The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-26
THE sPAN1sn. crnAN orEsr1oN.
The Absurdity Of Mediation or Intervention
m Cubn.


MADRID. Feb. SIT was only when the
Hon. Caleb Cushing, United States Minister to
this court, presented Mr.. Flsh's note OF Nov.
8, which referred to claims against Spain, that
the attention OF foreign nations commercially
interested in Cuba. began to be aroused on the
subject Of the bloody and destructive war
which has been waRinR in the island for moro
than seven years. These interested countries
have learned that of late this war has assumed
greater imp lrtance, and that 10 threatens In the
very near future 10 reduce the whole island to a
mass Of ruins. This interest was increased by
President Grants last message to Congress. Mr..
Fish's confidential note TO the European powers
still further augmented 1t, aud Spsin's reply to
this note has served TO keep up the excitement.
To-day all reasoning men are convinced that at
no very distant date, the mediation or interven-
tiou referred TO by President Grant IN his mes
cage, as the sole method Of pacifying the island,
will " II is not carried into effect at least be at
tempted.
Ofcourse 60 foreign countries unacduainted
with the very pecul'r influence moulding the
policy OF the State Department ut Washington
IN its dealings with this country It seems We
that a war OF so savage and devastating a char
acter can have been waRed ~ your very doors
for seven years without aroueing the American
people to tho duties which humanity ana self
interest alike should naturally have exacted.
1t seems at least equally strdnae that at this late
her tradition policy as to appeal to European
nations for their aid in helping her to collect
her claims against spain.
the less astonisbed to learn that, being now ap.
parently about to assume the character Of
mediator or interventor, the United states
should attempt to pacify the island by forcing
upon II a plan which both belligerents must ne
cessarily reject. The attempt II made, and IL
seems likely that It will he made, will prove
ono OF two things, neither hattering to the State
Department a. Washington. II will prove either
4uatl lion Ital AZ mr. N M q
origin, nature, and inevitable result Of the war,
or that. cognisant OF these he seeks TO sacrifice
the rights Of an American people, battling for
It's liberty under far greater provocation than
that which century ago called bis own country
men to arms, TO the possibility OF keeping your
markets supplied with slave grown sugar.
No one can question the fact that America has
Just cause for complaints against spain. This
Government has repeatedly mir nged the treaty
Of ITO; II has through ITS naval officers In cases
too numerous to mention detained and search ed
American vessels on the high seas the capture
Of tie Virginius ana the brutal 0utchery Of her
officers and crew, acte which spain sti attempts
tn defend. cry alnud against ner; she has not
only not complied with her plighted word In the
Polo Fish protocol, but she has laughed 1t to
scorD ny prom citing Burriel instead Of trying him;
she has seized and scquestered the property of
hundreds OF American citizens In Cuog, ana
now shameiessiY seeks to shield herself from
erty ny endeavoriug to shift the blame from her
own shoulders upon those OF her representa-
tives on the island. These and thousand other
outrages and insults furnish, according To all In
ternational law, ample reason for exactinR full
satisfaction from the offending party. This IL
the position to-day between spain and the
United States.
Against the Cubans in arms for their indie
pendenco the Goverument OF the United States
can have NJ complaint. for no onense has ever
been committed by them. But even should a
compliant oe trumped up against them for the
Destruction OF the property OF American citi
zens on the isiand, tina neceFSity Of war and the
example set by the spaniards them selves IN ths
esrly years OF tbs war would clear the Cuoans
from III moral responsibility. They could never
be held legally responsible by US for any such
damage. from the very fact that the United
States have never acknowledged their political
existence. Auy such claim must necessarily be.
~ anywhere, against spain, the only power
which the American Government recognizes in
Cuba. Further, II was natural that Cuba
should have expected moral support from
America as it would have been for your Govern
ment, IN any but the present extraordinary cir
cumstance-, 10 have extended II to them.
hut it's worth white to examine how either
medi ton or Intervention In the affairs Of Cuoa
can possibly bc c,r,ied into effect by the Gov
crnment OF the United States.
Mcdlll u l. defined as the act OF internosing,
fsn comm n friend, between two parties. A.
President Grant, III hrs last message. Al ted hat
the Cuuaus Mere not emf led II II recognition
"a her of hclli-erencv or iniepen ience, any at
tempt at media ton on hrs part would belle his
statement, FOR the CO woala tps, ldc'o ne re-
curn zion II TIC belii- ercu satu, OF tue Cub
SIC liiticn between eOinething and noticing Is
absurd.
pr position based on mediation. In the 1rs.
place, iis Gee pisuce Oy them would re n virtual
admission OF tue equhity ~ the polite Al status
Ol the iuNuNH u lletf OWN. In tne second
liHc B.. thev would know that tho inevitable 10
SUIT If tnY slcn mediation, IL they allowed IL,
would oe a modification. n not radio 4 change
IN the chtlact OF tncir tenure "t ana iuie
over. CIpH. IL would leopard, N nos destroy.
the verg many sources ot "enl.h which tue
island now furnishes.
y cua1sc in zoe nature n spain's IT sent rule
over tuNa would naturally mean:
l. fhe loss Of her pon.ica aud val power
nd influence in Amer.ra-uo small item " hen
We recall to mind that within the last ten yea $
zoe money, aud IN mruY cases she meu, r
Al q NtlI Il lNar lt.f IA
against MEXICO, .nd against Sau Domingo, ha,o
Aeen drawn from Cuba.
. ne loss u spain Of its monopoly Of tn i'm
port trade Of cuba. ana tue consequent ruin Of
w nl 81 ner most Important home ludustrit S
now absolutely dopendeut upon Cub ln ~ .iraets.
D. he loss Of lucrative pltc - for l5,O00 clyil
service emplo ees, all : Jaui rds.
l. The loss OF the funds whcrcwith u keep up
a standing army In Cuba OF 2ouOJ men, an army
In which. 10y law, no Gu an Is allowed to serve.
o. ne loss OF the funds wherewith To Keep up
Ia Cuban waters "a nayS Of yer sixty vessels.
The loss of All the church patronage in
Cuoa' for every clergyman is appointed by the
home Government.
l. The loss II an annual rage not revenue
drawn from Cuba OF not less than S0,00J,000 In
gold.
nopol es which are always sold by the Govern
ment |" the highest bidder.
II the above are MT sufficient reasons why
sna n should reject any prorered medi tion, l
might add that sine will never listen TO ANY prop
osltion whose possible result m ight be the aboli-
ton 81 slavery an that the religious fAnatcism
which rules this country would never consent
Co the liberty u conscience or OF tho press Ia
any part o. her domain.
10 expect that the Cubans could he Induced
TO accept mediation unless based upon their in
dependence Is equally absurd. In their strife
for independence they Lave sacrificed all that
men hold dear-fanily, home, happiness, and
properly. They have shed torrents Of their best
blood on the battle ncld they have seen their
nOblest men tire GENEROUSLY betrayed, and led by
hundreds to ignomiulOus death on the scuffold.
or shot down IN cold blood ia tho woods and i'm
the idils OF the cities. or the horrors to which
their women ana children huvs been suhiected
few beyond the immediate relatives OF he vic.
tins have any idea. For the CuOans there is no
possible termination Of the sfrlfe bat indeven-
dence or annihilation. Mediation, therefore, is
an absuruiy
Let us now examine whether Intervention is
any more feast le
If attemptcd, II must necessarily be either
/ In concert with the Spdnlards, ana ute rly
ignoring the Cubans.
g In concert with the Cubans, and ignoring
the spun Tds.
B. lnsnorlnG both Spanilrds and Cubans.
Intervention IN concert with bOtn bellirerents
is mediation, wnicn believe TO have proved to
lie impossible.
Intervention by the United States In concert
with spain would mol compel the Cubans to ty
down their arms. 1t would not furnish Spain
with men ana money, which are absolutely in
dispensable 10 her for the prosecution OF the
war. Besides, your country would regard any
such ottempt Us blow against the most sacred
RICH 5 OF man, and the Congress OF the United
States would INDIGNANTLY euurn ao unhnlv an