The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-11
Our Relations with Spain and Eng
Iand-The Mismanagcment OF Our
Foreign Affairs.


have been issued to put stfch of our iron-clads
as are fit for service in sea-going condition
that work is to be done, if necessary, day and
night, in our navy yards that bills for the
construction of new vessels and for the i'm
provement Of our coast defences are to be
pushed through Congress, and, in short that
the administration has suddenly become sensi-
BILE of the fact that in case of war crisis we
are in a very Indifferent condition either to
act on the offensive or to oppose an invasion of
our coast and the destruction of our seaboard
cities. The whisper comes from Washington
that 'our relations with Spain are of such
character as to suggest preparations, not neces-
sarily looking to war, but to the protection of
the rights of citizens of the United States"
1t is even thrown out as hint darkly and
mysteriously, that our Minister at Madrid,
who is on his way back to his post after
protracted leave of absence, carries with him
in his pocket instructions of belligerent cha
racter, and may find it necessary to present his
letter of recall if the demands of his government
should not be at once complied with; although
an anchor is cast to windward by the SUCCESS
and expressions Of regret may take place be-
tween the American representative and the
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, which,
however, will be well understood at Washing
ton to be nothing less than diplomatic
lying" The immediate cause of this fore
shadowed imbroglio is represented to be the
delay in the action Of the United States and
Spopich Cloipoo Gpyp,,,tccop fbo of
Dr. Houard, in connection with other ques-
tons which may s'cause further irritation and
give occasion for a more determined policy
towards SPAIN
We have already got into hot weather,
and it would present no very pleasant pros
pect if we were seriously in danger of getting
into hot water ut the same time. Our citizens
will, however, bear in mind that these rumors
of war originate at Washington, and that we
are now within six months Of Presidential
election. Secretary Fish is by no means lack
ing in tact as o politician at home, if ne docs
make clumsy and laundering diplomat
abroad. He is aware that popular SEN
timent disapproves the policy he hos
heretofore pursued in regard to our
i lSliuoHS Will lIc b'I'iilioA S5ONtIuIuCut, iuu
that the original lack Of judgment and
subsequent want of frmness manifested by
him in the conduct of the Alabama negotia-
tons are condemned by large majority OF
the American people. It would be by no
means a bad stroke of policy if Secretary Fish
could manage to divert public attention from
the unfortunate condition Of the English diff
ltx hxy orY;f which ~ fba
same time seem to make atonement for our
frigid treatment of the Cuban question. But
the people will be disposed to ask why should
we 90 to war with Spain at this time? Amer-
can sympathy has been with the Cubans from
the commencement of their struggle for liberty,
and our citizens would have rejoiced at an
American policy that would have afforded hope
to the patriots of the suffering island. But
the administration thought fit to exercise I'M
usual vigilance in the enforcement of our
neutral obligations so far as the Cuban revolu-
tienists We're concerned, although the sense of
our national obligations was not SO keen
when the Spanish government desired to send
out from our ports fleet of gunboats to be
used against the rebels. The flush of indigna-
| ton burned on every American cheek when
the atrocities Of the Spanish cutthroats became
known and it was found that American
citizens, as well as insurgent Cubans,
were made the victims of their ruffianism.
But the administration discovered no cause for
the intermeddling Of the United States govern
ment, and was as bland and courteous as ever
in its intercourse with Spain. Many Of our
people temporarily resident in Cuba sustained
losses through the rebellion, but their cases
were referred by mutual consent to Joint
Claims Commission, and thus put in the way
of an amcable settlement What are our COM
plants against the Spaniards now? Where
now can we find casus belli against them? If
the Claims Commission is slow about its work
the reason is to be satisfactorily found in the
unavoidable difficulty of procuring proofs
while the island is in q state of Instruction
DR.. Houard is only one of hundreds who have
suffered, and suffered probably unjustly, at
the hands of the brutalized Spanish regulars
and volunteers, and there is every probability
that, whether the question of his American
citizenship be doubtful or not his release will
be accorded at the request of our government
There does not appear to be a single reason
able cause for plunging into war with Spain
at the present time
We regard this Spanish rumor, then, as q
political expedient to divert public attention
from the Alabama Treaty difficulty and to save
Mr.. Fish, and we presume that it originates in
! the Office of the Secretary of State at Washing
ton. There is now but little doubt that the
! Geneva Conference will be abandoned, and
that the treaty under which the tribunal was
created will be destroyed. The failure Of this
attempt to settle our differences with England
will occasion some disappointment. The
treaty is valuable one especially to England