The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1896-05-23
LET SPAIN GO SLOW.
From the New York Mail and Express

y
nounced against the American
citizens in the Competitors party
of alleged tilibusters must not be
executed, The secretary of state
should act in this matter as the
representative Of the American
people, and not as the mere
mouthpiece of a nerveless and
impotent administration.
The sentencing of these Amer.
leans by military court is, in it
self, an insult to this country. II
is also direct violation of the
treaties of 1895 and 1877, which
specifically provided that all
American citizens under Spanish
jurisdiction are entitled to a trial
by the civil courts. **#It is essen
TALLY an act of defiance; chal-
lenge of the patriotism and self
respect of the United States.
The President cannot refuse to
recognize in tnis act an offense
against the dignity of this gov
ernment. He is not called on to
initiate any new policy, but sim
ply to follow the example of his
predecessors in performing the
plain, but imperative duty of
maintaining the honor of this
great nation. **"We have never
permitted a violation of treaty OBJ
legation to go unrebuked and un-
corrected. If the present admin
istration shall in this instance es-
tablish for the first time SO dan
gerouS precedent, no American
citizen will in the future be secure
in his person or property when So
journing in foreign lands.
1t is reported that the state de-
partment has already protested
against this most odious violation
of treaty rights and obligations,
and that in consequence the Span
ish prime minister has ordered
the suspension of the brutal SEN
tence, and reference of the cas-
es against the American citizens
and British subjects to the SUI
preme council of the army and
navy. We do not know. whether
this will be satisfactory to Great
Britain or not, but we do know
that it is not satisfactory to the
American people. Nothing short
of the liberation of our accused
citizens, or their impartial trial
by a civil court, under conditions
entirely favorable to justice, will
be acceptable to this country.
There is, however, another con.
sideration involved in this ques.
ton. The people of this country
are thoroughly opposed to any re.
lations or negotiations with Spain
which can be construed into di.
rect or indirect approval of, OF
consent to, the revolving and hor.
rifying methods employed by that
government for the suppression
of the Cuban patriots. There is 8
higher law than that of neutrality
or any other international regula.
tion provided forand enforced by
treaties. This especially hold,
good in our relations to Cuba
The Cubans are our near neigh.
bors. There island home is clos
er to our National capital than
are a number of states of the Un
ion. Then, too, they are in pc
culiar sense Americans in spirit
habits and aspirations. The,
have been inspired by our exam
pie, many of them educated here
and led on in the path of freedom
by intercourse with our people
and a growing familiarity will
our institutions.
These conditions impose an OBJ
legation of neighborly solicitudt
which we have neither the righ
nor the desire to ignore. We can
not innocently stand as silent ant
passive spectators of the blood,
and brutal practices now inspired
and indorsed, if not directly die
tated, by Spain in Cuba. Weyler
ism is the crowning crime of tn,
nineteenth century. 1t is an in
suit to, and a challenge of, tn,
civilization and humanity of th
world. We cannot ignore it, anc
we must not indorse it. Weyle
should be treated not only as tn
enemy of Cuba, but also as th
foe of mankind.
This demon in human form i
now reported to have notified Sec
retary Olney that he intends t.
execute the Americans under sen
tence, despite the protest of thi
government. He says that he wen
to Cuba to kill "brigands," an,
sis tired of the interference of tn
| United States" He also declare
that if this government succeed
in saving the lives Of the men no,
under sentence he evil presen
his resignation to the government
at Madaid." Let the Presiden
and Secretary of State do moth
ing to prevent the presentation O
that resignation. Let them rath
er demand the full protection @
the rights of these Americans ur
Justly condemned to death, an
if necessary make that deman
from behind the best guns IN ou
navy. The American people al
"tired" Of the trifing of this at