The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-11-18
The VlrRinius Butehery

No reasonable fault eau be found with .
the official action of the Administration
since this exciting and distressing affair,
but it must be held to its just responsibility
Tor what it failed T. do jetoce. General
Grant pur,ues an imbecile, hand. to- mouth
policy, and seems To have as little tQresi ght
OF precautiou in foreign as in domestic AZ
fairs In the latter it was his duty to re
coglize the constant possibility Of a great
commercial crisis under our bad monetary
and fiscal systems, and to provide against
it, Instead of this, the panic took the Ad-
ministrltion by surprise when it happened,
and has been followed by petty, Pudding
expeuients which amount ~ Unthing he
You'd au implied confession that the Gov
erumen' owes some duties 20 the business
interests of the country. There is a SINH
lar exhibition OF e6 post (dctO concern in
this latest phase of Cuban difficulty. Al
ter receiving the news il was too late to
call the dead to life but the Government
then beth ought itself that it had some
duties, and began to bestir itself But it,
ounce of tagging wisdom cannot cure what
has taken place by its lack of prevention
No need n complain ut the Administra-
ton for waiting, since the mischief was
done, until il could get precise and authen-
tic intelligence before deciding on its course
of action. Let US commend it for tele-
graphing at once u Madrid and procuring
an order for a stay Of further proceedings
at Santiago until the matter can be inquiT-
ed into The steps il has taken show that
it cannot dispute that it has obligations in
matter OF such gravity But it is great
pity that 1t was not more attentive to these
obligations at an earlier period. There is
no redress which it is entitled 10 demand
now that did not form an equally good IL
tie todemand preventive measures. Ii it
has right 70 require Spain to interpose
and arrest further hasty executions, it had
an equal right to have required, long ago,
precautions against hasty executions at
all -
Ii will not do to say that difficulties OF
this kind could not have been anticipated.
This Cuban rebellion has been in existence
four or five years, with great body OF
ardent sympathizers in this coun-
try. There have been constant at
tempts 10 supply the insurgents
with arms under our flag and the Govern
ment should have been alive To the easily
might OCCASION the right of our citizens
to snip arms to Cuba in vessels carrying
our flag, as IA mercantile venture or specu
lation, is not open to question on the prin
ciples Of public law the shipments {
course being made at the risk Of the own
ers IL the vessels or arms should be cap
tured within the Spanish jurisdiction
Such right, attended with such risks
4 IN
the utmost stretch OF torestalling vigilauc
on the part Of the Government Every
where outside the Cuban jurisdi,
ton. such vessels, with the persons an
cargoes on board, were entitled TO precis'
" the same protection as all other mercl
ant ships entitled to carry the America
Gag. But they we're exposed 70 captu
not only within Cuban waters but in mel
proximity thereto, and a question could a
ways he raised as 20 whether the scene
capture was really within marine leagl
of the shore As vessels leave no ma
ON the surface Of the sea 10 identity q
spot aud the minds Of witnesses won
naturally beclpuded by passion, our 6
erunient ouuht u have ioreseen that uds
were constantly liable tu arise in which d
aseertaipuent Of truth would be difhct
until after the passions and eXeiteme
inseparable from such occasions shou
have had little time u cool. Aud, uor
over. the great distance Of the responsit
Spanish Government from the island
Cuba, rendered it important that sol
settled rule OF actinn should be adopted
adyaEse, to save the necessity Of diplon
tie wraIrriug and a teilIus reciproeati
OF caviling re6uements IN the principles
international Jaw aft outrages had be
perpetrated. IN the fa;e too of such p
cedents US the Lopez massacre and {
butchery Of young Crttenien in 1851 G.,
eral Grants Aiministrati N has seemed
blind TO similar possibilities, as it was
tie coming panic.
The duty which it neglected was VI
simple. Under the guidance of able Ia
yers thoroughly yersed in the principles
public law, 1t ought 10 have drawn al
hrm declaration applicable Tn conting
Siea, aud to have communicated it "
emphas'1ing tormalty to the Spauish G.
nIAnlent 1t should have left pn dnnb,
~ things Il " ,uld nnt hermit
have told Spain that 4 exnec
tract Jus to ye given 10 the Cu