Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-06-07

tbdC the cTedlt OF tHc government may ~
kept up.
RumOred Change in the Cabinet
The recent rumors respecting Secretary
Fish's leaving the cabinet have led to many
sensational reasons for the supposed change
Especially the New York Sun, which has
been a most incorporate advocate ofall sorh
Of intervention on the part Of our govern
mcnt in behalf Of the insurgents in Cuba
has got a correspondent to write from Wash
ington that the President is about to change
his policy in respect to Cuba and get ready
at once for war on Spain. The only
ground for this report is found in The fac
that the Spanish authorities in Cuba, Con
rather those who pretend to repre- ent Spair
in that islaud) have recently decined to re-
cognze an order, which Minister Slckic-
procured from the government Of Spain, foI
tile surrender TO their American owners d
certain confscated estates in Cuba Thi,
fact, and the known desire Of Mr.. Fish to De
relieved Of the portfolio of the State Depart
mcnt, have given all the color Of probability
there is to this rumor. On the other hand
the President at Long Branch, Saturday last,
said
.' Not a whisper Of Mr., Fish's retirement
has lately passed me or any of the Cabinet
Mr.. Fish will not leave the Cabinet or re-
ign the seals OF State with my consent while
| / am President. lie responded unwillingly
10 my call, and entered upon the ardu0us
duties OF the foreign office with dIhIcnce.
| He has discharged them @cll and been faith
lul, patriotic and diligent.
While it is possible that some other gen
tleman might as ably conduct our foreign
affairs as Secretary Fish has done, it is hard
ly possible change could be made in that
Office without serious injury 70 the country
md certainly any change which would SEE
riously modify the policy of this country ia
lt- treatment Of other powers, would be like
Y 70 lead to the most mischicyous results.
Secretary Fish has been prominently man
of peace, SO far cmulating the chief excel
fence Of his predecessor in the Office But
while cultivatiug peace and friendship with
all nations he has yet scrupulou-ly stood ~
the honor and every just claim Of this c.un
try. He has carefully avoided 81 cntanglioe
alliances " Of every kind, and has especially
5een careful not to mcddle in the domestic
affairs Of other natiOualitie-. 10 him perhaps
more than to any other one man it is due
shat we did not have a war with Spain, and
perhaps as the result Of it two or three hum
Ircd millions addition to our public debt,
and what would in the end have been far
more productive Of evil To us, the annexation
Of the island Of Cuba to the Uaited States
Every possible scheme has been rcso-ted t.
To compel the United States to 20 t. war
with Spain ana chief among these agcncic-
has been the demands made upon our govern
mcnt for protection by naturaIzcd Cuban-
W hose estates in Cuba haze been c5nfscated
by the authorities ofthat island. T1ere has.
probably, not been an instance Of such con
fscati0n where there was not evidence that
the owners were doing what they could to
aid the instruction and under sImila~ cir
cumstances our government would not have
hesitatcd, during the Southern rebellion, in
taking similar action. These naturalized
Americans were members and active mana
GERS of Cuban iuntas in New York and were
doing more to aid Instruction in Cuba .
than the Lairds in Liverpool did to aid
Southern treason by building for the c0nled-
,racy rebel cruisers. Yet our government
mas done what it could to protect them from
lie loss Of their property in Cuba, and has in
many instances obtained greater concessions
rom the Spanish government than we would
nave granted under like circumstances.
Whatever change, therefore, may be made in
he State Department, we certainly bope
hat no change toward bclligerent attitude
n the Cuban policy viii occur. 1t certain
Y would in every way prove fruitful Of the
est results in our foreign relations, to have
t understood that American citizens, who
hose TO risk their property in investments
n foreign countries, must take for themselves
he chances which wars and revolutions
ring Of confscation and destruction, and
rot cmbroil the whole nation in war on their
ccount as soon their property suffers by
edson Of disturbances in the country in
which it Is invested 1t is diff cult enough
or the government to make the lives and
property Of American citizens safe within
'ur territorial jurisdiction and the task 81
giving security everywhere on the face OF
he earth to the property Of any citizen, ma
i've or naturalized, wherever be may choo.c
% invest it, is quite too difficult a work to
,e undertaken by the government of the
nitcd States.