Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-01-09
The Secretarr Of state.

ON the day that the virginius was
taken from the harbor of Havana TO be
returned to the United States-a proof
both of the efficient energy Of our Govern
ment and of the good faith of that of
Spain-Mr Cox, of New York, declared
in the House of Representatives that Con-
gress was pusillanimous and without the
courage to kill a mouse, and that the di.
plomacy of the Government had draggled
the flag of the country in the dust. On
the evening of the same day a meeting
was held at the Cooper Institute at New
York. at which q most insulting insinua-
ton was made in regard to the Secretary |
of State by the Rev. Mr.. Hepworth, the |
chief orator--an insult which demands |
the most public apology We are glad to |
add that on the same day, also, Mr.. Beck, |
Democratic member OF the House from |
Kentucky, said that IL there was anything |
which the President had managed well, |
it was the negotiation with Spain; and |
General Hawley, of Connecticut, one of
the most gallant soldiers of the late war,
eloquently and forcibly rebuked Mr. Cox,
who, he said, when there was pressing
opportunity, did not seem so anxious for
war; and General Hawley expressed his
admiration of the "Christian temper and
Christian craftsmanship" of the President
and the Secretary of State in settling the
Spanish difficulty.
In these words General Hawley, as we
believe, expresses also the general opin-
ion of the American people. Mr.. Cox
forgets that the Donnybrook. fair kind of
patriotism went out with slavery and the
Democratic party. The country knows
what war is, and has very profound
contempt for the vociferous applause and
prolonged cheering with which clerical
and Buncombe eXhortations to bloodshed
and unspeakable sorrow are received at
immense meetings safely removed from
the seat of war. Throughout this nego-
tiation with Spain The Secretary OF State
has promptly and fully maintained the
honor OF his country, and in nothing
more than in his trust in the good faith
of Spain, and his candid consideration of
her difficult position. IF he has not been
in accord with Mr.. Sickles it is probably
because of the tone which Mr.. Sickles
would have preferred to adopt. For this
politician was bred, like Mr.. Cox, in a
bad school. He was secretary of lega-
tion with James Buchanan in London
when Buchanan, John Y. Mason, and
Pierre Soule, at the instigaton of Franklin
Pierce, then President, whom Mr.. Adams
describes as ''the most insignificant and
unworthy candidate ever yet present
ed to the suffrages of the peo-
pie" concocted the Ostend Manifesto
declaration that if Spain would not sell
Cuba to the United States, they would
steal by force of arms-one of the gross
est international outrages in history, and
a fair illustration of the spirit of the
slaye-holding Democracy which so long,
to the shame of humanity, controlled this
Government.
There is nothing in the recent negotia-
tion which an honorable American may
notregard with satisfaction, as there was
nothing which involved the least humili-
alton to Spain. 1t was no more a point
% of honor for Spain to defend the Tornado
in violation of national right than it
was for the United States to insist upon
justifying Captain Wilkes in seizing
Mason and Slidell from the Trent. No
intelligent American thought his Govern
ment pusillanimous or afraid of mouse
because it had the courage to abide by
its own humane traditions and to do right.
The attitude of bully is as contemplate
in nation as in an individual. 1t would
have been very easy for the Secretary of
State to put this country in that attitude
toward Spain during the late negotiation.
In not doing it he showed himself to be
an honorable American citizen, stat s.
man and gentleman.
Since Mr.. Fish took office he has had to
deal with two very difficult foreign ques-
tons, the Alabama trouble with England
and the prolonged Cuban complication /;
and he has managed both with such good
temper and address that he deserves the
most cordial gratitude of the country.
Had his patriotism been of the Donny-
brook-fair kind, we should have had war
both with England and Spain. He has
been pursued with the most constant and
malignant detraction. He has been more
lampooned ridiculed, carcatured, ana
lnsulted than any of his predecessors.
But neither disheartened nor foOlishly
angry, he has firmly and skillfully main.
tanned the national honor and avoided
war. With Sir James Macintosh in his
condemnation of the French war of1793,
the Secretary holds that "war is just only
to those by whom it is unavoidable; and
every appeal to arms is unrighteous, ex-
cept that of nation which has no other
resource for the maintenance of its Sc
curity or the assertion of its honor" How
Sir Robert Walpole was abused by the
war party! But how fine is Thackeray's
eulogy-"He gave Englishmen no con-
quests, but he gave them peace and ease
and freedom.'
There have been times during the last
five years when there were strong influ.
ences at work for taking part with Cuba
against Spain. 1t requires very steady
will and very clear mind to resist them; |;
and the Secretary has resisted. The
Cuban revolutionary base has been here
in New York, and the sufferings of the
Cubans have strongly appealed to the
general sympathy. There is always a
certain but shameful popularity in the
cry of war, especially if the cause seems
to be worthy, and there are always dem
agogues ready to raise it, But the Sec
retary of State has plainly seen the path
of duty from the first, and he has faith
fully pursued it, Until our interests were
involved, or the fact of belligerence was
established so that we were obliged to
act, it was our duty not to act. This has
been the just and. in General Hawley's
phrase, the Christian policy of the Gov
ernment We do not believe that the
craftsmanship Of the Cooper Institute or
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