New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-29
,SECRETARY FISH.

1t is not at ali surprising that rumors of on
unfriendly feeling between the President ana
the Secretary of State should be rife at this
time. Many signs in the lObbies OF the White
House point toward the abandonment OF the
lust and dignifed foreign policy which Secre-
tary Fish has maintained with such ability
and consistency ever since he came into
Office. He has been the protector of the
Administration against the spectators and
political adventures who are nursing
schemes of aggression in the West Indies; and
if they are to succeed, Mr.. Fish of course must
90 out. The story that the President holds
evidences of Mr.. Fish's completely in newspa-
per attacks upon him is probably baseless
fabrication but it is not unlikely to be the
invention of the very persons who are plan
ming the Secretary's overthrow and who wish
to manufacture in advance plausible excuse
for it.
The message meant mischief The head OF
great government does not ordinarily threaten
in q formal State paper, to interfere III the al
fairs of another nation unless he means to do
1t; and when he moreover states that he
shall act within a specified and very Dnei
time and emphasizes his announcement
with a great show of naval activity, 1t
is fair to presume that he not only CON
templates the possibility Of war but is nothing
loath to face it. Because in previous part OF
| the message he demonstrated that the Cuban
rebellion was not entitled to help and ,ecOg-
milton it is taken for granted in some quarters
that he meAtates nothing more than friendly
offer of mediation. Apparently 1t has escaped
notice that mediation is an expedlent from
which he distinctly says that there is nothing
to be expected The use of force was
plainly in his mind, and we are at
| loss to see how any other than
| hostile interpret ION can be put upon his
language. Moreover, it is idle to suppose that
with an unfriendly Congress about to assem-
| bic and the appropriation bills coming up for
discussion, money would have been layished
in putting the navy in fighting trim if there
had been no probability OF need for its ser
vices Such an expenditure was sure to pro-
woke inquiry in the House OF Representatives
and lead to fearful slashing at Mr.. Robe
| sons estimates.
If tbe proposal of interference in Cuba had
aroused any popular enthusiasm we might
have been hurried into war before we realized
the danger. But it has fallen upon deaf ears
| The people are 50 ayeIso to it that they hardly
| dcgn to discuss 1T. w e have not hcaru SOIL
tary voice of approval all over the conn
| try. and il must be evident even to
the Cuban Ring that if Gen. Grant
| should now carry ont his threat he
would be denounced without stint by his
| own party. Nor while Mr.. Fish remains Sec
retary of State is the situation likely to be
more favorable for such venture than it Is
| to-day. Our various negotiations with Madrid
during the past seven years have been deli
cate perplexing. and important in the highest
degree and they have been conducted with a
skill which we cannot praise too highly. One
by one grave causes of complaint against
the Spanish Government have been re-
moved, aud in spite Of obstacles which
the people imperfectly appreciate-obsta-
cles caused by the internal difficulties OF
Spain. the anomalous condition of Cuba, the
prOverbia sluggishness of Spanish diplomacy,
and perhaps some faults Oh the part of our
own citizens-Our relations with the court OF
Madrid have been greatly ameliorated. Before
a Spanish war can be made popular, this sat
isfactory course of our diplomacy must be
| stopped; and that is the meaning OF the at
tempt to get rid of Mr.. Fish
We do not believe Gen. Grant il a party 10
these schemes; he has shown on too many
occasions high appreciation of his Secretary
of State But the country has learned from
unfortunate experience that in estimating the
probable policy OF our Government we must
take account not only Of the personal opinions