The sun., 1873-07-28
Spain and CubD.

Spain as nation has fallen into dissolu-
ton, and with the exception of her patri-
otto sons and her creditors, few will regret
1t. For many years and in both hcmi-
spheres she has zen the btte Hoire alik
of European and American Governments.
The many violations OF her plightcd word
have long since rendered ia. precarious
nature of her promises bvword among
nations. The United states have had fortu-
uately little TO do with her except in her
position as nominal owner OF valuable
Island near our shores. With the Peninsula
we have little trade. few American citizens
reside there, ana the amount of American
money invested there must be very ir.sig-
niilcant. With Cuba, however, exactly
the reverse is true. or Cuban produce we
annually import not far short OF sixty mill
lions Of dollars in value while our exports
10 that colony amount about twenty mil
lions; hundreds Of United States citizens
are permanent residents Of the island aud
the amount Of American capital invested
there may be surmised from the fact
that the claims Of our citizens against
Spain now on file at the State Department
FOR property conhscated i'm Cuba are said
to 'A'tfu SlAlN mllllun dollars,
Now, that Spain should continue to hold
Cuba a. she obtained il, by force Of arms.
may be legal. But when she has ruined
herself by futile attempt of nve wears
duration to reconqucr the iusurgent por-
tions of the island and finds herself today
unable not only to regain her colony.
but even To raise her head against her
thousand and one enemies on her own soil.
II Is surely time 10 stop the absurd talk
about not bullying weak power. and
to take measures effectively to protect our
own interests.
The most obtuse or the most Interested
friend of Spain, say HAMILTON FISH for
Instance, must at last have learned that
Spain has no real dominion in Cuba. The
Imminent disintegratIon of Spain has been
brought about because first, undcra pseudo
republic in 1865, which dwindlcd into an
ollgarchy and subsequently into regency.
then under a constitutional monarchy
represented by AMADEUS, and lastly under
republican form of government, her sue.
eesslVe rulers have portina"iou>iy u aitompt-
ed to suppress the republic Of Cuba.
Oi all the laws which Spain has recently
Enacted for the government Of this Colo
ny, not single one has been carried out:
and when cnactng each ana every one
OF them, the Spanish Cortcs have known
that no Capta,n-Gencrnl in the island has
had the requisite army with which to en-
force compliance. ono after another Of
The representatives of Spain has been igno-
niniously expelled by the turbulent vol
untecrs' Spain dccrecd two years ago a
preparatory law of emancipation; but
the virtual lords of the parts of the
hlahd sull under nominal Spanish
rule laughed it to scorn, and il has
renamed dead letter ever since.
And now, with fun conviction of its alb.
uruity' the Spanish Cortes decree the re-
tufh ol property conlscated on the island
Tor political offences. They might as well
anu with about an equal chance of being
obcyed, order Secretary RICHARDSON to
pay of the debt amassed by the late Con-
federate States.
vi course the fact that very large
pumber of the persons thus aseiAred by