Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-25
THE IOWA VOTER.
Cuban Eeiiigerency.


ii has, we believe, the hearty appro-
val of thecountry. Tbereare always
sympathy and hope in the American
breast for every people which is hon
estIy trying to free itself from OPP
preston. But with the change of
government in Spain, and the hui
name and generousspirit represented
by Castelar,, it is not probable that
Cuba would he oppressed, or that the
ferocities of Spanish warfare will be
continued. Meanwhile we have
more than once reminded our readers
of the conditions upon which alone
belIjgerency can be iightfully-that
is, reasonably-conceded. Every
state. indeed, is sovereign, and will
act its pleasure. But every state,
which is only large number OF indi-
viduals, Is morally bound, like every
one of those individuals, TO take care
that its will IL humane and reasona-
BILE. If the United States are of
opinion that continued Spanish SUI
premacy in Cuba is greater injury
to themselves and a greater wrong to
civilization and humanity than a
war TO annex Cuba to the Union
would be, the course which they will
take IL very clear. But If such is not
the view Of the country--as every
man in his senses knows-then we
are morally bound to do no more
than recognize the facts.
Should we now acknowledge belli-
gerency, it would he done not as a
neutral action to which the facts com
PEELED us, but az q means OF aiding
the instruction, and Of comprising
the downfall Of Castelar, and the fail
nfe Of the republican struggle in
Spain. We should take the respon.
sibility of exposing all the commerce
of the Gulf to the inquisitiou Of pri-
vateers without a lawful port to shell
ter them, or a court to adjudicate
their captures. Where would New
York merchant apply for redress if
his ship were stopped, delayed, or
seized by Cuban cruiser. whose
deck must be the court Of prize and
her commander the judge in admi-
rally? The immediate result Of our
recognition would be swarm Of
cruisers lowering on the coast Of
Spain capturing every merchantmen
maratime freebooters licensed to
seize and forced TO destroy. Our ac-
ton would deal double blow, first
Mt the effort Of civilization TO abolish
privateering, and then mt the noble
endcavor made by DIR. Franklin i'm
the treaty with Russia. the "moral
conquest" which Mr.. Charles Fran
els Adams anticipates in his address
before the New York Historical So
ciety, that no innocent unarmed
private voyager Of any country found
on any ocean Of the globe shall take
harm to himself or his property from
the fact that he belongs TO belliger-
ent nation"
What Justification is urged for TAX
ing so immense and grievous n re-
sponsibility? That the Cubans are
tighring for independence, and that
Spain il cruel. If the struggle were
against the old Spain that we knew,
Spain despotic and unjust, every hu-
name man would feel a deeper sym
pathy than Is possible with move
ment against the Spain of Castelar,,
lighting the Communists with one
hand and the Carlists with the other,
and fosced To bear the odium of the
Cuban Casino. If the Volunteers re-
ally represented the Spain against
which the Cnbans are fighting, the
struggle would command universal
sympathy, ind the whole world
would gladly see the yoke of the Ca
-ino broken. But it is because the
Volunteers are not the Spain of to.
day, and because there is wide feel
ing in the country that those. who
control the Spanish Government are
really In sympathy with the free
principles, although not with the
wish FOR independence, OF the Cubans,
that American wrath with the Vol
unteers is not tulnnd upon the home
government. Indeed. before the
echoes of the Casino triumph over the
late massacre were silent, or its fes'al
lights eXtiDguished, came the pre-.
nptOry order from Madrid TO restore
the ship ahd prisoners, and to salute
the iing that the vessel bore. The
fight Tor Independence Of republican
Spain, therefore, which has shown
no spirit either of aggression or OPP
preston, does not command the kind
OF sympathy which the people Of this
country felt for Greece writhing in
the hand of Turkey, or for the South
American republics over which
spain and the Holy Alliance were
anxious to restore what the Spanish
Prime Minister Ofalia called the bles-
sings Of the paternal government of
King Ferdinand.
The plea Of cruelty, however, is
very cogent; not, indeed. for recog-
milton of beiligerency, but for vigor-
GUS protest, and, If necessary, for the
intervention of civilized. states.
Each government makes rebellion
treason. Our own Constitution does
so, and our laws punish treason with
death. But If We had shot the Com
iederates taken on the field AS Trait
ors, and hung the crews and passen-
gers Of the rebel craft that were
captured az pirates, the civilized
world would most justly have inter-
iered. The victims Of the Virginius
were shot under an order OF De
Rodas in 1869, that a ships company
taken under such circumstances
sliuuld be tried us pirates. A state