The New York herald., 1872-07-11
THE CASE OF DIR. HOUARD.
Firm Demand Of the United States for the
Immediate Release Of the Doctor.
path-President Grant Puts an End 10 the
Policy Of Fsar-0ur Relations with Spain
ON New Footing -Honard TO Be Set
Free, but Not as an Act Of Span
ish Mercy or Clemency
MADRID, June -, 1872.


MADRID June n 1sr2
There is some excitement here as to the demand
that has been made upon the Spanish government
for the release Of DIR. Houard. The Doctor is now
In prison at Cadiz under the observation OF the
American Consul. The circumstance that such
demand has been made indicates a new policy with
Spain on the part of our government, and answers
the multitude OF inquiries and speculations as to
whether General Sickles really meant to return to
Madrid to remain as Minister, or to go home again
in kind Of Catacazy disgrace at the request of the
Spanish government. IL is amusing TO see how
these stories find currency here. One journal
assured us that the General merely came
back for his family; another that the Span
ish Ministry had intimated to Mr.. Fish
that new Minister would be more
acceptable to Spain. The Spanish mind rapidly
arrived at the conclusion that America was In q
fine state of terror as to Cuban AFFAIRS; that the
carnestness OF General Sickes upon the subject
was not welcomed at Washington, especially to an
administration that breads the power OF Spain as
keenly as that of General Grant. On the other
hand, we can readily understand how any Ameri-
can in active employment, especially with political
purposes and ambitions at home, would hesitate
before giving an unusual fragment OF his life to
Madrid At it's best, and with all the color and
grace and harmony and vivacity that we see In the
Spanish character, there is monotony and reserve
In Spain, stagnant, dormant, anxious feeling,
that reminds you Of what convict col
ony might be with the population In a state
OF penance. 1 can see how Spain would be
tempting to literary man full of romance, and
impressed with the poetry OF the race like Irving,
to politician out of employ ment, and well on in
life, like Hale. But Carl Schurz went home as soon
as he heard the cannons firing in our rebel war,
and i can fancy that with the uproar and uncer-
tainty of our coming Presidential canvass and the
keen zest which the true political soldier feels for
well fought campaign only an unusual reason
would keep General Sickles out Of the fray. 1t may
he safe to assume that this unusual reason does
exist. General Grant means to fight one of the
battles OF his Presidential campaign here in Madrid,
and General Sickles has returned to begin it.
"F,+- DR. HOUARD
The battle begah with the case OF Dr. Houard.
You have heard all about the case-how doctor
pretty well on in years, and in practice at Cienfue
gos. Cuba, was supposed to have taken an active
part with the rebels, and was tried by a Spanish
court martial which in the most unaccountable
manner did not put him to death, but pronounced a
sentence Of Imprisonment. There was really no ev
dence duplicating the doctor in the rebellion, but
he was prosecuted because OF his family, most Of
whom-the active young men, at least-were in the
rebel Cuban army. One nephew was the famous
Frederic Fernandez Cavada, who was the COmman-
dern Chief of the Cuban forces. Cavada had served
in our army as colonel, at Gettysburg
among other places, and at the close of the
war was made Consul at Trinidad de Cuba by
Mr.. Seward. Here he resided when the rebellion
broke out. He resigned, took command OF the in
surrectionary forces and did what fighting he
could, until upon one occasion he was captured
and next morning shot through the head by order
of Spanish court martial There are other Cava-
das still in active rebellion, and beyond the reach
Of the Spanish authorities. SO Spain has dealt with
the Doctor, because of the sins OF his knsmen. The
authorities have been encouraged to do this by the
attitude OF Governor Fish, who In all of his
respondencc and utterances on the subject has
seemed to think that Houard was somehow right
fully arrested and imprisoned, or, at least
that he had no claim of citizenship No one
doubts that the Secretary holds such a position
honestly; but upon the Spanish mind, which is not
apt to be severely honest In its political views the
hesitation Of Mr.. Fish was regarded as an express
sion OF our fear OF the enormous power of Spain.
While General Sickles was absent on wedding tours
and campaigns against Erie we have been mildly
seeking gentleness to HOuard making requests,
throwing out hints and hopes and gently intimatcd
desires that Spain in its infinite mercy would re-
America is concerned, the Spanish mind thinks that
our administration is in terror of its arms and
prestige. SO far as CUBA Ii concerned, Spain has no
THE SPANISH ESTIMATE Or THE UNITED STATES.
As have said the average Spanish mind believes
that nothing mas prevented the United @ states from
We have been regarded, and are now, as something
like nation OF fbusters. Our whole course during
this revolution our patience under indgnities, our
silence in the presence of atrocities which disgrace
civilization, the meekness with which we have sub
mltted to interference with our commerce and the
rights Of citizens, come simply from terror in
spired In American minds by Spanish va0r There
is another party here-a party Of politicians in
desperate circumstances one might say-who see
no better remedy for the sfortunes OF the country
than war with the United States. With the dismal
outlook that spreads before the Spanish statesman
anarchy; almost bankruptcy; money borrowed for
the EXchequer at thirty-eight per cent, poverty,
ideness, intrigue, maversation OF the funds, insur
giOns, high taxation and constantly increasing
budget deficiencies, kings and pretenders warning
upon each other-there is no better relief than
war with the United States. 1t would pOstpOne the
evil day; It would stine sediton and unite all par
ties; 1t would strengthen Amadeus on his quick
sand throne; It would summon sun into new life all
revive the gories OF Charles V. Revolution would
be silent In the presence Of war; and revolution
question whether even war will awe 1t Into silence
A PEREMPToRY DEMAND FOR DIR. HoUARDs RE-
LEASE.
When General Sickles returned here from his
wedding tour and Erie campaign he found what is
called cabinet crisis" Minister had been
found with his arms in the treasury. hundred
thousand dollars had been taken out, distracted
from the fund that is set apart for the of the
army-a kind OF sacred savingsbank fund-and de-
voted to election purposes, very much in the man
ner OF a certain political manager IN New York. 1t
made great scandal, Ministers resigned and gov
ernment was in the air waiting for the return OF
Marshal Serrano, who was In the Basque
country putting down the Basque rebels AS
soon as SerranO returned and the new machine
was put into operation note was plunged at
the Spanish government by our Minister OF
character far different from the former mild and
muddy communications which did little more than
irfp pstf fha nat yVQ ypr
afraid Of their power. In this note General Sckles
called attention to the case Of Dr. HOuard as one
which had excited the most serious apprehensions
In the minds of the President and the people. He
showed that DR.. HOuard was a native Of Philadel-
phia, Of French parentage; that he studied medi-
cine there and graduated at Jefferson Medical Col
lege that he took up his residence in the island OF
Cuba to practise his profession; that he never
waived his citizenship, but, on the contrary, regis
tered his name as an alien resident, as pro-
vided by the municipal laws of Cuba, at the
office of the constituted authorities; that his family