The New York herald., 1872-12-09


The proceedings of the first week Of the
closing session Of the present Congress may
be pronounced fair beginning with an eye
to business. II is little remarkable.
however, after the exhibition of the
Presidents rose-colored picture Of tho beau
ties Of arbitration in the settlement Of inter-
national dificultie,, as ILLUSTRATED. BY the
Geneva Tribunal, that the first act Of the
House Of Representatives should be the pas
sage of bill for the construction OF six
additional ships for the purposes Of war.
Surely if the administration had any faith in
the general adoption of friendly adjustments
from its boasted Inauguration of arbitration
as substitute for war; it would hasten to set
the good example of providing rather for a
new era of general peace than for an enlarged
employment of
Bombs, guns. drums and batteries
But the Secretary of the Navy pleads the
ineficiency Of our present naval establish
ment for warlike purposes. the President sup
ports his recommendations and the House of
Representatives, as If fully impressed with
through its preliminary bid for the construc-
ton of six new ships-of-war. And what is
the argument for this measure2 General
Banks, Chairman on Foreign Affairs. said in
the debate that he had introduced this bill at
the last session in anticipation of trouble with
Spain, that affairs in the Gulf of Mexico had
not improved since then, that no one knew
what might occur there any day, and that it
was proper to be prepared for all contingen-
cies. But Mr.. Scofeld did not share in these
apprehensions, and it was not for any such
purpose as possible conflict with Spain that
he wanted these sloops-of-war constructed.
His idea, perfectly innocent of warlike de-
signs, was simply to keep up the American
squadrons in the various seas of the world for
the protection of our commerce. 1t appears,
however, that General Banks speaks by au-
thority and that the real object of these new
vessels to the navy is to meet the possible con-
tingency of rupture with Spain. He says
that the Secretary Of the Navy had declared
to members of the House that he was afraid
that events had occurred in the Gulf of Mex
leo which would require the government to
be prepared to defend our commerce.
What, then, are these ominous events2
They are. perhaps, the alleged high-handed
proceedings Of the Spanish authorities in the
Island of Cuba and of the Spanish Navy in
the Gulf Of Mexico, in certain arrests and i'm
prisonments or explosions of our citizens, and
in certain pursuits, detentions and searches Of
our trading vessels on the high seas or in neu-
trail ports. But the President says nothing of
these things in his Message. He regrets the
continuance of the disturbed condition Of the
Island of Cuba. He complains that no ad-
vance towards the pacifcation Of its discon-
tented population has been made, while the
insurrection has gained no advantages and
exhibits no better prospect of success than it
exhibited year ago; that this struggle has
lasted for four years; that, with Cuba at our
door, we cannot be Indifferent to this state Of
things and that he has no doubt that the con-
tinuance Of slavery in the island is at the bot
tom Of this continued strife He hopes for
the voluntary removal by Spain Of this great
evil; but he regrets to believe that citizens of
the United States, or persons claiming to be
such citizens, are holders Of slaves and are
slave dealers in Cuba, and he recommends
such legislation as may be deemed proper to
discourage them from this unlawful business.
There is nothing here to support the appre-
tensions of Secretary Robeson or General
Banks, and yet the evidence submitted justi-
fies the conclusion that the bill for these six
vessels-of-war has been urged upon and passed
by the House to meet the apprehended con-
tingency Of war with Spain.
What ultimate design, then, is entertained
behind the scenes at Washington in reference
to Cuba? The Presidents Message means
peace, but the bill for these new iron-clads
means war and as we have and fear no mis-
understanding with any other naval Power
than Spain, this warlike measure clearly is
intended for the contingency of fight with
Spain. Such is the state Of things in Cuba,
too, that on the plea of the common interests
Of civilization and humanity upon which
Louis Napoleon justified his military invasion
and occupation of Mexico, or on the plea Of
England's belligerent rights to JEFF Davis, or
on the plea of righting the wrongs committed
upon our citizens on the island and upon our
trade in the Gulf by the servants of Spain,
we might take military possession of Cuba
or open the gates Of the island to an army Of
flibusters. Even upon the plea of the
abolition Of slavery and the slave trade and Of
the coolie traffic with the island, our armed
Intervention for the pacifcation and civiliza-
ton Of Cuba would now be supported by the
advanced public opinion Of oil the States Of
Europe, excepting Spain, and perhaps Turkey.
But we conjecture that the administration
contemplates no immediate quarrel with Spain
for any cause-that the present object is prep
aration for possible contingencies in the fu-
ture; but that when provided with even half
a dozen shins-of.War superior or euual in