The New York herald., 1872-07-11

oexntng Cuba and the CubanA Just at The
time this difficulty about Dr. Houard is ended
We hear Of the capture of the Pioneer, q vessel
said to be Cuban privateer or man-of-war, by
the United States revenue cutter Moccasin.
Whatever may be said Of the heroism and per-
sistency Of the Cubans in struggling for their
freedom, they certainly manifest little skill.
Most OF their expeditions fail through the in
competency Of those organizing or command
ing them. They seem to have the fatality of
running into the lions mouth. We know not
upon what the Cubans claim the right under
international law to send out q privateer or
man-of-war. except upon the fact that the
independence or beligerency Of Cuba has
been recognized by some of the States
Of South or Central America; but even then
this little sailing craft, not larger than good
sized fishing vessel, is poor apology for bel
hgerent. In fact, it makes the Cuban cause ap-
pear farcical. The whole of this prolonged
trouble about Cuba is the result of the weak
ness and indecision Of our own government.
The administration ought long ago either to
have taken such action as would have secured
the Independence of Cuba or to have frowned
down the attempt We are more interested in
the fate of Cuba, really. than Spain, and our
government should have put an end, one way
or the other, to the civil war and the horrors
growing out OF il in that island Both the
Spaniaris and Cubans have been aided by this
country in carrying on frightful war that is q
disgrace to the age and we have got the i'll
viii of both. A firm and decided policy in
favor Of one or the other was required. Let us
hope this weak and vacillating policy will be
abandoned, and that one more compatible with
humanity and the dignity of this great republic
may be pursued in the future
The Approaching Verdict ON stokes.
AT ten o'clock yesterday morning, Judge
Ingraham took his seat upon the bench, and
the Court crier opened the seventeenth day of
the trial of Stokes with the old formal calling:-
Oyer! Oyez! which has, in its translated form,
degenerated into an incomprehensible jargon
Of sound that answers for q solemn warning
that the deadly work of the day has begun.
The defence was still offering its evidence to
shake the firm foothold of the prosecution
The medical testimony was resumed. DR..
Tripler was recalled to prove that he never
read or heard of Taylor ON Poisons," nor
Harley's work on vegetable neurotics. More
examination on this line Of ply
sician knowledge. when, after DR..
Fisher stating that he did not re-
member conversation with Marshal Cowing
ON the subject of probing the latter person
was called and testified to curious story
II was in effect that Dr. Fisher told Cowing
to tell DIR. Tripler that he (Tripler) had been
punching at the wound for half an hour
before he (Fisher) arrived that the ball had
been felt by the probe, but had been pushed
into the abdomen some distance by the opera
ton. A very odd piece of testimony.
The mother of the prisoner took the stand
to say that her son, the man at the bar had
given evidence Of unusual excitability upon
certain occasions in relation to his
difficulties with Fisk-helping out, evil
IDENTIFY, the vague insanity plea Her
son, brother of the prisoner, followed
with the story of Stokes fears for his life and
carrying pistol to protect his life against Fisk
or his emissaries. The mother was not cross
examined. Next came the evidence
on the commissions which had been
issued to examine Amasa Sprague ON
the sporting bet matter SO often referred to.
and Dorman b. Eaton, who was assaulted il
is alleged, by Fisk's emissaries A great part
of this was excluded by the Court but doubt
less the jury took note of what was admitted.
On this point it must il seems to us,
be difficult for juryman 10 decide.
An amount Of testimony is offered which he
dering him to forget il will fix il on his
memory. Acute counsel know this, and
hence the struggle which invariably occurs
to prevent even the reading of such matter.
Here the defence CLOSED. This announce
ment of the defence, which means, "This is
oil we can at present say for our Client" is
always critical one. But the Court
promptly called upon the District At
torney to proceed, and the rebuttal opened.
1t all lay, yesterday, in the direction
of proving that Fisk had no pistol on the day
he was shot His Belgian interpreter. who
helped to dress him, and seemed comically
offended because the defence hinted he
was little better than valet, said
so. Fisk's coachman said so, and several
who might or might not have cognizance Of
the fact said so. Thus the case rests at
present. The evidence yesterday alluded to
an alleged conversation of DIR. Fisher with DIR.
Shine as to the amount of opium administered
internally and hypodcrmically, which, il
provable, will tend to show the msmanage-
ment, so far as the doctors are concerned, Of
the case of Fisk. The defence has been
extended so that it is hard TO say
where the stress Of the counsel i'm
closing will be laid; but yesterdays
evidence leads towards the conclusion that