The New Orleans bulletin., 1876-01-29

, able character and of long duration in a de
} gree neutralzes the military, naval and tinan
cial strength of the Spanish Government
because such a war would make an enormou
addition to our already stupenduous nationa
debt, because it would interrupt the business
and derange the finances OF the country be
cause it would bring into prominence horde
of the most pernicious class ct men who fol
low wars for plunder, because war is hostile
to al improvement, to all tranquility, to al
conservatism, to all accumulation and to al
progress, because it would still more ALLEVIATE
arouse and envenom the people of Mexico, O
Central America of the Archipelago and o
the States of South America, and because al
| this CRISIS war of any considerable duration
would place our Republic in imminent peri
Of being transformed into military dictator
ship.
There are no sufficient reasons for a wa,
which could not cost less than fifty thousand
lives and thousand millions Of dollars, be.
cause there are no citizens of the United States
now residing in Spain or Cuba whose lives are
now in jeopardy, nor property belonging to our
citizens that has been destroyed or is now in
danger of destruction amounting to twen-
tieth part of the stupendous sum which a war
would cost.
Negotiation for the settlement of American
claims and difficulties has met with many OBJ
stacles, but with none which time, patience,
firmness, perseverance and strict adherence
to justice by our government may not ut
length remove.
1t is not chivalric for great power like our
Republic to attack a Kingdom in state of
distress and weakness, like that which exists
in Spain, in consequence of the exhaustive
ndeprotracted revolutions by which she is
now torn, from the Pyrennees to Gibraltar.
Our debt of two thousand millions of dol
lars is already too large for the paraly zed
industries and the crippled productive and
tax-payipg energies of our people. 1t would
be ruinous folly to increase that debt by
another thousand millions, if any honorable
alternative can be found after years of nego-
tiation.
The business of this country needs quiet,
repose and the absence Of all manner of dis
turbances, domestic or foreign.
OF the class of men who are brought into
prominence by war, and whose influence is in
all respects pernicious, we have had enough,
and far more then enough already.
Of the demoralizing effects Of war the
American people have already had SO many,
so recent and SO glaring evidences that they
have most urgent cause to dread anything to
renew, prolong, or increase those effects.
Amicable relations with Mexico, Cen'rll
America, and the South American States were
never more desirable than now. There is
every reason to suppose that war with Spain
would again arouse their hostility and array
them with those who share the same descent
aud the same anthipathies Of race.
But beyond and above all other consider
ations is the danger to our own political lib
erty and Republican institutions arising from
the predominance which war, under mill
tary President, would inevitably give to the
military class. The common saying is that
d war with Spain begun before August Of this
year would secure to Grant a reelection. |
This might be so and it might not. We re-
oice in the belief that Grant, although he
may be nominated, can not possibly be elected. |
But in the event supposed, with or without an
election, there is more than an even chance /
hat the executive power would not change
lands. The means of self-continuance are
numerous, multiform and various with any
even In time of peace, but with
nan of most obstinate will, of great reticence,
good Judge of character, more of politi-
ian than he wishes to be thought, profoundly |
convinced of the necessity of mastership in
IL institutions, governments and enterprises,
nd that man in the vantage ground Of su-
,reme executive authority, the means are far
more numerous and varied, and the material
upport more directly and easily attainable.
For these reasons, and others which We need |
lot now enumerate, we hope that Congress
nay take due care to put an adequate check
Ipon the hasty spirit of the people, the eager
Of the army and the grasping am
,ition of the President. To make or permit
o be made war not absolutely necessary
will be an enormous crime on the part ol
hose who have the power to prevent it.
The Spanish Government has conducted |
he war with savage cruelty, and on one occs-
ion brutally murdered American citizens,
,ut when the President should have called .
;pain to account and demanded instant repair
lion for the great wrong done this country,
lie pocketed the insult and settled on the
,asis of dollars. Let him settle the present
difficulties in the same manner If dollars
AN pay for the blood o. our slaughtered
'ountrymen they should be powerful enough
o settle any claims for damages for losses OF \
property.
A clergyman of Raleigh says he will be one
If one hundred preachers to offer up free
prayers for the editors of the United States.
lie says if Chicago and st. Louis were left out