The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-15
The Cuban Foray on Congress.

The Cuban ForaY on Congress.
"Cuban bonds may not appreciate great
IL in value" remarks the New York
Times, "but the Cuban cause evidently
gains ground in Congress" Tho suggcs.
ton hero TINT there Is u certain flavor Of
bonds about all this Cuban business Is
put with great deliCacy, but is kecnly
pointed. There are many who do not
mincU words, but who believe and say
tllRt the most Of the enthusiasm in this
country in behalf Of the Cuban insurrcc'
ton takes Its inspiration from bonds issued
in the name Of a Cuban Republic, paya.
bic when It's independence is recognized
by the United States. The fact tint this
enthusiasm exists not among the mass
Of the people but in spots, and that the
noisy champions Of tho cause" are, with
few exceptions, newspapers whose virtue
is not above suspicion, gives some color
to the idea. It ought not to be supposed
that Senators of the United States could
be subject to such influences, even indt-
rcctIy or remotely; but enough is known
to show that men do not cease TO be lu.
man when they become Senators, and
that their official acts on public questions
must not always bo attributed TO too
severely virtuous craftsmanship. There
Is certain amount Of suspicion In the
popular mind when Sherman brings for.
ward any new financial scheme, that It is
somehow remotely connected with Wall
street; and accordingly when he brings in
his recognition of Cuban bclIlgcrcncy, we
may not actually think Of Cuban bonds,
but We look ut the New York quotations
to see It's influence OH the gold market. Ii
il was meant 10 influence the gold market
it seems to have iaileti; II 1t was meant 10
operate on the Cuban bond market, the
effect cannot yet be ascertaincd. But
whatever ii wils meant to dO, It Is sure not
10 pass either House Of Congress without
maniul resistance. President Grant and
his Cabinet who know better than all
Others the precise status and magnitude
of the Cuban revolt, and who understand
the effect on our relations with Spain that
would result from according bclligercnt
recognition to the insurgents, are earnest
" opposed 10 this movement. Secretary
Fish thinks tho passage Of Mr.. Shcrman's
resolution would simply result in " war
with Spain, us the recognition of nm actual
state ofwar in Cuba by this government
permits the Spanish government, under
the treaty Of 1906, to make search on
the high sCas Of all American vessels;
which right they undoubtedly would cx-
ercisc Mr.. Fish docs moi believe the mere
recognition of belligerent rights would re-
suit in MI immediate dcclaratiOn'O of war
by Spain, but that war would eventually
grow out Of II, through Spain's avatling
hGrsclror her right to search vessels, and
in other acts to which American citizens
would not submit
1t seems probable that the whole in
lEucnce Of the Administration will cuscd
to prevent the adoption of Mr.. Sherman's
resolution If It bc favorably reported upon
BY the Senate Committee Of Foreign Rela'
tons, which, from the best information
that can he obtained, is not likely TO he
done.
All the information received at tho
Sntc Department from Cuba agrees in
saying that the insurrection Is slowly dy-
ing out. The most trustworthy accounts
received say that the Cubans have about
ten thousand men under arms, confined
entirely to tho eastern part Of the island,
and TINT no offensive movements Hrc made
by them.
In view Of the new recruits which tho
Cuban interest has recently enlisted
SHERMAN, MORTON and CARPESTER-it
Is not impossible sHERMAN's resolution
may paS the Senate, nor improbable If 1t
docs that II will pass the House; and IL it
passes both, not unlikely that before many
months the United States will he involved
in hostilitics with Spain. If there was
any real necessity for this it would be u
different thing. Spain is a weak power,
hut under her letters ofmarQuc American
commerce, not yet recovered from the
piracy Of England under the Confederate
flag, would suffer still further reduction.
The greatest injury IL war with Spain
would do this country, would be that it
would oblige the Government again toput
the Army And Navy on n war footing
This would render increased revc
MUGS necessary; 1t would stop the
payment Of the debt; It would
render necessary tho negotiation Of
further loans and therefore produce
further depreciation Of Government credit
and in plling new debt on old, like piling
PeliOn on Ossa, ii would renew the
smothcrcd muttcrings Of reputation and
give 1t Il dangerous impulse.
President Grant Is more cautious and
conservative In this matter than we had
expected, and we hope he will be sustain
cd in resisting this reckless foray of fill
bustcrism by every man in Congress who