New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-07
TIE CJrRAN INSVRRECTION.

letter, which will now attract close attention
owing to the recent rumOrs of complications with
Spain, was written by Mr. Fish to Admiral Polo de
Bernab6 on April Is. 1874. Mr.. Fish observes with
regret in Admiral Polo's note " harsh expressions
ard unwarranted criticisms upon the official conduct
of officers of the United States which he feels conn
dent would not bayeobtained admission to the paper
had they attracted the attention OF the accomplished
Minister of Spain whose sense of Justice would not
allow him to give expression To what his sensitive
ness and regard for the proprieties of diplomatic
correspondence would not permit him calmly to
accept"
Mr. Fish finds in the historical part Of Admiral
Polo's note many NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of facts las the
facts are understood by this GOyernment and many
errors of omission which need TO he corrected before
entering upon the particular argument respecting
the Virgnus Mr. Fish then proceeds to correct
these errors:
The Instruction which broke ont at Yara in the
Autumn of 1s6S has had tue unusual go9d fortune OF
having the Justice OF the complaints, which 1t alleges In
its lsncaton rec, gnlzad ny those VINO arc enEd% n
suppress,ng it, But, while admitting tine ex-
istence OF the injuries which had provoked
of SOS refused remedy thom until the armed insur-
reotiOn should be suppressed SPAN w0uld aDeaay
~ ~ I r, ~ Death to Sain' uttered by some
Cusns, had aenated the syDipa hes Of tie naon
80 to |Sbich IL Ma uToVolcd T1r Government con-
sdrr that IL to definite decision M regard 10
the political situation and future government OF the
island of cuba until the insurgents lay down their
and cease the struggle" This would indicate that II IS
The resistance admitted wrongs and no, the wrongful
mss az resistance which Spain cnded yoTing rcpresS.
one the great questiOus at issue between the IN
urgens and the authorities of spain was understood 10
be tie future condition the African in the island
Ihe Insurgents as early the 2Gth OF February 1869,
dccrccd the abolition OF slavery IL e name Ga hciS
spain The eloquent Mr.. Castelar,, when tmember Of
tic Cortes, without the responsibilities o. GOstrhmehi,
s.d: 81 am an advocate o. anuiilloh ID NHs', 80
due regard eli interests. am an ads 0te u colonial
reforms ana OF every possible liberty 10 Cuba ana Porto
aco" But whtl IA JHe fn o! eNti', &c .''i' :"
power he unable 10 do anything iOr Caba ana re-
tired with slavery untouched, and win reforms stu
dream. IL cannot be "a nattcFI 0r Wohlyf "1l persons
in other lands symuathi2ed with the great
nm large measure OF reform was needed in Cuba and
held tla the greatest Of al the abolition Of slavery
synpatzeis in other lands could not comprehend why
sch distinguished statesmen should insist upon sG9u
eating the Cubans who had taken up arms 10 resist OPP
preston before consennE to relieve them rom the
Ii must be frankly confessed hat there were many per
sons ia the United states who shared me theotucal
opinions OF the spanish statesmen, but who coud NOT
ai,rrc in tho aInei really opposite policy which spain
pursued toward Cuba under their directions u was
nasura for the people or the United states 10 ieel an III
terest in the prosperity OF Cuba TINS ana the reasons
for 1t wei undersood at Madrid. MI M3iI9s'
in the presence or ms cOhtaSdes MI bcctld "' M
RveTo, had officially spoken to Gen sie4ic' oI
Spain III Cuba ne stId " tnat Hha1eNeI !eidl,tct ZIG
prosperity the island was injurious alike TO DOth cou
tries; that the welfare Of Cuba OF more commercial
Importance To the United States tnan To the mother
country" ,,,.,.-..,.. ,...
Of tjIe limited state, in Cuba was heightened by desire
that the deadly struggle the island might end in the
from Spanish rule OF course immateral to an Amer
canJ and in the abolition Of slavery Such was undoub
eddy the fact. The undersigned feels convinced that
these views shared by the mass or Inc HDe!al
ststcsnen OF sp.p modified probably by patriotic
wi.b mat tbe island should retain ITS pot-
| cal connection with spain. But IL e0uid MOI
be expected that ioIegners "Voa smart ~ '1 ~
the people United States certainly gave ltle need
to tie beyond the natural preference that dl'
turbng element European politics should be removed
from the American system In the RAPID pr0sress OF
events however they, ia common VITA INC teSt W 'o
civilized world, soon forced Ia give attention 10
Cuban affairs Inc authorizes ~ tnat is,an. " san ~
exercise rights OF war IN tnie OF peace anu 10 taihpe
out liberties which their superiors at Madrid desired 10
maintain ana extend aHnifa I0 ,o AZ I'VE
opinion That the n5urlcctiOh qua not nhu .Atel1I.V
sJmpathes the island OF Cuba and that II was but
a little while before its locality was limited to the east
! Information received at this department =,
II than five years sine. the uprising ana
1t has announced, with apparent authority, that
Spain lost upward of $4,000 men, aud has expended
upward OF @l0OO0O00O in efforts 10 suppress IT. yet the
Instruction to-day active and as powerful rs IL
has ever And the suggestion that iIs locality vas
quire whether villa Clara and the other Of the cinco
villas, and the railway between NuevitaS and Puerto
| Principe, are In that district
! Mr. Fish refers to the decree issued by the Cap
! tain-General on March 81, 1869, in reference TO
vessels captured in Spanish waters having on board
/ men, arms and munitions, and the order to treat
those board "a pirates, and u execute them with
! out delay. He also mentions the request made by
Lopez Roberts on Aprf5, 1869 that tho President
should issue a proclamation TO restrain military
expeditions against Cuba, accompanying the
request with allegations that piraical expeditions
arc in preparation against the Legitimate Govern
Inent Of Spain in Cuba, and that arms and ammun-
tion are being carried in sailing vessels and steam
crs After discussing the principles Of nterna tonal
law bearing on the case, Mr.. Fish says that it did
not appear TO him from any evidence that was laid
before him at that time by Lopez Roberts, OF from
any other source, that parties were undertaking
OF contemplating military expeditions from tho
| United States against Cuba. proposing TO
make any "piratcal expeditions" Mr.. Fish says !:
Instead OF sOrting TO the exceptionabe and uncertain
measure OF proclamation, this Government avaled
itself ~ the agency special and peTenptOry nsfruc-
tons executive olcers and by this succeeded