The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-16
WHAT WE OWE TO SPAIN.
Extract From the Speech of George
sumner, in Boston, in 1859.

give space in your columns to the follow
ing extract from a speech delivered at
Feneui Hail. Boston, in 1859 by George
Sumner, a brother of Charles Sumner?
1t is, 1 deem, highly improbable that the
eminently warl1ke and non-combatant
portion of our populace, congressional jim
goes, Northern ministers and newspaper
reporters who are striving to force on us a
war with Spain, will care much for jus
tice, gratitude or sentiment; but, reasona-
bic men may like to hear the truth of his
tory.
Patriotism is an excellent thing; honesty
and justice are higher We of The South
| have never learned to keep a weather eye
open on the pension bureau, and, as in the
case of war,we would suffer most and gain
the least the justice of our cause is the
first consideration.
There is no reason of humanitarian ma
ture which calls for intervention in Cuba,
which did nol exist thrty-odd years ago
| in Hunters campaign in Virginia and
| Shermans march to the sea; and yet the
! federal government would have bitterly re-
scented any foreign Intervention. There
never has been a government in the island
! among the insurgents
| Let MIR. Sumner tell what we owe SPAIN:
But it was not France alone which
came TO our aid. During that summer
of &c, one of those brave men who
were the creators of the naval glory
of our country, Capt. John Lee of
| Marblehead cruising under a commits
sion from Congress, having taken aud
sent home five valuable prizes ard
finding it necessary TO reit aud obtain
| supplies and munitions of war, entered
the port of Bilbao in Spain. The captains
| Of two of his prizes and a part of their
! crews were on board These officers i'm
mediately protested against their capture
| and had Capt. Lee arrested on the charge
of piracy. The local authorities sent the
documents of the case TO Madrid together
with the commission granted by this new
! and unknown power Here was a critical
| juncture in our affairs. On the decision
| of the Spanish ministry depended. not
alone the fate of Gen. Lee, but whether
some of the most important ports in Eu-
| rope should be opened or closed to Our
cruisers and privateers. The English min
| lister in Spain brought all influence to bear
| against us. AT this moment the declara-
tion of the Fourth of July reached Madrid.
The complaint against Capt. Lee was dis
missed supplies for his ship and aid In
| repairing il were furnished and public
declaration made that in Spanish ports
| the new flag of America was as free and
welcome as the old and naughty flag of
England.
This open act of friendship had been
| preceded by another. On the 9th of June,
| 1776. the Spanish minister of foreign af-
fairs sent to Count Amanda, ambassador
of Spain, in Paris, 100000 francs, as a
| free gift for the American colonies" and
on Aug II this million was paid over
to the agent, with whom Silas Deane and
Arthur Lee as delegates of Congress, were
| in treaty for the shipment of arms and
supplies.
But this was not all Cargoes of mil
| itary stores were sent to us from Bilbao;
| then the hint was given that 5000 barrels
| Of powder stored ait New Orleans were at
our services the port of Havana was
open to us on the same terms as to
| France and the further hint given that if
an American ship should look in their oc-
! casionally it would find the door of GER
| tain magazine open, and something in it
! useful to the colonies.
Nor was this the end of Spanish favors.
Blankets for ten regiments were sent as
| a, present o Congress, through John Lang
don of Portsmouth; ship loads of stores
were dispatched through the house of Gar
doqui. at Madrid as minister Of the new
states. without any provision being made
by Congress for money to pay even his
house rent, another gift of $4,000 was
made to him for US.
more yet. Though the declaration IN
regard to Capt. Lee was the earliest act
Of recognition by any power except
France Spain abstained from making a
treaty with our minister, for the very eX>
oellent reason that 10 do so would have
been tantamouut 10 a declaration of war
against England, for which she was not
prepared. But that eminent man who, on
Feb 10, III, took the reins Of power in
Spain, Florida Blanca, was not idle. He
Immediately commenced building new
ships ana arming those already built
and. in the spring Of 70, thirty-six ships
of the line mounting more guns than amy
fleet she ever had, being ready for sea,
she declared war against England This
immense fleet, of which seven were three
deckers. of 100 to 200 guns (our solitary
three-decker. the Pennsylvania, has never
vet got to seal, this immense fleet Joined
The French fleet. sailed TO attack The conf
mon enemy and during that and the sue.
ceeding year intercepted the troops and
supplies which had been sent to aid in our
conquest
FLORIDA Blanca did moi stop here, but.
while engaged in his naval preparations,
made a treaty with the Emperor Of Moroc-
co which closed his ports TO thu English
He also opened relations with Hyder Ali
in India, and fomented the war which that
DOWerful Prince maintained against Eng
land. Benjamne Rush, wiring shortly
after to Gen. Gates. says: Heaven pros
per our ailiesl Hyder All is the standing
toast at my table" Florida Blanca did
not rest content with this, but used all
the wiles of diplomacy and all the force OF
spain. 10 make difficulties for England in
every part OF the globe When we are
disposed 10 stretch the hand Of covetous-
ness toward any possession Of now weak
ened Spain let US remember the helping
hand she gave us in cur hour Of suffering
and Of peril
but the Iabors of Spain did not end with
This. England, driven to desperation
used all her arts to draw the Northern
powers into her alliance, and with Russia
succeeded so well that orders were ISSUED
~ AT out fifteen ships of the line at Cron.
stadt and the ntimation was given by the
Empress Catherine to Sir James Harris
afterwards Lord Malmesbury, that thi.
aeet would soon be ready 10 aid England
In her contests British ministers an
nounced the joyful fact, and one of theil
journals, even before the ice was open IL
the Baltic, declared that the Russian fee
had already arrived at Plymouth.
I'm one week all this was changed, and
| thoro suddenly appeared in the spring OF