New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-22
DIR sPANrsH.AMERICAN POLICY.

UUh SHAN AN0AOA'
Our neighbor of the Bee apparently I'M
derstands as little of the policy OF res
public as we do of the spats between old
NJ. Theirs and the incomprehensible aglta-
tors of the Right, Left, Centre, Noun
| tain and Commune of Partisan parlla-
ment. It sees "the word Of order IN our
independent advice to the federal admin
istration in regard to Cuba. 1t 'Wlll see
in the future the object of this comedy.
We had supposed that all who profess
any interest in the welfare OF the repub-
! lie or the business interests OF New Or-
leans would see in our articles DISPOSE
ton to separate this important question
| from the partisan ouarrels which constl-
| tute the chief aliment of our Journalism.
We had even supposed that it was
subject upon which unity OF opinion
might be anticipated We have still an
undated confidence that our citizens who
must bear arms in any war which may
| occur will concern themselves that the gov
eminent shall at once relieve itself of any
further responsibility for the affairs of
| Spain and her colonies. There can be no
| doubt but that those who know the vast
value of the trade which should exist be-
tween the Western States and Spanish
America. by way of New Orleans. are
concerned that the excessive Spanish
duties and the war tax, which now te-
strains that trade. should be removed.
The men Of commerce would undoubtedly
like such amendments of our trade Tela-
tons with foreign powers as that New
Orleans should become postal centre,
depot of immigrants, and an entrepot for.
the European and American trade with
other countries of this continent. The
colored people constitute the large body
of producers, upon whose toll Southern
society subsists. They are interested in
the liberation of the slaves of Cuba, as
they ought to be. both for moral
and industrial reasons. So far
from looking upon this war of
determination in Cuba with the indis-
eliminate massacre of the unarmed
and helpless, as COMEDY" we regard
it as one of the saddest tragedies which
have dishonored humanity since the Com
munity of Paris saturated that gay city
with petroleum and extinguished its fires
with the blood of its inhabitants No
the Cuban ''insurrection, as the Bee tes-
titles it to be, is far from COMEDY"
Its gravity ca lis for the counsel of every
American citizen. So far as the opinion
of our own American press has been ex-
pressed, the advice of the REPUBLICAN, to
recognize the belligerency Of the Cuban
Republicans, has met approval. The let
Ter of General Grants admins ration in
structing Minister Sickles to terminate the
equivocal position of our diplomacy with
regard to Cuban affairs was the only pub
lie measure Endorsed by both the assem-
biies at the Mechanics Institute and Odd
Fellows Hall
We have seen no argument yet to prove
that the conflict in Cuba has not attained
a stage which will justify any government
at its discretion to pronounce the parties
waging it belligerents. We take leave
to add to further reasons heretofore urged
in favor of this opinion, that Of the sew
enty-fve thousand Spanish troops landed
in Cuba, but ten thousand survived, and
that the Spanish authorities have ordered
an earthwork to be thrown up across the
island to protect themselves from the at
tacks of the Republicans. When one
party sis forted in, as the Anglo-Sa1on
American used to do in the days of Boone
and Galloway, ''agin the Ingins,' the In
uians were always regarded al ''bellige-
rents" Such is American doctrine We
have not the presumption to pronounce
how it would be regarded by the superior
intelligence of European authorities. Any
way, the question of belligerency must be
examined by our government, and we
have no doubt it will give an independent
opinion on the subject, and stand up to
it when given.