National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-12

VI INC case; OUT AZ me same tkno
must Be admitted that TIE transformation
has not been 50 radical as to destroy the dis-
tinctly republican cliaractef of the aspirs-
tons ofNthe insurgents. Their aim was az
the beginning, as it Is now, to overthrow
rover which infiicts upon them restricuons
and impositions ten, aye, thousand times
more odious than those which pro-
voked the American colonies to revolt
against the rule of Great Britain.
The character of these restrictions and
impositions are SO well known as not to re-
quire especial mention at this juncturc.
Not the least among them, however, is .
law which prohibits natives from engaging
even in the most ordinary pursuits. and re-
stricting, for the benefit of the Spaniards
alone, the exercise of the usual privileges
in the transaction of the commonest kinds
of business. They are the result of the
customs Of generations of colonial depend
cnce upon monarchical power. 1t is diff
cult to the freedom loving and free-taught
American mind to imagine the utter disre-
gard of the rights of others which are en-
tailed by Spanish laws in Cuba. They are
go utterly abhorrent and SO thoroughly OBJ
no1ious and oppressive as to deserve the
most infamous characterization, and with
sorrow we are compelled to admit that not
withstanding the oft-repeated promises Of
the home Government since its change to
semblance of democracy, the islanders have
been blessed with no relief. 1t is not to be
wondered at, therefore, that the revolution
has been continued up to the present time.
One direct effect of this unfortunate cen
dition of affairs, and at the same time
direct result of the American antipathy to-
ward the Spanish tyrants, is the hatred by
the latter of the United States. This hatred
not only shows itself in such affairs as the
Vhginius case, but in other and almost in
Vulnerable ways, including unjust and ille-
gal confscation of the property OF Ameri-
can citizens. The Spaniards, almost pow
cries as they have been to enforce the de-
crees of the home Government in repara-
ton for these long continued wrongs, have
no reason 10 complain of the leniency with
which our Government has treated them.
With q patience that has exasperated the
victims our Government has submitted to
delays which have been simply inexcussble
in the adjudication or settlement of claims
for redress growing out of the Cuban diff
culties, until now it has assumed most pos
tive position and has demanded some sufh-
Gent guaranty that the provocation of those
claims shall be removed. This demand, it
will be remembered, was made upon the
CASTELAR, Government, since the destruction
of which communication with the Madrid
authorities has been suspended. That it
will be resumed before long we have good
reason to expect, and under the most fortui-
tous circumstances. But in the meantime
Captain General Jovellar, at Havana, has
exercised the extraordinary powers with
which he has recently been invested, to
declare sthe entire island in state of
SIEGE" to arm and mobilize the inhabitants
as force to put down the insurrection,
and to take other extraordinary precautions
which amount to virtual acknowledgment
that revolution exists, the importance of
which has not been heretofore admitted.
How far this acknowledgment may effect
the legal aspect Of the case as regards the
responsibilities of the Government of the
United States we are unable to explain in
the light Of the meagre information at hand.
But representing the Madrid authorities
with vicarious power as he does, it is pos
sible that his admissions have been sufa
Gent to warrant departure from the policy
of the past. Let us hope that when the
full text of his proclamations come to hand
they may be found to include good and SUBJ
stantial foundation upon which to rest
claim for the fulillment Of the unanimous
hope of the American people for the free
dom of Cuha 1-a-- r' a7-l-------