The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-12-03

1870 AVS'01 ocutdmout6. Livery COA0UAoAon "a
victories in our civil war. by emblems on the
nags, by combinations or associations Of the
vlctors, by parades, gatherings or public din
ners or in any other way is wrong. Mr..
Summers bill ought to be passed unanimously
by Congress, and at once. In fact, everything
possible should be done to obliterate the
memory OF the sad event and to restore har-
mony and fraternal feeling among all the
citizens OF our common country.
Tho President ON Cuba-The Outlook
for tho Republic.
President Grant, in his fourth annual
Message, as in his first, sets graphically be-
fore the world the unhappy condition of the
Island of Cuba. For more than four years
the rebellion against Spanish rule has held its
own, and during that period the rich soil of
the island has been deluged with blood in the
futile effort to suppress the instruction. Acts
scandalous to the civilization of the present
century have been committed by the volun-
teers and probably by the insurgents; the
war has been made almost war of exter-
mination; yet, in the words of President
Grant, Spain has been unable to SUBJ
due the revolution, while the revolution.
on the other hand, has made no head
way towards ultimate success. After four
years of slaughter the situation is unchanged;
the people are still in arms against the
authority Of Spain; the Spanish government
is still powerless to crush out the revolt the
'.insurrection has gained no advantages
and exhibits no more of the elements
Of power" than were exhibited q year
ago. During the whole of President
Grants first term of Office, while the
United States have been prosperous and happy,
blest with peace and growing stronger and
richer with every succeeding year, the island
''at our door, has been torn by this terrible
conflict, whose termination seems at this mo-
ment as far off as on the day when General
Grant first took the oath of Office as Chief
Magistrate of the Republic.
The President attributes the long contin-
uance of tho strife to the existence of slavery
on the island. "a terrible wrong is the
natural cause Of . terrible evil" and he hopes
that the present liberal government Of Spain
President Grant could not say less than this
probably he could not consistently say more.
But the matter is now in the hands of Con-
gress. We know how much reliance we can
place on the promises Of the Spanish govern
men to free the Cuban slaves For four years
we have labored with Spain to wiring from
her this concession to the sentiment
of all civilized people. For two or
three years we have reasoned, protested,
almost threatened at Madrid but our efforts
have ended in words, and in words alone the
response has been made. We have already
urged upon our government, upon Congress,
and especially upon the republican party the
duty Of adopting some decisive measures by
which we can at least free ourselves from the
scandal Of aiding Cuban slavery if we cannot
accomplish its immediate. destruction. The
President very properly denounces those
American capitalists who hold property IN
Cuban slaves but we must not forget that
our government, by affording rich and ready
market for the slave products of the island,
keeps alive the institution and renders Cuba
valuable possession to SPAIN Shut out the
sugars Of the slave drivers from the American
markets by q prohibitory tariff-because they
are the product of slavesy-and freedom will
soon be proclaimed in Cuba.
There is probably speedier way to ensure
freedom to the Cuban slave. The constitution
of the Republic Of Cuba proclaims the abo-
Htion Of slavery for ever. Let the revolution
succeed and the island is as free as our own
government. The failure Of the Spanish
authorities to repress the rebellion in four
years, and the fact that they are as far from
victory to-day as they were when President
Grant was inaugurated in 1869, warrant the
recognition Of Cuban belligerency by all
nations, however friendly may be their rela-
tons with Spain. The revolutionists may
not have made Roadway in the meantime, but
the fact that.they have held their own, that
they still successfully resist the authority Of
the Spaniard, is Of itself victory to their
cause. The recognition of their belligerent
rights would, it is claimed, render the Re
public success The contest is, as President
Grant says, Eat our door," Why should
Congress hesitate to do justice to struggling,
suffering people? By what right could Spain
complain of such an act as one un-
friendly to herself? The continuance of
the Cuban war can work nothing but mischief
and misery to Spain. The establishment
of the Republic of the West Indian Islands
would be gain 70 civilization and credit to
the world. England is prepared to cast off
her colonies: she finds it to her profit to do
so. Spain will do well to follow her example,
and to give freedom to the Cuban slaves and
to the Island of Cuba at the same time.
= : - q - -1-r- : : -.Y..vx,esc.
ABOLITION or THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. -
In view Of the annoying complications that
might have occurred had Horace Greeley been
elected by the people and died before the