The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-13

"
days in the Cabafia fortress, six Of which
were passed in solitary confinement. has been
released The charges against him were
never made known to him during that
period. and their groundlessncss is shown
in the abruptness of his dismissal.
In letter from his dungeon, pub
lished elsewhere, he wonders why he
was detained after Mr.. O'Kelly's departure.
An official informed him that his being taken
to the common Jail. in the first instance. was
mistake. Another official informed him
that MIR. O'Kelly's ''incommunication" in
the Cabana was also a mistake. Now, from
these exhibitions of irresponsible caprice to
which the United States abandons its citizens,
it is possible that Mr.. Price was forgotten or
neglected by some Spanish official, as still
another of them would forget or neglect to let
him have his breakfast before the afternoon.
The honor of nation is great deal more
than sentiment. The citizen of country
submitting meekly to ali manner of insults
that may be heaped upon her flag will soon
find, when he leaves her borders, what actual
inconvenience arises from this want OF
respect. II is, therefore, the necessity of
nation aspiring to the development even of
her commerce that certain safeguards should
never be wanting for the protection of her
citizens abroad. From the deeply interesting
correspondence, dated from Spanish prison
and signed by the two imprisoned writer's for
the New YORK HERALD, Messrs. Kelly and
Price, the lamentable want of hrmness betrayed
by our government and that of England can be
seen under the strongest possible light. 1t
has been announced, in more or less authori
tative FORM that the two governments have
''done something in each case on behalf Of
the gentlemen named, but the contempt with
which the Spanish authorities in Cuba
have treated these circumstances suggests
the very grave conclusion that a citizen OF the
| United States or a subject Of Great Britain has
no real protection against the most arbitrary
or unjust treatment that Spanish official
might choose to inflict on him. The fact that
the two gentlemen in question belong to the
staff Of the HERALD naturally gives us the
greatest concern in what befalls them;
but as unofending persons cruelty and
maliciously maltreated they would receive
the same attention at our hands, no matter
what their callings. Their cases become those
of the nations which respectively claim their
allegiance, and no nation can, with safety to
its interests, allow the rights of its citizens to
be ignored and trampled on. Not only in the
cases before us have the individuals suffered
indefensible hardships and revolving in
dignities, but the official representative
of the United States, Consul General
Torbert, has, in his own language, been
''snubbed'' and the representative of Eng
land derided and sneered at by Captain Gen
eral Pieltain, when they demonstrated or de-
manded explanation. This is grave position,
indeed, for the two freest and most powerful
civilized nations to occupy in the eyes Of the
world-their subjects outraged and their
officials .'snubbed' by the vicarious authori-
ties of feeble Spain in Cuba.
| Mr.. Fish, our Secretary Of State, himself
hastens to make out the case against Ameri-
can honor. That he was gracious enough to
dilate eoquently on HERALD enterprise does
not at all blind US to his deplorable admission
that the representations and remonstrances he
had made or ordered to be made, had been
sighted, and no attention paid to the de-
mands or explanation deigned for the out
rage by the Captain General. He may explain
| at any length how difficult communication
! is with the Cuban authorities, and how won
derfully intricate are the ways Of diplomacy
| yet red tape and circumlocution are poor
apologies for the liberation of injustice to q
citizen of the United States and insult to a
government representative. In matters touch
ing the duties on sugar or molasses the slow
processes Of red tape may be admitted the
/ liberty of a citizen is a matter requir-
ing treatment OF prompt, energetic
and uncompromising nature. AS Mr..
Price pointedly puts it, ''there is more grit
required in the Department of State" AS
an American citizen he deserved every atten-
ton at the hands of his government. He had
satisfactorily filled the post of Consular Agent
to the United States at the port of Nuevltas,
and yet the snubbing received by Consul
General Torbert is first apologized for by the
State Department where it is thought
that what General Torbert GAINS to achieve
is retarded by his great zeal and patriotic
energy, whereas q cringing policy would be
more successful in dealing with the heartless
Spaniards.' The humiliating statement by
Secretary Fish that to this remonstrance and
| that demand sno answer has been received
is another specimen of placid forbearance
with those who imprison and ill-treat Ameri-
can citizens at will
The case of Consul Phillips, hunted through
the streets Of Santiago by the Catalan volun-
teers, with no protection but that OF the
British flag, happened within the Secretary
ship of Mr. Fish. The offence of the Consul,
it will be remembered consisted of writing
| oarto;o official laffar ~ HE ooyopnmopt no