The Republican., 1891-06-12
Mr.. BLAINE AND ITALY.
A Careful and Intelligent Approval
and Support of the Course of Sec
retary Blaine Upon our Differ


ences with Italy.
To the Editor Of The Republican.
The late tevered condition of our
relations with Italy is not likely to
relapse or result in any serious man
ner. This country, though jealous of
her character, does not by any means
want war with any foreign power
to exhibit to the world what it al
ready knows: Our unsurpassed pow
ers and resources, including that of
the military.
The discussion of the issues In
volveG, AS conducted by our very
able Secretary of State, James G..
Blaine, is very interesting and in.
structive, not only to thinking peo.
pie, but to others who may not be of
that class. His dispatches are at once
clear, forcible, logical and unanswer
able. More stateSmanlike than
diplomatic in the European sense, in
which dissimulati0n and unmeaning'
ness are always lurking. At any
rate the discussion is calculated to re-
Vived the recollections of many peo-
pie upon the interesting topics under
discussion.
The government of Italy, upon the
most meagre report, made hasty
demand upon our Government for
the immediate punishment Of certain
yet unascertained citizens of this
c>untry for the alleged wrongful
killing of several supposed subjects
of that country. One or more of such
may have lost their livesin an unjus-
| tifiable manner at the hands Ofa New
Orleans mob. Being so, our govern
ment should. after due investigation
on its part, make just compensation
to the families of the slain.
But his preemptory demand or die
tation for immediate punishment is
another and more grave feature of
the case. We know such demands
are not without precedent. but does
that fact make them proper in all, or,
indeed, any case? American man
hood and magnanimity, it is believ-
ed, has restained our government
from making such demands upon
other nations.
Our policy is to hold the erring
government responsible for wrong
fuI acts to us and not to seek YEN
geance upon the misguided or ire.
sponsible individuals who may have
committed them. If we must obey
such an intimidating demand how
long may it be till the demand may
include the measure, kind. time and
place of punishment, and for ought
we know of the most sangulnary
character, unknown to our laws and
institutions. Punishment, in such
cases. when deserved, ought to be
left wholly to the Judgment and dis
cretion of the government which
happens to be in the wrong.
Our Secretary of State has cited
with excellent point and effect the
now historic Lopez case in 1850. He
was Cuban rebel and succeeded in
inducing a large number of youthful
Americans to join his forces in an eff
tort to overthrow the constituted au.
thorities of Cuba, which were organ
lied and a severe battle fought in
which many lives were lo3s on both
sides, including a Spanish general.
The expedition came to a speedy and
disastrous end and the most terrible
punishment meted out to the surviv-
ing invaders. Fifty young Ameri.
cans were put to death in the most
summary. if not barbar0us manner,
and over 100 others sent to the mines
of Spain to endure solitary cOnfine.
ment and to perform the most de-
grading labor, There was not only
sympathy for these unfortunate men,
but excitement reached a very high
pitch, especially in the South. Hence
the outbreak at the time in New Or.
leans against Spanish officials and
property. There were then cool.
clear heads ut the helm of State and
war Mac "a ynrfaI
Another case in point. In 1913.
Commodore Jones, of our navy, be-
ing on a long cruise with small
squadron, by some freak of his mind
took the impression that the United
States and Mexico had become in.
volved in war with each other. Find
ing himself in the Pacific along the
coast of California, he made an attack
on Monterey aud captured it without
bloodshed, but with some destruction
of property. This was at once an
outrage by invading the territory of
country with which we were at
peace. True, some irritation existed
on account of the Texas annexation
question but no hostilities till two or
three years later. Gen. Almonte, an