Year: 1869

Spain, Cuba and The Administration.
Spanish question in Europe and America, and
the signs of the times indicate that the admin
isiration has awakened to the emergency and
is disposed to enter with vigor upon the path
of action. General Sickles our new Minister
to Spain, has been hurried OFF to his post with
full and positive instructions adequate to the
new aspect of affairs, and cursory review of
the field will throw much light upon the pro-
bable results to follow from the new point of
departure. Spain has emerged from great
contest within herself with a wonderful solu-
ton of the great European problem of govern
ment, which, though spoken of as temporary
and transitory form, offers more elements of
permanency than do half of the dynasties of
the Old World. A monarchy without king
is a republic in essence, respecting at once the
constitutional liberties of the people and the
prejudices of a society long accustomed to
monarchical institutions.


AS a novelty in the field of politics its great
dilemma is the financial question, and the
revolution in Cuba has come at singularly
inopportune moment to increase its complica-
tons. Instead of receiving the usual remit
tances from that island, and having its stable
treasury to draw upon in the emergencies of
the State, the Ministry finds itself urgently
called upon for large supplies of men and
money to maintain the authority of the me-
tropols over its revolted colony. This fact
hoo a1r sod inf
over the measures Of the Spanish Cabinet that
it has felt itself compelled, as we learn from
a statement in the Imparciat one of the Ma
drid journals, to request the editors in the
capital to treat the Cuban question in such
way as to evince a disposition on the part of
the people and government of Spain to accept
any peaceful solution OF the situation which
should be consistent with the national honor
There is but one. possible solution of this kind,
and that is through friendly negotiation with
our government, in which both may accept the
changes that have now become inevitable.


The attitude of Cuba in this emergency is
one which lends itself to peaceful solution.
The history of nine months of revolutionary
contest has shown to every reasoning man the
impossihility of forcible suppression of the
insurrection, and the recent address Of Gen
eral Rodas, the new Captain General, to the
editors in Havana, was wise recognition of
the ineficacy of force. If he continues on
this course and applies to the war now raging
there the rules that restrain civilized contests
and stops the inhuman butcheries of unresist-
l., ha will Cd poto 81
strength to the possibility Of peaceful and
honorable solution by Spain. The nineteenth
century cannot accept the bloodthirsty pro-
ceedings of the Spanish volunteers, blinded as
they ore with passion and hate; and il these
continue with the sanction of the new regency
in the peninsula the sympathies of the whole
civilized world will be enlisted against it, and
its efforts to find stability for its rule will meet
with cold repulses on every side.


It is in these new developments that we find
au explanation of the seemingly contradictory
professions and proceedings of the admins
tration at Washington. 1t perceives the ad-
vance of the combatants by separate paths to
the same solution negotiation with the
United States The republican, Cespedes,
takes the longer road through war and its
immense sacrifices, while the Regent, Serrano,
appeals to the shorter one Of existing friendly
relations and the facilities Of diplomatic inter
course. The latter can be soonest travelled,
and should, therefore, be the first one tried
but the administration will be wise not to
injure its own hopes by an extraordinary con-
descenson to Spanish demands. If Spain
could put down the revolution in Cuba she
would not negotiate for the island, and her
diplomacy will hasten or delay in it's develop
ment in proportion as her hopes rise or fall
Her present conviction is that the revolution
will find sympathy and aid in this country
and that with this she cannot successfully con
tend. Convince her that our government will
guard her from any such contingency, and the
desires for a pacific solution will disappear
and our friendly overtures will receive the
same rebuff they have so often before expe-
rienced.


BEHIND THE TINES. A Missouri paper
states that movement is on foot in New York