.. BIDpLE the
credit of attaching his name TO il /; but as all
The Consuls and consular agents in Cuba re-
port through the Consul General, we cannot
err in attributing to BIDDLE the news which
the State Department thus puts forth. The
Consuis are not, however, the only sources
from which the nsul-General derives his
wisdom. He goes partly on their reports and
partly on those which the Spanish officials
prepare for the Captain General. How true
tho latter are is already known; but the
public do not yet understand how much the
Consuls are TO be relied on. The fact ID
that, with the exception of Mr.. HALL at Ma
tanZas, they do not make reports which can
habitunlly be trusted. They are engaged in
trade, either on their own account or as
clerks in commercial houses If they should
report the whole truth about the revolution
10 Mr. BIDDLE, they would not only be sure
20 lose their clcrkships--for no employer
would dare harbor them-but they would,
Ike poor Mr.. PHILLIPS at Santiago, have to
fee for their lives Besides, If they reported
the truth, Mr.. BIDDIE would be likely to
confuse and dstort 1t from sheer incapacity
TO understand leaving out Of view the fact
that the Spaniards by whom he is surround
rd-and who in Washington are able to out
wit the intellect of the Hon. HAMILTON
FIsH-would doubtless be able to lead Mr.
BIpDLE to Just such conclusions as they
might desire.
And yet, strange to say, the truth breaks
out in spite Of every attempt to suppress it f.;
and Mr.. FIsn's summary Of Mr.. RIDDLES
dispatches affords conclusive evidence at
Uuce of BIDDLEs own want Of brains, and OF
lie mvincihle power of the revolution. For
Instance he reports that the active part of
The instruction is at an end !" aud yet it il
notorious that the hospitals of Cienfuegos
bld NucvitNs are now 20 overilled that the
wounded Lave 10 be brought on TO Havana.
We're TIE wounds which the overworked sur.
2 ons on the fields Of battle and in the head.
quarters at Cicnfuegos and Nuevitas were
unable 10 attend to-ior the late arrivals of
wounded have come into Havana with their
Wounds lmdressod-wcro these wounds in.
Ac;rd ~ TIC Iassiee part of the insurrcc-
i'm?
Mr.. BIpDIE also admits that there is q
llrgc force OF insurgents scattered over the
Isand with arms in their hands, ShOn IL lili
b Impossible 10 subdVe for gears to come
T.. is 70 say, though according to BlDpir
the aci part Of the instruction is at an
El," tie pat lots still have an army in tho
ID which II viii be impc ssille to suoduC
GC' years TO comet
Mr.. B!OuLE also labors under dclusou
Whrn lie reports that the "Cubans have com
nuccd the Wholesale destruction Of proper
ly" The truth is tlat tits system of war
fac WAS innuguratcd II ore than year ago
Tie patriots knew that only by the proluc,
p the fertile soil Of their island can Spain b,
Eahlrd TO hold II; and they hayo sine,
yeadily acted upon this knowledge. Also
y!cn Mr.. BInpLH talks about the Cubant
p fssinS confidence in their ability to re
gin what they havo lost during the pas
ger, he simply talks nonsense. The Cuban
10 occupy more ground than they did