The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-08
Snail We Have = Change In Our
spanish Policy s-The Duty Of tho
United States Towards Cuba.

l. IL AEesAuout OI6nt uOeS uOt O06lr6 tuat Cuo
foreign policy of his administration should re-
ceive the contempt and condemnation of the
American people, he should insist upon an
immediate change in our attitude towards the
Spanish government and the Cuban revolu-
tionists. For over four years we have been
unbecomingly subservient to the wishes and
interests of European government which has
evinced but small gratitude for our super
abundant friendship and has been cruelty
ungenerous towards o neighboring people
struggling for their liberty. The argu-
ments upon which our State Depart
ment attempts to justify this unnatural
attitude of o republican government are
well known, and have already been ex-
haustively criticised. Briefly stated, they are
that the Cubans, who are attempting to throw
off foreign yoke, have failed to establish
semblance of government; that they hold no
Notifications, no cities, no ports; that their
representative cannot be met by the
authorities Of the United States; that
they have accomplished nothing that can en-
title them to recognition as belligerent
Power by nation at friendship with Spain.
The reply to these objections is furnished not
by the Cubans, but by our Spanish-biassed
Secretary of State by the Spaniards them
selves and by the facts of history Nearly four
years ago, in August 1869, Secretary Fish,
writing officially to our Minister at Madrid,
said:-'For nearly year the insurgents have
maintained themselves against oil the forces
| which Spain and the Catalan volunteers have
been able to put into the field against them;"
| and he held this to be a sufficient resistance
! to warrant plea on behalf Of the insurgents
from the United States government, backed
by the name of the President and of ''the
whole civilized world" That 'nearly q
year. has extended to s'nearly five years"
and how can Secretary Fish now contend that
the Cubans who during that whole period
have maintained themselves against all the
forces which Spain and the Catalan volun-
teers have been able to put into the field
against them," have 'failed to establish the
semblance of government" The Spanish
armies are now almost in the Same positions
they occupied three years ago. The insur-
gents hold the territory they then held, and
from which they have never been dislodged.
To-day the HERALD's present Commissioner in
''ines" and enters the 'enemy's lines" he
will be treated as a spy and shot if captured.
A few weeks ago our first Commissioner was
afforded an escort, who led him to the Cuban
| outposts and there transferred him to the in
surgent pickets. While in the revolutionary
camp he met and conversed with generals of
the Cuban army and with the President of the
Cuban Republic. How, then, can the Span
iards or Secretary Fish maintain that the revo-
lutionists "hold no fortifcations no Cities
and that 'their representatives cannot be met
by the authorities of the United States?"
These unworthy excuses for o dastardly
policy should cease The people demand it,
and rumors are aAoat of the corrupting power
of Spanish gold, which, in view of the present
standard Of Washington morality, will not
render the demand the less urgent and i'm
perative Mr.. Fish is the obstruction in the
way of an honest and manly treatment of the
Cuban question, and family connections have
been found to be SO demoralizing in official
life that change in our Spanish policy is not
hoped for SO long as the present Secretary
remains in the Cabinet. He should retire, with
all the honors he can claim from the Wash
ington Treaty to console him for the loss of
official station. For four years we have been
humilating ourselves by On affected hostility
to the Spanish policy in Cuba, both in regard
to the conduct of the war and the continu-
ance of negro slavery on the island, and
by real subserviency to the wishes of
the Spanish government. Secretary Fish
has officially claimed to have received pledges
from Spain that the Cuban slaves should be
emancipated on our demand or remonstrance
but the Spanish Ministry has failed to keep
faith if such promise was really given, and
has recently put forth ON official denial of our
Secretary's statement. We have gone to the
verge of threatening the Spanish government,
and no heed has been given to our menacing
hints. This government regards the govern
ment of Madrid as committed to the abolition
of slavery in Cuba" wrote Secretary Fish to
our Minister at Madrid three years ago, and
he officially instructed the Minister to inform
the Spanish government that, ''relying on
assurances SO repeatedly given" the United
States would expect immediate steps to be
taken for the emancipation of the slaves in the
Spanish colonies. Our circumstances against
slavery have been needed by the Spaniards no
more than our pleas for humanity to the Cuban
revolutionists, and now, in 1873, the letters
are still on the limbs of the Cuban negroes,
the bloodthirsty volunteers are still horrifying
the civilized world by their atrocities Apow-
erful nation should jealously guard against
assuming any position it is not fully prepared
to maintain. Can it be said that our govern
ment has followed this rule in it's attitude
towards Spain? Let Secretary Fish answer
and let him resignl The sentiment of the
people is against him, the honor of the nation
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