Year: 1872

Spain and Cuba-significant Move


mont or the South American Re-


publics.


The Spanish government does not relent in
the least if our cable despatch from Madrid
be exactly accurate, in its determination to
rule Cuba according to the policy of the vig
victis system and of stamping OUT the
colonial insurrectionist movement against the
authority of the Grown after the most approved
fashion of the military royalisms. His Excel
lency Minister Zorrilla took occasion to assure
the Spanish Senate. when speaking on the
subject of colonial governmental reform gen.
orally, that mo reforms will be inaugu-
rated in the government of Cuba while
single insurgent remains in the island"
This is plain speaking, and Sefior Zor-
rilla will enjoy the official merit of
being brief and exceedingly emphatic
in his expression. His method of reasoning
is extraordinary. By the denial of reform to
the Cubans, as punishment, he acknowledges
that reforms are very essentially necessary in
the island, but that the population of the place
must be reduced to condition of slavish
blindness as to the value of the concession
before they attain it. Like to the
child in the story play, he says to
the Cubans, ''Open your mouth and shut your
eyes" and then, perhaps, you may have "a
plum for prize" Such is the position of
Minister Gorilla


The action Of the government Of Colombia
in addressing the Minister of Foreign Affairs
for San Salvador on the subject of recognizing
the independence of Cuba and sustaining the
Cubans in their struggle is very significant,
and the reply Of the Secretary Of State of San
Salvador is not less so 1t is evident that
there is general movement among the South
and Central American republics to bring
about the independence of Cuba. Our readers
will have seen by the correspondence referred
TO- which we published yesterday, that there is
o calm earnestness Of tone and clear reasoning
in these communications. In connec-
ton with this movement Of Colombia
and San Salvador there are others which
indicate combined and general effort
to sustain the Cubans and to dispossess Spain
of her remaining American colonies. Peru
recently expressed the determination to reject
the treaty which our Secretary of State con-
cocted between Spain and the South American
republics because of the humiliating condition
in it that no aid or practical sympathy was to
be extended by Peru to the Cuban patriots.
So we see that in spite Of systematic represen-
tations by Spain and her agents of the state of
affairs in Cuba, and in spite Of the important
aid given by our State Department to the
Spaniards in their efforts to suppress the
truth and to crush the Cubans, the daysprins
of hope begins to shine upon the prospects of
the Gem of the Antilles.


The proposition of Colombia and San Sal
vador is that the republics of South and Cen
trail America shall unite to secure the inde-
pendsnce Of Cuba and that the United States
shall act with them. Il is to be hoped our
government will act in conjunction with
these republics for that object but
whether it will or not they should
combine to give, at least, all the moral sup
port possible to the Cubans. The proposal is
for all the American republics to unite in
requesting Spain to grant independence to
Cuba and, if necessary to pay Spain an
indemnity for the cost of the war; We ex-
pect little from the magnanimity or wisdom
of Spain but if such pressure as this were
brought to bear upon the Spanish government
the object might be attained-at least it
would strengthen the cause Of free Cuba and
turn the scales of the existing doubtful and
dreadful war in favor of independence. Spain
would hardly venture to defy the will and
action of oil America, especially when con-
vipced Of the futility Of doing SO. Il the