Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-01-08

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, ii is probably
because of the tone which Mr.. Sickles
would have preferred to adopt. For this
politician was bred, like Mr., Cox, in
bad school. He was secretary of lega.
ton with James Buchanan in London
when Buchanan, John y. Mason, and
Pierre Soule at the instigation of Franklin
Pierce, then President, whom Mr. Adams
describes as "the most insignificant and
unworthy candidate ever yet present
ed to the sutlrages of the PEG.
pie" concocted the Ostend Manifesto,
declaration that if Spain would not sell
Cuba to the United States, they would
steal it by force of arms-one Of the gross.
est international outrages in history, and
a fair illustration of The spirit of the
slaye,holdng Democracy which so long,
to the shame Of humanity, controlled this
Government.
There is nothing in the recent negotia-
ton which an honorable American may
not regard with satisfaction, as there was
nothing which involved the least humili-
alton to Spain. It was no more point
of honor for Spain to defend the Tornado
in a violation of national right than il
was for the United States to insist upon
justifying Captain Wilkes in Selling
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 doright
The attitude OF bully is as contemplate
in a 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 stats.
man and 4 gentleman.
Since Mr. Fish took office he has had to
deal with two very difficult foreign ques-
lions, 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-
bOth with England and Spain. He has
been pursued with the most constant and
malignant dctraCtion He has been more
lampooned, ridiculcd, caricatured, ana
insutGd than any OF his predecessors.
But neither disheartened nor tOolishiy
angry, he has firmly and skillluily main
tanned the national honor and avoided
war With Sir James Macintosh in his
Df no nh .,Ct
the Secretary holds that "WaT is lust only
to those by whom il is unavoidable; and
every appeal to arms is unrighteous, ex-
Cept that of a 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 Thackcrays
eulOgy-"le gave Englishmeu 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 inhu.
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 sutierings 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
rotary 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 50 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
eminent. We do not believe that the
craftsmanship Of the Cooper Institute or
of Steinway Hall would have improved
it-Hmper's Weebly