The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-19

the time. This was, no doubt found to be a
very small and suspicious affair; so, last of
all, there come false witnesses, who say
on strong insurgent position, and in
which the Spaniards would appear to have
been worsted, the HERALD Commissioner was
seen waving on the rebels with the sabre of
his sire. We could afford to smile at this fig
ment of the Spanish brain were it not that we
see in it deliberate attempt to make out, at
all hazards, case against the neutrality of our
Commissioner. They fatter themselves
that by a little bold lying they can
raise up such a feeling among the
most bloodthirsty of their class that
the assassination of OKelly would take place
on his return, with or without orders. But
this cowardly and bloodthirsty treachery we
do not purpose to let pass without mailing it
at its proper standard. 1t would in any case
be of little account when it is remembered to
be the venomous stab of men fresh from de-
feat. Happily, however, we have direct proof
of its untruth in the brief but .sufficing
dispatches from Mr.. OKelly himself
There is another view Of the statement
which is as little comforting to the Spanish
officers-namely, that the vision grew out of
their honest fears; that, like the rogue who
saw "in every bush an officer" on every horse
they saw a merchandising OKelly. To
accept still another alternative, it might be
that the only valid excuse they could
think of Offering for their non-success
was the invention of O'Kelly "waving on
the insurgents as aforesaid. This would
be still more comical; but, in justice to
Spanish courage, we return to our first charge
that it was the deliberate invention of a few
narrow-minded dastards to wreak their spite
on man whom they could not rise to the
level of comprehending by pointing out a
cause for his assassination on his return to
the Spanish lines We rely upon the word of
General Ceballos to show these pigmy
plotters the estimation at which such a
story from such source is valued.
Leaving this grave matter aside for the mo-
ment, we can turn with some pleasure to the
work now, we believe, within easy reach Of our
Commissioner. He is in the heart of the
territory which the insurgents hold or traverse
as they list. He will be able to give the world
full and faithful particulars of the actual state
of the Cuban instruction. He will, doubt
less, long ere this have gained from
Cespedes and the other insurrectionary chiefs
detailed estimates of their prospects and the
general line of their projects He will do his
work thoroughly as well as impartially, and
will give us such light on the intricacies of
the Cuban question as has never been let in on
them before. In the brief dispatches which
have reached us he has already con-
frmed the landing of the Edgar Stuart
expedition, which has been repeatedly
denied by the Spaniards. We ask
the widest alarmist among the Spaniards not
to fear that Mr.. O'Kelly will appear at the
head of any other columns than those of the
HERALD or that he will wave anything except
the flag of truth We have the same con-
fidence in the neutrality and impartiality of
our Commissioner now, and the same cause
for belief in it, that we had when we said he
would prove impervious to threat and fearless
of obstacles which short-sighted officials
might throw in his way.