National Republican., 1873-11-14

, and as an evidence OF cruel predefern,nd-
On nat ne mwdero,s object for ,ohich prep
rdtions Mad oirsudy been made should BE- dc. y
,mp,isned wid,ost ne possibility Of interpen- T
on from higaer autaoriy 10 oprecenf u. ls
Tho Government accepts this - the most I
sasonable and deserved characterization Of Z
his dIsgraceful feature Of the amir. The
vidcnt deduction to be made therefrom is
n thorough accord with the popular belief
hat the volunteers ou the island, under the
,ontroi Of the Casino Espanal, arc In effect
Of any authority except that
which IL dictated by their own lnclinstiops.
rhe Government will, accordingly, proceed
It the proper time upon this assumption,
But inssmuch as the Madrid authorities have
made the voluntary promises TO which allu-
sion has been made, the Government Is com.
PEELED to await future developments. When |
these promises were made the Madrid author |
tiles fixed their own time and date for their full
nllment. Thdttime has not vi expired. What
action may be taken In the event Of their nom
fu,niimcnt Is matter that win, In all proba-
bility, rest with Congress at It's coming session,
which begins two weeks from next Monday.
The status Of the insurgents on the Island
Of Cuba has been the subject Of watchful caro-
by the Government for ycars. Since the
death of jose Morales Lcmus, 0rst Vice
President Of the Cuban Republic, and Minis
ter Extraordinary from its Government to
tho United States, they have been lrrcgularly
represented In Washington. scnor Miguel
| do Aldama has made several visits to Sccrc-
tary Fish, but no representation has been
made to prove that they have succeeded In
establishing a regular and stable form Of
government. Tho construction placed upon
the phrase regular and stable government
cnforces q necessity that the insurgents shall
hold regularly established courts; shall levy
taxes; shall convene constituent assemblies
for legislative purposes; and shall be pos
sessed Of seaport and sail their flag upon the
high seas. No representations to prove that
these necessities have been complied with
have been made; but, on the contrary, the
information received seems TO indicate that
the last attempt Of the body purporting to bo
tho Legislative assembly was dispersed by
tho Spanish armies, and that one, at least,
Of its members was captured, and that no
effort has been made to convene II since
then. It Is, perhaps, the fault Of the
Cuban representatives IN this coun-
try that they have not taken thu
prccaution to prove their right to rccogui
tion, and that they arc In condition to com
ply with the requirements Of internatioua
law. While the Government believes tha
four-nfths OF the natives OH the island ma
be opposed to Spanish rule and In sympath
with tho insurrection, II Is unable to percciv
that the insurgents have succeeded In maxim
such advancement In the direction Of galnin
, or maintaining power as to cutitle them
any consideration beyond that which Ia az
corded TO any rcbclllous combination. Th
Z cry for q recognition Of thoir bellll
e crent rights is, therefore, wild In th
! extreme, and while Ii nnds rcspout
: under the existing excitement froI
people of every section Of our countr,
and consequently carries great weight wit
1t, proper regard for the obligations Of Ii
nation to q Power which Is yet friendly an
probably will continue to be friendly, d,
, mands that the utmost caution shall chara,
+ terize each successive step. Such recogn
u ton, 1t should be understood, would not IL
r crease the advantages which are now ~
T. corded to the insurgents In the purchase I
10 arms, and while their representatives ha'
~ clamored for It, they have neglected the oI
'r portunlty which our open market affort
10 them to buy munitions OF war rs they pleas
70 and ship them under safe protection to on
81 point they please, until they reach the pr
10 scribcd limo three miles from the Cuba
IL shore, when, II Ii Is proven that vessel
70 engaged In traffic In violation Of spanis
ns law, she may be subjected to seizure. IT
IN insurgents, II may be remarked In this col
D. nection. already enjoy the benefit Of reco,
W milton Of belligerent rights from sever
c South American republics-natural enemi
es Of spain--but having no seaport, and beir
without substantial form OF goycrnmer
nc their flag upon the high seas must be consl
Oh cred In the puryiew Of international law
70 the emblem OF piracy. It does not necess
D. rily follow that either the United States, Gre
ny Britain or any other Powers would treat tn,
i'' nag as such an emblem, but II docs follow h
oi Spain would be entitled 10 treat 1t as su
u and that sympathizing Governments wor
II be powerless to interfere.
n Under tho act Of 1868, regulating the du
~ Of the President when his Intervention Ia
IT. quired to protect American citizens from
ID invasion Of their rights by foreign Cover
90 ments, 1t Is impossible that the Administl
lot ton can do anything more than prot
Us against such violation. The law provld
n- most positively that protests Of this xii
lu- and subsequent action which may follo
Is shall be limited to the use Of measu
w. which shall not amount TO an
nc Of war. It is, therefore, appar,
nc that the Government Is virtually or
no pied In Its efforts, and while 1t may
ot popular to compare tho apparent delay
nc the Department Of State in such matters
'as should bc remembered that Secretary FL
ny much abused though he may be, has slmI
ne complied with the duties Of his position
u.s. prescribed by the laws Of the country.
" The Government does not fear seric
VI complications with Spain under any circu
" :" stance, but In reply to the numerous inq
n -, ries regarding the results Of such compl
~, tions 1t may be said that, In case Of act
T." war, Spain would find that we are as rca
ny for hostilitios Us could DO expected. Sp
'Pn Is not party to the Treaty Of Paris, 4
70" would, consequently, be able to Issue lett
y" Of marque to privatoers. She has
''n little commerce ahoat, and would con
e auently risk comparatively nothing No
'h' doubts the result Of war between the
!" countries. Spain would readily succumb,
suredly with the loss Of Cuba, Porto Rico
ae the PHILIPPINE Islands; but the cost to