The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-11-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, D. g.. Novbr. 20, 1873.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.

WAsHINGToN. D. g.. Novbr. 20, 1873.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
A letter of Senator Sumner, published
in yesterdays n. Y. Tribune. sets up the
President of the Spanish Government
and Its present Republican form as
reason why we should exercise forbeaI-
ance towards the Cnbans who have but
chered American citizens without regard
to our stipulations for trial, counsel, &c
He advocates the support of one Spani
ard as against the lives of numerous
Americans unlawfully taken, and the
cause OF piracy. slavery and despoiIsm
in Cuba, because of pretended subjection
to Spain, as paramount to efforts OF Gu
ban patriots to free themselves and the
slaves of the Island. How has the
mig hty fallen! What shrinkage of mind
and heart Is here maEiiested2 The windy
eloquence of CASTELAR, on ideal Repuh-
licanism is set forth in defence of Cuban
monarrhisis who refuse to accept his au-
thor;ty. and instead of obeyIng the or
drrs of his Government, savapely violate
all rules of civilization while they ar
bitrarily trail oar country flag and silt
upon its sacred honor. How easily he
f,rgefs that which he spent a lifetime in
supporting viz. the cause Of the slave
and of the oppressed people His
IL. l. r. Il L. IoI
has fallen low indeed when he has no
longer a voice for the present striking off
Of the bonds of the slave in that neigh
o-'fT"ss I,fU.
Hon VIM. NJ Evarts is right when he
says we are either at war or at peace
with other countries. If there was war
in Cuba, the right to repress the carry
ing of contrabaud by any foreign nation
gives no right TO beligcrent power further
than mere coercion. No vengeance is
ever allowed. No pretense was made at
the mock trial that the Virginius intend
ed descent on Cuba. No trace of the
piracy alleged was shown, and neither
Cuba nor Spain has power 20 determine
who are pirates, nor the right to pun
ish without trial. without conviction and
without Court. All this is defced by
treaty.
Cuba perpetrated an act Of war in
taking the Virginius, and her authori-
ties are estopped henceforth from deny
ing the belligerency of the insurgents
when they have made war upon them on
the high seas. And such a war have
they made on helpless captives as would
make Modoc Indian blush. But Mr..
Sumner says there is no occasion for bel
igerent proposition that they will add
several millions to our debt. Merciful
economy TO PUT lie and slavery and
national honor in the scale, and permit a
few millions of dollars to outweigh them
The truth is, that the envious temper
! Of the Senator caused by the success of
Gen. Grant ane his own cecline has
prompted him thus to yentiIate his spleen
against the President for ordering our
Navy to be set in order for the contin-
gency OF war [. was the sworn duty of
the President to do this much, in order
that Congress may have some fshe
means to support whatever action it may
please to take, be it for peace or for war;
l. DEPARTMENT NEWS.
= The chief of the, Bureau of Statistics
reports that the Firginius was not actu
| ally omitted from the last list of merchant
vessels as the Virginia. paddle wheel
steamer, OF New York, on page 294 of
that list. The official number %, 500 was
awarded February 81, 1872.
The receipts of Internal Revenue yes
terday were 1920. 954.53 =
The Washington Navy Yard is unusu-
sually active and in some of the dsparts
merits overtime is being made. A large
force of workmen is engaged ON the
! steamer Shawmut aud tho Tallapoosa is
being rapidly repaired.
Commander Henry C. White, who, as
executive officer OF the Tigress, made
the search for the Polaris, has reported
for duty at the Naval Academy, Anna
| yolis
: The following ;sa elads, Numbering
fourteen guns in all are being rapidly
fitted Out ready for any demand that may