New-York tribune., 1876-01-31
CAUTIOUS COURAGE.

When Mr.. Augustus SnOdgrass pulled off his
coat and made ready to fall upon the MOB
which surrounded Mr. Pckwick i'll the sedan
chair. he was considerate enough to remark that
he was "going to begin" whereby it is pre-
sumcd that he conveyed general invitation to
the public to hold him back lest he should do
the multitude frightful injury. The United
States Government reminds us just now OF the
careful Snodgrass. riot has been gong on
in the neighbOring island Of Cuba, ana after
we have borne it with equanimity and com
fort for several years, 1t suddenly occurs 10
President Grant that, for some reason not
clearly explained we must put stop to the
noise. But before he strikes a blow he Is
very particular to declare that he IL " gong
to begin" He peclS, if we may he allowed
the expression with extreme delberatenesS.
He fills the whole land with the hustle OF
preparation. The furnishing up OF our little leet
makes as great a noise rs the outht or
modern Armada. And now that the later
CHAPTERS in our diplomatic correspondence are
published it is seen that we have all this while
been CRYING to the nations OF Europe to "hold
Gus in"
The disuatch 20 Mr.. Washbmnc an extract
from which we published on Saturday, is IA
much more curious document than the one To
Mr.. Schenck, quoted a week ago. Secretary
Fish wrote 10 Mr.. Schcnck "Thc Government
"of Great Britain may possibly of its own
"accord think proper, in view of its own in
"tcicstS. to cooperate with the United States
"iu this effort to arrest Il cruel war OF devas-
"tation. This. however" he was careful to
add, "is a question to be raised by Her
"Macsty's Goyernmont.' We were not to
invite any mcddling. But after wait
ing ten days. and finding. to all np-
praranccs. that if we chose to fight. England
was not likely either to help or hinder us. the
SECRETARY o. State addressed himself to France
in "A tone OF considerable anxiety MIR. Wash
burnc was instructed substantially to request
the French Government to apply moral pres
sure To Spain. "Such a COURSE the Secretary
writes. con the part of the Government To
(which YOU are accredited. would be- exceed
"ingly satisfactory to the United states
And ~ if this invitation were not remarkable
enough. Mr. Fish throws in dark
hint ihat timely interference by France
may not only "tcnd to the earlier
"rcstoraton of peace and prosperity TO Cuba.'
bnt even contribute "to the preservation Of
the peace of the world" Is it true thcn
that whenever Nj. Rohc>on'S ships slip their
cables they will carry devastation around the
globe Or what does Mr. Fish mean 10y this
menace of % general war!
30 far there is 40 indication that any OF the
foreign powrr4 mean to bcstir themselves IN
this matter; on the contrary there i every
reason why they should let IT alone. ANA n
they decline our invitation, in what "A sorry
attitude they leave u. Nobody lsodS us
in, aud vet we do not strike. MI the
braggadocio goes for nothing The feet rides
quietly in Port Royal harbor. and the Cubans
20 on fighting The only result of the frcNi-
dents blusteI i, that the people have made "A
closer examination of the Spanish difficulty.
and have made up their minds that our
grievances are exaggerated, that We have n"
excuse for interference, that orr principal
duty is TO mind our own business. The only
rcSut-nO, there may be one other. For since
we have invited England. and France, and
Germany, and Austria, and Italy. and Russia
10 intervene in the settlement Of difficulty
which concerns this hemisphere alone. If may
well he that we have established IL precedent
that will some day be TUNED 10 our disad-
vantage