The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-06-25

rity without anything on board, having ap-
parently dropped those valuable captures by
HE way. "-se"
Hamilton Fish, Sidney Webster, and
their Relations to Spain.
We are glad TO record the circumstance
that an advocate has been found to defend the
SPANISH administration of the State Depart
ment by Mr.. HAMILTON FISH against the
opinion which prevails concerning it among
% large portion of the people. The de-
fence, 10 DO sure, is not very clear nor very
itrong, but it is better than none at all. 1t
Js found in Hdrper's Weekly, and 1t consists
In the phrase of "the absurd aspersions
ppon the Secretary of State"
What are these aspcrsions? Why, they
Are nothing more nor less than that Mr.. FIsn's
Bon.in.law is counsel for the Spanish Govern.
ment, and has been paid 10y that Government
rs much as $4,000 in gold at time for his
services and that, in consequence Of the pc
cuniary relation between the son-inlaw and
Spain, the fatherin.law has been induced to
espouse the Spanish side, and TO abandon the
Cubans in their struggle for inlepend
ence and freedom. Is this an absurd asper-
sionl Let us consider the testimony.
For some time after Mr.. FISH became Sec
rotary of State he was an outspokcn friend
of Cuba. During this period he took no i'm.
portant step bearing upon Cuban affairs
without privately comforting with Mr.. Mo
RALEs LEMUs, the chief representative in
this country of the Cuban people. When
Mr.. PAUL $. Forbes came over to
this country and made arrangements for
building gunboats to reinforce the Span
iph feet on the coast Of Cuba, Mr..
FISH was still firm in his attachment to the
party of liberty in the island. AS soon as
tho gunboats were sufficiently advanced to-
ward completion he caused them all to be
seized, so that they were in the custody of the
United States authorities when they wcro
finished. In short, he did everything for Cuba
that could possibly have been done by him,
mud gave n great deal of encouragement to
those who were known here as agents of the
revolutionary movement
The Spanish Government now put their in
forests in the matter of the guuboats into the
hands of Mr.. SIDNEY WEBSTER, Mr. FIsHs
Bon-in-law and, as has since appeared, the
Spaniards paid to WEBSTER fee Of $4,000
In gold for his services in the case. This hay
Ing been done, the ardor OF Mr.. FISH in the
Cuban cause at once began to cool Off, and by
The time the gunboats were completed and
ready to sail, it had entirely disappeared, and
hostility had taken its place. The gunboati
were released and went to Cuba and they
have since been occupied in increasing the
difficulties of the patriots. They have also
captured and taken to execution some natur
Allied American citizens, who had becom,
such in order TO testify their devotion TO til,
tause of freedom during our civil war.
These, then, are the simple facts Mr.. FIST
was friend of Cuba and of freedom. Tn
Spanish Government paid his son-in-lay
El7000 at one time, aud we know not hoy
much on other occasions; and Mr. FIST
lhereupon becomes friend of Spain and Al
enemy Of Cubal
Is any further evidence needed upon thi
question: Shall we be told that the aspel
ZION is absurd, because Mr. FISH is Other
wise man of respectable character
IL not the very fact that, being Secretary c
State Mr. FISH allowed his sonin.law to &c
rs counsel for the Spanish Government at al
and to receive fee of $4,000 gold in sue
Acase, alone enough 10 destroy this varnish {
respectahlltyH Or was the character Of NJ
FISH ever any more respectable than that {
JOIN BANCROFT DAVIS, the Assistant Seer
iary of State, in the same office in which NJ
FISH is himself the principal2 Is he an
more respectfully connected than Mr.. DAVIS
Does he come of any higher lineage2 Al
yet it has been proved by the Legislature
Massachusetts that this same DAVIS, the Sc
of honest JOHN DAVIS ,of Massachusett
man Of the most elevated social rel
tionshils has taken a bride of 100000
betray tho conadIng stockholders of Il
Eric Hallway who had elected him one
their confidential agents This sho,
how worthless nero Tespectability is
sustain man against pecuniarY TEN
tations II shows also how rash a
those who upon the evidence Of respec
biity and department alone undertake to
aside facts so notorious and 80 wcigLty
those that we have recounted in regard
Mr.. FISH.
p Tho popular conviction that Mr.. FISH !
been controlled in his conduct toward
Cubans by consideration for tho pecunii
sntercst of his sonin law 10 greatly streng
sned by the fact that, notwithstanding
~ revelations made by the Legislature OF N