The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-15

Our Imprisoned COmmissiOner's Cruel
Dungeon.
The news from Havana, which we print to-
day, relative to our imprisoned Commissioner,
Mr.. James J. O'Kelly, gives scarcely ray OF
light on his deplorable position at present.
The Captain General maintains silence, and
even Consul General Dunlop evinces unusual
reticence. The latter states to our corre-
spondentin Havana that he has had three inter-
views with the former, but declares his inability
to make the result public. He limits his
opinions to the statement that, in his belief,
extreme measures will not be taken with Mr..
O'Kslly. The Spanish authorities, the longer
they regard this case, will find the extreme
individuality of meddling with the neutral
agent Of independent journalism more
powerfully impressed upon them. They
have already, by their harsh and arbitrary
conduct, injured themselves in the eyes of the
civilized world, and we have no doubt that
when Mr.. O'Kelly returns to write the history
of his perilous enterprise they will be
ashamed, if they know what shame is,
to have treated brave gentleman so
meanly and in such bad faith. We
have already q gauge of our Commission
ers fidelity to his mission in the manly
letter which he wrote after week s imprison-
ment in the foul calaboose of Fort Corona
the miserable cruelty which the Spanish au-
thorities have heaped upon him. Itshows how
strong he felt in the rightfulness of his cause
when he presented himself undisgused within
the Spanish lines at Manzanillo. He has
faithfully carried out his mission, not only in
its completeness, but in the strict neutrality
which he everywhere preserved. Alike heed
less of the advice of prudent friends in
Havana and insurgents in the field, he re-
turned as he went, trusting 'foolishly to the
generous and enlightened views of the Spanish
authorities" The much-talked-of letter from
Cespedes is addressed to the proprietor Of the
HERALD, as DIR. Livingstone directed the let
tiers carried by Mr.. Stanley. The charges
on all sides made by the Spaniards blow
away like chaff before the wind when this
threaten with death this man as spy is to
add obtusensss to malignity. He has been
kept, he informs us, in ignorance even Of the
charge against him. It is sorry comment
on the hopefulness Of Spanish rule in Cuba.
All the governments and statesmen
right Of the press to exploit every
matter of public nature, in war or
peace. No nation of Christendom in Europe
or America can build wall of seclusion and
isolate itself from the rest of the world. The
arbitrary power exercised in the Dark Ages is
and governments of civilized nations at the
present time not only know that it is impos-
sible to withhold information from the people,
but actually seize the opportunity the
press affords to enlighten mankind
on all important events. In fact,
nations are the more they use the press to en-
tighten and satisfy the public. With regard
to war, whether it be civil war or between
hostile nations, the practice now is to allow
the correspondents of important and response
BILE papers-particularl if they be independ-
ent-to see and report everything Of general
nature and Of what has transpired pertaining
to the conflict. In the civil war in this coun-
try foreign correspondents were admitted on
both sides to examine and report what
they saw. Mr.. O'Kelly was precisely
on similar mission in Cuba for
tLo loo d;rO ;rdaDopdanf rapar IS ~
United States. 1t is absurd to talk of the
abstract right Of a government to act arbi-
trarily or with inhumanity to news
paper correspondent who, as non-partisan,
is simply performing his duty to the press
and public.
Brilliant Prospect for Our Amateur
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