The Portland daily press., 1898-06-03
sPAiN's DIPLOMATIC RECORD.
england Has Called Ber More Hard
Names Than We Ever Did

| spain has been chronic bette noir to
thls country for more than half CEN
tury," said an old-t time diplomat at the
capital, as he was discussing the sltua-
tlon with several congressman.
II can remember that at the outset OF
near to hostile action between the two
countries Right at the time Fort Sumter
was being invested by Beauregard, our
naval authorities were agitated by the
seeming Ced Of sending fleet to head
off Spain's endeavor to repossess herself
of San Domingo. European powers. su,h
as England, France and Prussia, thought
then we should, in pursuance Of the Mon
roe doctrine, forbid Spain retaining SOW
oreignty over the Domlnicans, Ihe
urgency of our own dispute overwhelmed
that undertaking on our part, and spain
made terms with Santana, who had ripped
San Domingo from Hayti, and the
Dominicans were. induced to Voluntarily
renew allegiance to the Spanish crown.
"But that was not the only trouble
with which Spain threatened us. 1t was
suspected that the Confederate states
would try to take Cuba; indeed, it was
openly proposed by the Southern states
men to their government. In the event
that the endeavor materialized, it was
doubtful whether Spain would join us to
save Cuba to herself, or offer alliance to
the Confederacy. Without going to the
latter extreme, she skillfully compromised
b. recognizing the belligerency of the
Confederate states, and thus held the
latter off Cuba.
"OId General Cassius M. Clay of Ken
tucky was one of the important figures
of that time, and was chosen by Presi-
dent Lincoln as minister to Spain, to try
and head off any Confederate negotiations
TO our detriment with that power The
old general had read Spanish history and
literature In the tongue for quarter of
century, and could speak four or five
other European languages, and hence his
| assumed usefulness for the particular
mission. But events tlrned SO that he
declined Spain and was sent to Russia,
| whi Q carl Schur1 was named for Spain.
| The opaniard was too quick for our
diplomacy, and recognized Southern
! belligerency ahead of our protest.
''By the way" said congressman,
'that reminds me that we are not the
only people on earth who have had reason
to inveigh against the duplicity and bru-
tality of Spain. The pathetic appeals Of
the queen regent against our aggressions,
the protests of Sagasta, and the grand
lloquence Of Blanco, representing US as
lawless and piggish in our proceedings,
are rather amusing to me; for when this
Cuban question began to grow serious
looked up some history relating to Spanish
rule and relations ana found some curious
| W I o
in speech in the Aouse-a speech which,
however, Mr.. Speaker Reed never allowed
me to fire of.
"For instance, in the debate in the
English House of Commons, in 1861, over
the suppression of slave trading between
the African coast and Cuba, Mr.. Buxton,
then a leading foe of the slave trade,
spoke OF Spain as follows: "Ihe conduct
of Spain in all her dealings in this matter
has been base and inhuman. In fact,
Spain has sunk so low in the scale of
nations, SO debased are the minds of her
!, statesmen, that they are quite content to
let theirs be the single country stained
with the infamy Of the crime"
He went on to say that in 1858 Lord
Malmesbury told the Spanish govern
ment to 5heir face that her majestys gov.
ernment had right to require that an
end be put to fiagrant abuse by the Span
ish authorities to the engagements which
| CpaiH lttu CJuUTdCUc'k WluA UulS COuuUry
for the suppression of the slave trade,
and that the government Of the United
States had inquired not long ago why we
| (the British government) did not force
Spain + to live up to her engagement. ,
And he then denounced the Infamous
course Of Spain yet more flercelY.
Lord Palnierston, in the same debate,
spoke of Spain as having made Cuba
| that center of denominations, and said: !:
| When we come to speak of Spain it is
impossible to express too strongly ones
sense of indignation at the profigate,
shameless and disgraceful bad faith with
which the Spanish nation has acted. ;
Further on he said: The conduct Of
| Spain might have given us just cause for
war If we had though proper to avail our
selves of it,
at seems to me these English roasts OF
the Spanish character, as nation, are
the equals ofssanything said on our side in
| this latest controversy. Indeed. we have
| been even less vehement than our British
brethren were thirty-seven years ago.
And it is still. 1.-THE same Spain. "---Wash-
ington Post.