Year: 1875

moved by an Associated Press despatch from
Washington yesterday afternoon, admitting
that Secretary Fish has sent a circular to
all the foreign Powers relating to the
state Of things in Cuba We know
not how long this piece of secret
diplomatic strategy might have been
kept concealed from the American people if
the penetration and enterprise of the HERALD
had not detected in the heart of Europe an
intrigue which successfully covered its
tracks at Washington, the place Of its origin.
Our ability to track out this burrowing di-
plomacy and drag it forth into the light it
Stunned is fresh illustration of the perfec-
tion of the HERALD's machinery for gather
ing important news. and new tribute
to the intelligence and alertness Of
its European correspondents in following
up the clews given them from the Office in
New York. We have suspected this strange
diplomatic movement for some time, and
while instructing our correspondents at every
European capital to keep a keen watch, we,
nevertheless, hoped to uncover this man@u-
vre by penetrating Cabinet secrets at Wash
ington. Our editorial columns have borne
witness for several days that we had grounds
for believing the administration has been
soliciting the cooperation of foreign Powers,
and we were not without hope that by
giving the suspected scheme a quasi
Endorsement we might induce the State
Department to throw off its mask But,
while operating with this view we
suddenly found that such line of tactics
was no longer necessary when we received
the important despatch from Vienna which
we published yesterday unveiling the secret
of which we have been in pursuit The
prompt acknowledgment from Washington,
through the Associated Press, that our
Vienna despatch is in substance correct,
satisfies US that our artifce for draw
inc forth the same information from
the repositories Of official secrets at
| the national capital would have sue
ceeded if the Vienna despatch had
not made US independent Of other sources Of
information. Having at last got hold Of the
facts Of which we were on the scent we are
prepared to express deliberate opinion on
the question which they bring into promi-
nence.


/ 1t is our judgment. and we cannot doubt
\ that it will be the judgment Of the American
/ people, that the scheme which we have sue
ceeded in dragging from its diplomatic
skulking places into the full light Of ex-
posure deserves emphatic condemnation 1t
violates the honored and cherished tradi-
tions Of the Republic in relation to
foreign affairs. 1t comedies the right Of
European nations to voice in question
purely American and flies in the face of the
Monroe doctrine, which has been for half a
century more closely interviewer with the
national sentiment than any other principle
connected with our foreign relations. The
exposure of this unseemly and skulking
diplomatic intrigue comes from Vienna, the
capital Of Austria. But what concern has
Austria in the policy of the Western
Hemisphere? Why should her judgment be
invoked on q question SO disconnected from
all her interests and in which she has no more
concern than the government of China or
Japan? What has Austria to do with the
affairs Of the Western Continent? What
interest has she in Cuba or any other island
of the West Indies that her advice or CO
operation should be asked in a question so
exclusively American? Secretary Fish's cir
cular was also sent to Russia, which parted
with her American possessions by the sale
Of Alaska, and thereby divorced herself from
the affairs Of this hemisphere. The circular
was also addressed to Italy, which never had
an American possession, and whose govern
ment knows nothing and cares less
about the politics of this continent
Such a proposal to these governments
is as indefensible and preposterous as would
be circular from Austria addressed to Bra
zil OF. Chilli asking its opinion on the state Of
affairs in Herzegovina Our diplomacy is
made ridiculous by running all over Europe
begging for Endorsements in a matter quite
beyond the range Of their knowledge, their
interests, their sympathies or their geo
graphical position.


There are but three nations aside from
Spain which have any substantial interest in
the condition of Cuba. These three are,
first and foremost, the United States, and
then subordinately, England and Mexico


England is, in one sense, an Ameri-
can Power, owning the greater part
Of North America between the st. Lawrence
and great lakes and the North Pole, and


having large possessions in the West Indies


She alone Of the European Powers, has q


practical interest in the tranquility Of Cuba


She as well as the United States, was ag-


grieved by the affair Of the yirginius, and


u, ,~if - Jav a


least more prompt in securing redress for


her injuries on that occasion Mexico, an


American nation bordering on the Gulf,


whose commerce with Europe passes near the
shores Of Cuba, has also Legitimate interest


in the affairs Of that island. But, with the ex-


-. ..f crnn4 britain nrI AInvinr, H.