The New York herald., 1872-12-01
Herald Cuban Comm issfoncr-
Failure OF the Expedition.


The HERALD special despatch from Cape
Haytien, via St Thomas, published yester-
day, will have informed our readers of the
failure of our Cuban expedition and the
fight of our commissioner from the island on
board the French steamer He had been re-
gathered in our service and at our expense in
the columns of o government organ at
Havana, and, not complying with this impu-
dent request, was advised that the ''volun-
teers'' were incensed at his refusal and that
his life was in danger. So, allowing himself
to be intimidated or over-persuaded, he
abandoned his mission, received his pass
port and left for New York. Expedi-
tions of this delicate and hazardous char
acter cannot be expected to be always
crowned with immediate success. The dis
couragements they encounter, the difficulties
thrown in their way, and their occasional fail
ure only serve to prove their Importance and
their peril and to make success when it is
achieved the more creditable. Besides, the
result of such expeditions depends entirely
upon the character of those to whom they
are entrusted, and q mans mettle has to be
tested in the fire before its real quality can be
known. AStanley is not met with every day,
and man who could be checked by disap-
pointment or driven back from his object by
the fear of death through "war, pestilence or
famine" would never have discovered Liv-
ingstone. 1t is idle to speculate now
kox 1oll Ill 24I l~-k
modest demeanor would not have been sufi-
cient protection against these clustering vol
unteers without the safeguard Of American
nationality and a lawful, peaceful mission.
It is enough that our present commissioner
has left the island with his work incomplete,
and as this is sufficient proof that he is not
the right man in the right place we are glad
that he has thus early given us an oppor-
tunity to select his successor. A campaign is
seldom fought out, from its commencement to
it's close, under the same division command
ers, and the cause is generally benefited by
the changes that experience proves to be
desirable.
1t is probable that the Spanish troops and
volunteers, and it may be the Spanish author
tiles, plume themselves on their prowess in
having got rid of the HERALD correspondent.
If SO they will soon discover their error. Their
unwillingness to suffer the truth to be told
only serves to convince us that there is some
thing in this Cuban business that the world
ought to know; something which should
reach the public through other sources than
those which threaten mans life unless
he will consent to submit his opinions to
their scrutiny and judgment We re-
gard it as important now to dis
cover the true condition Of the revo-
lutionary army and the actual state
of affairs on the Island of Cuba
as it was to discover Livingstone. In
both expeditions the cause Of humanity
is to be served. We are anxious to see
whether the Spanish troops have no foe be-
fore them, but have been fighting windmills
for the past four years, as, with singular indif-
ference to their own reputation for courage
and efficiency, they would have the world
| believe, or whether the insurrection that
has held its ground SO long is entitled
to consideration at the hands of neu-
trail nations. Our present expedition
has failed, but we shall find other
agents who will succeed. When General
Grant was fighting the confederacy he
did not pause after temporary defeat, but
pushed steadily forward filling up gap after
gap in his lines with new men until he drove
the enemy before him. We intend to fight
out the Cuban expedition on this line if it
takes all the Winter and Summer as well, and
when one commissioner fails we shall supply
his place with another until the object is ac-
complshed. We might avail ourselves Of the
services of Mr.. Stanley, but he will be busily
engaged for the next three months in deliver
ing lectures and publishing books which will
not only extend his fame, but yield him the
substantial return of hundred thousand dol
lars or upwards. Besides, it would not be just to
other enterprising and capable young men who
are eager to emulate Mr.. Stanley's example,
| if we should confne the expeditions out Of
which the greatest honor and the most profit
can be gained to any one individual There
are many adventurous and ambitious persons
who can make as brilliant success in Cuba as
Stanley achieved in Africa We have such in
our own establishment, and we are willing to
encourage others who may apply to us from
any other path in life. We may require the
services Of many who have the pluck and
energy to undertake bold adventures, and as
we believe the volunteer always makes better
soldier than the conscript we shall give a fair
consideration to all who may apply to us for the
honor of enrolment in the HERALD expe-
dictionary army.
The REMAINS OF Mr.. GREELEY were yes
terday transported from Pleasantville to this
city, accompanied by one Of the grief-stricken
Jo,,<h<orc of he r,rook doooocnJ Co.xo-or