The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-28
Strange State of Things in Cuba-Ovcr-
throw OF all Spanish Authority.

CuDa, altnOupn positively lost 10 spain on
The day whom Gen. DULcE was driven out
Of Havana by the volunteers, has been since
then apparently under the partial control
Of the mother country. That is, for fear the
Spanish ironclads might shell Havana If
their characterization exceeded q certain
limit, the volunteers have allowed the sue
ressor of the officer thus deposed TO rule over
parts Of the island not under patriot sway,
provided such rule did not conflict with
theirs.
This farce has lasted some eleven months,
and at last the mask has fallen. The rule of
Spain, the wishes of Spain, and the represen-
tatives of Spain are no longer acceptable to
the volunteers and the orders from Gen. De
RoDAs, and from the Madrid Government
arc openly disregarded by them. At the
ame time Gen. VALMAsEDA goes home
the fourteenth superseded General who has
hiled utterly in suppressing the revolution
and his successor is on his way FROM Spain.
The forts which command Havana are
held, and have been held since the arrival of
De RoDAs on the island, by the volunteers.
He has before now endeavored by stratagem
70 withdraw from the Cabaiias, the Moro, and
from "No. A." the volunteer garrisons he
found in them. replacing them by regulars.
Hehas always failed Now he orders the vol
unteers to vacate them, and they openly re-
fuse to obey. The Havana volunteers
have their compeers in all the ports
and principal cities Of the island 30
that If Spanish rule-tho will of the
Madrid Governments respected any
where in Cuba, it can be only in such places
As are not occupied either by the patriots or
The volunteers and these points and districts
Arc too Insignificant to mention.
The navy, on whose unquestioned loyalty
Spain has firmly relied, appears by late adviccs
70 be as little inclined TO obey her mandates
ne are the rcbellious volunteers. The Lloyd
Aspinwall was seized by Spanish man.of
war in defiance Of all treaty obligations, and
even OF all recognized international law.
On the representation of the American Min
lister at Madrid, orders were sent TO Havana
that she be at once delivered to our Consul
there; but the Spanish Admiral MAIcAMPo
fatty refuses to surrender her. He goes
even further, and offers TO head the volun.
teers In preventing her delivery. Thus
besides the unquestionablc disloyalty Of the
volunteers, it appears that the loyalty of the
navy is more than doubtful.
Now this country has a treaty of alliance
with Spain, which, If it has not been rem
dered rather elastic by our Secretary of State
for SPANS benefit and the temporary dis
comfturc Of the Cuban patriots, has at least
been rcligiously fulfilled by our Executive TO
Its very letter But We have no treaty with
SPANS openly confessed enemies. the slave.
trading volunteer organizations of Havana,
Matanzas, and Santiago. By what Inc OF
reasoning, then, can it be argued that we
should actively thwart the Cubans who are
fighting against Spain for the same prnci
pies for which we expended millions of dol
lars and thousands of lives, and at the same
time actively assist the volunteers, as we art
doing, who are fighting against Spain fol
slavery, the renewal OF the slave trade, and
the establishment Of q monarchy at our very
doorsH
In August last note was presented 10 tho
authorities at Madrid by our Minister, who's
object was the Independence of Cuba, undel
the Republican Government Of CEsPEDEs
The sixth and last clause of that motto statet
that eff the terms of this note were not dc
Gnltcly approved by the Spanish Govern
mcnt, the United Sta would recognize tn,
independence of Cuba" The terms propose,
by this note were not accepted, but neither
the belligcrency nor the independence o
Cuba has yet been recognized. Why not
Because Mr.. ROBERTS, the Spanish Ministo
at Washington, knowing that Mr., FISH wal
Dragging, in reply Dragged a little better
and Mr., FISH laid down his hand. In plaiI
English, Mr., ROBERTS convinced Mr.. FISH o
the ability of Spain TO suppress the revolu
ton in the past winter campaign but nov
not only las the campaign against the Gu
bans utterly failed, but Spain is obliged I,
confess her inability to rule the men b,
whom she declared she could terminate tn
rebellion.
Under these circumstances, is it REASONABLE
60 expect that Mr. FISH and Gen GRAN
will adopt the course which they threatens
70 adopt eight months agof Will the.
now recognize the independence Of the Cuba
HepuLlioR Alas, we fear not