The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-17

please. What is that claim 1t is iterated
and reiterated, every day, that Spain can
not enforce her own DEGREES in reference
to American citizens in Cuba. In other
words, that Spain is powerlcss to protect
American citizens from the outrages of her
authorities in Cuba, Or from the vengeance
of the spanish volunteers, acting through
the instrumentality of "drum head court
martial" Following up this idea of the
protection due citizen from his govern
ment, 1t is claimed and argued that il is
the right and duty of the United States to
/ Take forciblc possession of Cuba, so as to
protect her citizens temporarily there,
Spain being unable to SO afford protection
This claim is made in behalf of individuals
who are believed to have Violated the laws
of the United States, of Spain, and of Gu
ba. We will, however, 90 step further
and say that we do not believe that it is
the right or duty of the United States to
protect such Of her citizens as voluntarily
place themselves in positions of danger.
We arc speaking now only Of pcaccablc,
law abiding citizens and of those who i'll
tend to be such. Admitting that Spain is
powcrless to enforce her DEGREES in Cuba.
or to protect American citizens therein.
and knowing the Jealousy well or i'll ioun-
dcd-with which our citizens are there re-
gardcd, is it reason or common sense, be-
cause one or hundred citizens Of this
country are foolhardy enough to visit Cuba
that the army and navy of the United
States should be ordered into service to
protect them Does the power of any
government to protect its citizens extend
thus far ? There are certain portions of
the west where citizens of Spain would not
be safe from Indian massacre, and it would
be difficult or impossible for the United
States to protect them. Confessing our
inability, can Spain take possession thereof
and, in that manner, afford protection to
her subjects, or attempt so to do? The
United States has never relinquishcd her
claim to jurisdiction ovcr.any state in the
Union One state is, and always has been,
as much under her jurisdiction as another.
All were and are alike. For over four
years, however, we were confessedly opow-
erless to protect foreign born resident,
owing allegiance to his native country,
from outrage, oppression or death, from
the hands of our own citizens, in many of
these states. We were, conf ssclly, as
powercss to protect a citizen of Spain, or
to enforce our DEGREES, therein, as it is
claimed that Spain is to protect our citizens
or enforce her DEGREES in Cuba. National
protection must depend upon circumstances
or there would be universal war The po-
| Icy of the United States will not allow it
to assume an EARNED protectorate' over
any other nation, or part of a nation, and
it is idle to talk about it, even for the pro-
lection OF her own citizens. Neither is
their auy necessity for it. The fact that
an individual is an American citizen fur
nishes him protection everywhere, if he
obeys the laws of the country where he is
as well as those Of his own, and does not
recklessly place his head into the mouth of
the lion, where he knows safety is impos-
sible. This is all sufficient No more
ought to or can be asked.