New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-10
The Cuban Policy.
We find this in Washington dispatche

We find this in Washington dispatches:
From sources altogether reliabl it is as
seertained that the administration has not
as has been stated, changed its policy OF
the Cuban question. but continues TO ac
according to principles heretofore declared
namely, that while it will observe strict
neutrality in regard to the difficulties now
consent that our merchants and vessels
shall be mOlested in their lawful pursuits
or overhauled and examined, unless they
are found committing some violation OF
Spanish authority.
In accordance with this policy our gov.
eminent has protested against tina action
of the Spanish naval officer in boarding
and searching the florida on the high sea-,
and has required the Spanish government:
first, to apologize; second, TO disavow the
act of the officer; third to punish him,
and fourth, 10 pay damages. That the
Spanish governme mt will meet these re-
quirements is not doubted.
~ With regard to the Hoinet, there will be
no difficulty. AZ the Congress has been dis
patched to POrt-au, Prince to convey her to
an American port. II, as the Spanish Min
lister alleges. she has committed IA breach OF
our neutrality laws. she viii he amena bic TO
our laws, and not to those of Spain.
While it il true that Slgust.a, who il at
the head of the Spanish ministry, is known
to he hostile 20 the United States 1t Is also
known that he has no power to do harm,
his party in the C0rteS is III q minority, and
would therefore. outyote him ON any policy
unfriendly TO this county.
1t is q matter of official record that about
seven months ago General Scklcs, in IA con
versatrn with distinguished Spanish
General. whose official employment afforded
him ample III, ans of accurate inform iti,n,
I.,t ha.
dollars had been exl,e nded for military pur
poses during the year then passed in Cuba
He did not state whether or not this large
sum included any portion Of tho amount
disburspd for the fleet III gunboats main
tanned in those waters, or especially with
reference to the lnsurrection. Ii WAS tur-
Their stated that tine aggregate force IN
der arms exceeded 100000 men, NOR
than half of whom were regular troops,
and that the losses OF the army of Cuba
from the va,ipus casualties of the service
$4,000 men. 1t was the Spanish Generals
impression that tho insurgcnt forces did not
number more than 5000 OF all arms.
Mr.. Sicklrs then heard from II usi by
sources, likely to be well informed, that the
insurgents lost no ground Of import ancei
that their trOops were better disciplined
than ever, and that in several recent ac
tions they had gained e, n, iierable advaE-
are represented as deserving to the insur-
gents.
Reports of the most cruel seventies
against prisoners of war and against non
c0mbatanls, perpetrated by both parties,
continued to reach Madrid.
1t is known that III the course of the
struggle in Cuba the rights of American
citizens were ffrcted by the steps taken by
the Spanish authorities to crush the insur
rection 1t being iound inconvc nient to re-
fer all such cases To Madrid, the Spanish
minister here was. by iequrst OF this gov
eminent, authorized to settle by agreement
with the Captain General OF Cuba, without
con uIing The Spanish government. I'LL
questions arising wi h this government or
its citizens, from circumstances through
which the island of Cuba WAS passing, eK-
cept in cases OF disagreement with superior
authority, or in n Case of such gravity MS
in >the Judgment of Minister Roberts II
might require previous consultation with
bis COVE, n,urni. Qns'ions we've thus am
icabLy adjusted unlll this power was with
drawn ~ the government a. Madrid, in
view, as 1t WIS officially asserted, of The
situation i'll which the island then
was.
The favorable situation was supposed by