New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-01
Recognition of Cuba.

Ii is reported, on very good authority,
that the Cabinet at Washington are con-
sultipg concerning the propriety OF recog-
nizing the Cubans as belligerents. and thus
securing mitigation of the horrors that
have desolated that unhappy country for so
long. If this is true, it is the best news we
have heard on the Cuban question for some
time. The spectacle that has been pre-
sented to the world in that island mas been
Disgrace to our boosted civilization for
years. About eight years have elapsed
since the war broke out; between two and
three hundred thousand lives have been
wasted. the fairest parts of the island made
a desert, plantations destroyed, tee crops
burned OF devoured by ons side or the
other, and nov the Spaniards are no near
or their object than they were at first. In
deed, they are further of, because the
islanders are more desperate and more de-
termined now than ever before After this
long war, the Spaniards find themselves
holding the towns and no more: the Cubsns
hold the mountain country, while between
the two parties lies space once fertils-now
uninhablted and waste. Neither side has
made any important advance, but each has
proved its respective ability to hold on to
tho utmost extent.
Every interest of our country that is ccr-
csrned at all demands that this war shall,
cease. IT the Cubans are accorded balliper
emit rights, the Spaniards will be forced nv
the universal law of nations to deal with
them az If they had rights, ard when thew
are obliged to % this the war vii! soon he
at an end. They can make headwav against
no people In was whom they are compelled
to treat with equal rights. They always
wage war with brutal violence, disregard
Ing every claim of common humanity. or
even of commo1 mercy.
Meantime, we are losing materially bv
the Cuban war. One after another the
sugar plantations are being destrove and
our supply curtailed by the loss Of every
plantation Notmore than week ago FIVE
large plantations, comprising thousands of
acres, were laid waste by tie Crbans. be-
cause the owners had aided the Spaniards;
ruined by the Spanish because the Cubans
bad received help fromEhem. us they
60 on destroying each other, bet every
is clear loss to Us.
IL would nave been better if our govern
ment had interfered years ego in behalf Of
me lslanders; but as it did not, me best
tnlng 10 to interfere now, and the quicker
ana prompter the Intervention the better
Tor AL parties. Better for the Sran;arde.
who are running themselves in mis- war,
Doth IN reputation and finance; better for
Inc Cubane, because the impossi bility of
subdulng them has been fully sho wn: bet
ter for ourselves, because by the indepen-
9ence OF CuDa, and especially an indepen-
dence secured by our Intervention, we will
acquire such an influence over her govern
ment that che will be practically on of the
United States, and Cuban trade wsl be AZ
newly free as possible. The naki on that
mas struggled for it's liberty for sigh years
should be rewarded. 1t has been clearly
shown 81 that they can not be coneue red by
their adversaries; now let the Spaniards
steP aside and make way for liberty. Their
and subsequent ann exation
records Of Hzas vs. can see presgur ed the
future history Of Cabs.
The cry raised blythe opposition press
taas annexation neans D strengthen ing Of
e genefal gevernneda ana subse quent
eyrmn3 1ths 0ssuss q noassnse an d stu
pahty. EvefI. Seste. . the past, that has
see ny msfk on. hMsorys page, has been