The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-12

Mr.. O'Kelly has returned to Santiago de
Cuba, for the purpose of learning from the
lips of General Morales whether he intended
to carry out his brutal threat in case the
HERALD Commissioner attempted to accom-
plish the object of his mission. The reply of
Morales was to the effect that he would shoot
the HERALD correspondent if, after leaving the
Spanish lines, he was found among the in
surgents or afterwards returned to the Spanish
lines. Our Commissioner has taken good
point against this stupid order which upsets
it completely 1t is not the best, for that is
found in the definition of the word spy itself
If our correspondent is spy at all it is while
within the Spanish lines. If he had any in
tention of acting the spy it would be in carry
ing aid and comfort to the rebels on leaving
the Spanish camp This the infamous order
of Morales clearly puts out of the question,
for it gives our Commissioner permission to
leave Once having reached the insur-
gents he could only be SPY in at
tempting to carry information regarding
them to the Spaniards. He would then be
spy upon the Cubans, and to carry out the
order Of Morales would be to execute man
who could only be spy by giving informa-
ton about the Cubans This is the reductio
dd dbsurdam of bombastic Morales and his
order. The point made by our CORES pendent
takes firm ground also. The Spaniards do
not recognize a state of war in Cuba. He,
therefore, insists on his right as an indie
pendent neutral to visit any place in the
island he lists without let or hindrance. This
point and its non-recognition form reductio
od absurdam of the Spanish claim to uncon-
trolled supremacy. 1t develops the extrsor-
binary state of affairs that the insurgents have
lines which are NO lines and which, although
according to the Spanish mind do not
exist yet must not be passed 1t tells, how
ever, in spite of its contradictions that
Morales and his masters will unite in defend
ing any absurdity provided it stands in the
way of any light being thrown upon the Cuban
instruction. To this end is the effort to
brighten our Commissioner out of the
mission he has undertaken. It will
need, however, much more, we are
convinced, to accomplish this than the
words inviting assassination which the
representative of the tumbling monarchy
of Spain has uttered. We believe
our correspondent when he announces to this
General Morales that he will proceed, and we
do not believe General Morales when he vapors
about shooting the representative of an indie
pendent American journal as q spy. There
will be no necessity for an appeal to govern
ment if our Commissioner understands fully
the unreasonable bombast which surrounds
the heart of the utterance that would COM
mand his immolation on the pretext OF
barbarian. There is but one appeal in this
matter and under one condition which is not
likely to be filed. That appeal will be to free
America itself should some Spanish assassin
in uniform or out of it take the life of our
Commissioner. The blood which should then
be shed would rouse every man on the Con-
tinent who loves freedom and hates the bru-
tality Of oppression until the Gem of the
Antilles would be baptized to liberty in the
blood of its Spanish tyrants. The Spaniards
in Cuba with repubEcanism looming up in
Spain, know this, and our Commissioner will
not be shot by them as spy
A DIVIDEND IN ERIE. Yesterday the Board
of Directors of the Erie Railway declared
dividend of three and half per cent on the
rreferred and one and three-uuarters per cent