New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-18
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
NEW YORK, December 9, 1873.
EDyTOp RrprpJ YCAN.

NDITOR hEPUBLlCAN:
Newspaper sensation upon the subject OF
Spanish pluck has simmered down. The
United States having exacted the full terms
OF the protocol, and the government having
been active in placing the army and navy
in condition for any emergency, the boast
ing and threatening "volunteers" OF the
Spanish army in Cuba relent, and announce
not only that they are willing to obey Or
ders from Madrid, and allow, peacefully
the surrender of the Virginius to the au-
have never opposed the carrying out of the
terms of the agreement between Spain ana
the United States. While the last assertion,
just now announced, is without foundation in
truth. the situation is plain. The braggarts
who have kept the colonial authorities OF
Spain in Cuba in condition Of fright, which
alarm has been communicated to and mas
much affected the government at Madrid,
have discovered their own weakness and
the superior strength of the home govern
ment. They have also become alarmed
at the chivalric spirit which they
have aroused in American hearts
in all parts of the United States against
these cOwardly and lawless transactions.
The announcement Of to-day that the Vir-
ginius and her surviving passengers and
crew are to be surrendered, is confession
not only that they, the "volunteers'-the
Shareholders of Cuba-are powerless, but
that the republic of Spain is fixed fact, a
power on earth. The report that CASTELAR,
was failure, that Sickles had quarreled
with Secretary Fish and had resigned, are
all flashes of Spanish bunkum, and are, in
whole and in all their parts, Carlist lies,
written up in this city and Washington, and
circulated throughout the country to con-
fuse and mislead the general judgment of
the people, and to embarrass the two gov
ernments at Madrid and Washington.
This days outlook is that CASTELAR, and
his associates, constituting the republican
Spanish government at Madrid, hold the
reins They are not onAy exercising au-
thority in Cuba against the slaveholding
assassins there, but they are storming Carl
ist strongholds at Cartagena and elsewhere
in Spain. President Grant, who, until with
in day or two, predicted "war certain"
said yesterday thai "Spain comedies every
thing demanded, and all tends to an hon
orable adjustment of the difficulties"
DIR. O'Sullivan, the railroad contractor
and land, holder of San Domingo, is here
aud in Washington reviving the work
of annexation of that isle. He ac
cOmpanicd the presidential commission
to that place three years ago and, in
differently, instructed them as to the
secret and rich resources of that almost
uninhabited yet lovely wilderness of
prairie and forest. In fact San Domingo
consists of about 20 600 square miles of rich
soil, of superior fertility, and there are about
10000 inhabitants, peasants, who have es-
tablished their independence and have
learned to know that genuine republican
ism is a thing to have and that the United
States is the place to tie to. So says O'Sulli-
van. 1t will be one of the pet administra-
tion schemes at the present session of Con-
gress to revive the question of annexation
of San Domingo. President Grant is in
favor Of it. He sent Babcock and Ingalls,
and others down there who reported
in favor of annexation or purchase. Robe
son is for acquiring it for naval depot
He sent General David Vickers down to
survey Samana Bay few months ago, and
the General returned and reported favor
ably, and recommended that the govern
ment purchase the island. The judgment
Of most intelligent men is that the settle
ment Of San Domingo by Americans is the
security Of the peaceful control and annexa-
ton of Cuba. That accomplished, the curse
IF the island, slavery, would disappear, and
peace and prosperity would prevail. For
,he products of the West Indies, sugar and
nolasses alone, the consumers. and traders
If the United States pay yearly more than
b8O, 100000 in gold. All that amount goes
% encourage and support the slave traffic, |
which is the foundation Of Spanish hold IN
Cuba.
Colonel Thomas A. Scott, the railroad |
ting, was in this city few days since and |
vas wide awake On the subject of the re-
toration of the industries of the country. |
Ie talked freely about the finances. He
avs we want a good currency based on the
aith of the government; currency that |
will pass current for all purposes through
ut the length and breadth of this land;
hat lntil we have cheaper money than we
ow have in the United States we can not
ope to compete with nations that furnish
, in greater abunda ance and so much lower
I price than our own; that it should be a
orm Of money on which reliance can be
laced, in percentage equal to that of Eng
md and France.
In response to question from the writer
g said: II have no faith in the immediate
of specie payments, nor do l
elieve that for any special reason it is very
esirable. This Congress" he added, "has
, meet graver questions than were proba-
ly ever submitted to q representative and
CELEBRATE body before. Unless Congress
evises some plan that will give our whole
usiness community relief, and relief in
lch a form that public confidence will not
gain be so terribly interrupted as it has
zen during the year, there will be great
lffering'
Speaking of the South, Colonel Scott said:
The condition of that section of the coun-
y alone requires comprehensive breadth i
thought and energy of action worthy of ;
e best minds in the country"
Colonel Scott informed the writer that he
as preparing proposition to lay before d
Dngress for the speedy construction of the !
eXas Pacific railroad, which, he thought, | )
ould not only meet with popular favor,
1t would also receive the official sanction {
Congress and the executive. His pur S
'se is to make it a great line of communi- 8
tion for the benefit of the people and not
r the profit of single close corporation.
g says the failure of the Construction d
,mpany to negotiate through him. in Eu- il
pc, the Texas Pacific Company's bonds
not affent them ininrinnslY in the least |