New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-22

rufiian Valmaseda, the ideal of the bl00dthrsty
Volunteers. Under each successive General
the system of open robbery and spoliation
has been carried on, continually increasing in
rccklessness and audacity. From the first day,
the property of American citizens was 0cca-
sonaly stolen or destroyed. The petty
officials who commanded in tho insurrectiOn-
AIRY districts did not greatly trouble them
selves TO ascertain The nationality of an
abscntce proprietor, and tbs international
bearing of the acts of pilligc was too
remote to make any special impression upon
their minds. But as time wore on, as the
Government of the United States and the
people of tho country began to give unmis-
taxable signs of their sympathy with the in
surgents The fact OF American citizenship,
40 far from being a safeguard, began
to be positive dan ger to its p0sscssOrs.
The murder of Speakman and of Wycth, tho
massacres of tho Hablna, the outrage upon
Consul Phillips at Santiago de Cuba, arc suili-
GENTLY striking proofs of the bitter and unrea-
soning hatred tho American name excited
among tho fierce and ignorant Galatians
II is, therefore, not surprising that large
number Of claims have been presented by our
robbed and plundcrcd citizens TO the Govern
mcnt, and by the Government, through Gen.
Siclllcs, to tho Cabinet of Madrid. 1t is to
consitler these claims that the Commission
which is to meet this Winter has been APP
pointed. 1t will be difficult to forecast the
result of this international Convention. Even
if full justice is done our people by
the Commission, it is excessively doubt
full if their pay will come III their life
time. The Government of Spain is On
the verge Of bankruptcy, and the stewards OF
the national fortunes consider money as in
fnitely too precious thing to be squandered
in tho payment of dtbls. The average Spanish
statesman regards all means fair to keep a
creditor out of his money, and after you have
obtained your certificate of indebtedness you
are not much nearer your point than before
In this case, it would be difficult FOR the Gov
crnment to pay its just liabilities, IL 1t were
so disposed. There is no idea more firmly
fixed in the minds of tho Havana Volunteers
than that OF relentless opposition TO the pay
ment of any compensation for their outmges.
They came near forcing Spain into war, by
vetoing for several days the surrender OF
the American vessel Lloyd Aspinwall, after
the Madrid authorities had ordered 1t.
They are still more obstinatoly resolved that
nothing shall be given to n0n-residents IN re-
turn for their pillaging. The HOrisonte, paper
published at Cardenas, gives warning OF this
in a recent NUMBER "THE TRIBUNE says that
the claims of the American subjects whose
properties have been cOniiscated VIII
"amount to an unexpected sum OF money
"THE TRIBUNE is mistaken the sum claimed
"by the traitors who give themselves the title
"of American subjects may be fabulous and
"indcinite, but never unexpected. For the
"loyalists of Cuba there is nothing i'll the
"world unexpected; they expect all, and foi
chat reason they are prepared for ALL
Here is a sufficiently plain indication OF The
intentions of these lawless bands. II is highly
probable that after our joint Commission has
awarded our people the damages due Them II
may become necessary for our own Govern
| ment TO consider what means are necessary to
| take for the collection of them.