New-York tribune., 1871-12-28

women, and take hia pleasure In their DESC
lated homes after they have gone through the
convenient farce of oonHscation. The nesfo
women arc toIbe given to their owners, II
tho owners arc not readily found, then they
can be sold cheap for cash, though they may
have been born free. II they do not like this.
which is altogether probable, their propo
spirits can be tanned by riveting cham Oh
their limbs, which may teach them In q 10"
years how blessed is the patriarcha fnsf ff'u'
ton to which they have been restored. .7
Nothing can surprse the world in this grow
cling and loody-minded knave. His career
for the last three years has been one long
series Of robberies, murders, and outragcs'
He ia too coarse and ignorant to know or
care what will be the consequence or hiS
actions outside of the servile circle where nc
cives tho law. He fears nothing from the
Government at Madrid. He knows how ne
ia regarded by them, and he repays their
deteststion with contempt. Secure IN the sup
mort of the Volunteers as long as he does their
bidding, he imagines he can afford to desplse
the good or bad opinion of tho world. lie
doubtless issued this VermiliOn edict under the
influence of rage and modification caused by
tho recent fight at Manzanillo, where the Gu
bans were successful and the Spanish Col.
Obregon was killed. 1t is not impossible that
his imperious janizaries dictated this decree,
but if this were 80, his natural brutality COIN
cided with his fears Of them to make his COM
pliance easy and ready. His head has been
clearly turned by the intoxication OF murder
and impunity, and he counts upon the weak
ness of his own Government and tho patient
forbearance of ours to carry him safcly
through this, az through numberless former
infames. :
We cannot believe our Government S
insensible to the merits of this rapidly grow
ing danger. There is a point at which the
civilized nations of the earth cannot longer
view with neutral eyes the deliberate extcr-
rnination of a people and destruction OF q
State. Gen. Sickles is here at fortunate
time. He is an unusually sagaciOus and OBJ
serving diplomatist. No one in recent years
has moro thoroughly weighed and appre-
catod the Spanish character. In South America
he learned the workings of HispanO- American
politics. In Madrid he has seen and studied
personally every leading man in the Govern
ment and the COrtes. He can tell the Presi-
dent better than any one else how useless it
is to expect redress from the present Cabinet
of Spain. Mr. Fish needs no other assistance
than that of his Consul General at Havana to
fully appreciate the brutal madness that
reigns there. Two days ago We said there
was no immediate crisis in our relations with
Spain that justified any expectations of col
lison. We expected Gen. Sickles to report to
the State Department. to enjoy his leave OF
absence, to arrange his private affairs, and to
return to the post he fills 80 ably. But this
proclamation of Valmaseda changes every
thing. 1t is an insult flung in the face Of civil
ization 1t is an act Of brutal revolt against the
spirit of the XIXth century. 1t, is gravely
to be feared that the cabal which nOminally
rules in Madrid will be unable to control this
new barbarity, or, if it makes the attempt,
the effort may result in counter-reyolution.
The nations of the world stand ready to join
us, if we should desire it, in an overwhelm-
ing moral demonstration near the Government
of King Amadeus. 1t rests for us to deter
mine whether we shall join in such demon
stration. or whsther. adherine to the precepts
Of Washington and Monroe in their fullest
results we shall ourselves take measures to
correct this chronic outrage and menace to the
peace Of the continent.