The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-20

OKelly to give them information in regard to
the Cubans as It would have been for him to
have given the Cubans information Of the
Spaniards. Fgueras and his Cabinet will find
that Mr.. OKelly has no information to give
them except what he is able to give to the
world through the HERALD, and that they have
made great mistake in not releasing him
instead of carrying him to Spain.
There is one aspect in which this order may
be regarded that would reflect credit instead
of discredit on the Spanish government We
can hardly believe, however, that it is made
because course 80 far out of the ordinary
and certain to bring Mr.. O'Kelly SO much
suffering is TIP only one open to Spain by
which the life of ON innocent man may be
spared. Yet, if the Ministry had determined
to set Mr.. O'Kelly Free it is not certain that it
could be done in any other way. Spain has
no very strong hold upon her distant Cuban
province. The Spaniards in that island have
SO long been fighting republican insurrec-
ton that the name of republic must be
hateful to them. To disobey Spanish man.
date, when it was possible to disobey it, has
long been the practice with the Captains
General overawed as they were by the polit-
ical club of Havana and the volunteers.
This was case for disobedience. had it been
in different terms, partly because the order
comes from the republican government, and
partly because release would have ended the
O'Kelly case. The Spaniards in Cuba yield
up victim with great reluctance and because
of these things it is barely possible that the
removal of our commissioner is to be made for
praiseworthy purpose.
Whichever view we may take Of the ques-
tion-from whatever aspect we may regard
this singular and unexpected order-it is plain
that it would be better for Spain to adopt the
manlier and more honorable course of allow
ing our correspondent to come home. Any
attempt to wiring from him secrets about the
instruction must fail. Whatever i'll treat
ment he receives will dishonor the Spanish
Republic If a military prison opens for him
on the other as one opened for him on this
side Of the Atlantic the world will see that not
only Spain is not free, but that she is as base
as when she gave chains and ignominy to the
man who had discovered for her new world.
Is the Spain whose treatment of OKelly is be-
coming the cause Of all civilized nations the
Spain whose cruelties towards Columbus made
her abhorred among men? Has the decay of
centuries taught no Christening lesson? Is
even the name Of the Republic to become as
terrible as was that of the monarchy? Sonor
Figueras has it in his power to answer these
questions by an act not of magnanimity but
of justice towards the correspondent of this
journal, who has long, suffered outrage at the
hands of the Spaniards in Cuba. If he would
not have the world believe that the Bourbons
were not worse rulers than the republicans he
will set Mr. O'Kelly free, and show by his ac-
ton in this case that he respects the freedom
Of the press and holds the missions of news
paper correspondents inviolable, these things
forming one of the new canons which all gov
ernments are bound to recognize.