New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-04

made by the Vice-President in beilalf OF Dr'
Houard's friends and relatives in Philadelphia,
he wrote, only three days after the datc oi
this energetic dispatch, an elaborate pea ior
the Spanish view of the case. He recapituii'es
tho facts of the dispatch, but gives 'nem
all leaning to the Spanish s,ue,
and SAYS: at can scarcely be denied 'lia1
these circumstances, in some degree, JUSTIFY
"tho Spanish authorities in regarding DE-
"Houard as subject to their JuIisuic''on'
since, on the other hand, nothing whatever
is brought forward in his behalf TO illustrate
or prove his assertion at any time OF Amcri-
can citizenship" The circumstances when
90 to show that DR.. Iouard was not an
American citizen were that he has not proved
that he took any part in our war Tor the
Union. This is new and ingenious dell
milton of citizenship, and if generally ao0pted
would make Americans of Bright and Cas-
marin. and aliens Of many thousands VINO nave
never been beyond our boundaries. Inc Sec
retary goes on to review the charges against
Uouard and to belttle his evidence IN his
own defense, and concludes with this virtual
surrender of the case: "The strong point
l." which prevents the intervention OF THIS
Government in behalf OF DR.. Houard from
"becoming efficacious for his release, Is 'he
" fact that he has been regularly tired anu
"found guilty by duly constituted tribunal
Gin the Island of Cuba" We confess our
selves at a loss to comprehend the meaning
of this glaring contradiction. On the 9TH
Of March. the Secretary orders the representa-
five of the United States in Madrid to protest
AGAINST the injury done to an American citi-
zen, and to peremptorily demand his release.
On the 10th of March he writes letter to the
Vice-Presidcnt, saying the person referred 10
Is probably not an American citizen, and that
the "interventiOn of this Government for his
"relief" is "ineficacious." And on the LIST OF
April, before Mr. Adee has had time to present
the demand of this Government at the Minis
try of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary OF State
gives to the press the extraordinary letter by
which the case is surrendered. This cor
respondence goes, Of course, by the first mail,
or by telegraph, to Madrid, and Mr.. De Bias
has nothing to do but to copy Mr.. Fish's letter
to Mr.. Colfax as full and sufficient answer to
any demand which We can make for redress
to this outraged citizen.
In the mean time Dr. Houard goes to the
chain gang, sentenced to hard labor for eight
years, and the robbers Of Havana divide his
property among them. He is 81 years OF age
and already broken in health. He cannot
possibly survive his sentence, which therefore
amounts virtually to a sentence to death by
slow torture.
It will be understood that we ere not pre-
Judging this case. We claim to have no fuller
information in regard to it than that in pos
session of the State Department when the
dispatch of the 9th March was written. 1t
is impossible for us to decide whether
Mr.. Fish was right when he demanded the
Immediate release" of DR.. lIouard, or when,
three days later, he told his friends that
they had no case. But on one Of these
occasions he was certainly wrong. If it was
on the 9th, he has recklessly put the Govern
ment in an untenablc position. and if it was
on the 18th he has been guilty of distinct
betrayal of his trust.