Year: 1870

Views OF Mr.. senator simmer Upon Cuban


RECOGNITION = 7he 0uestion Of War with


WIsHINeroS, Feb. e.-Your correspondent yester-
day called on Mr.. Sumner 10 have a chat on such
topics as are now brought prominently forward IN
the Committee on Foreign Relations.


Correspondent-Mr. Sumner do you think that I'm
view OF the late reported successes OF the Cubans
and the generally more promising aspect of their
affairs, the attitude OF the administration on the
question OF according Cuba belligerent rights win
undergo any immediate changer


opinion, as far from solution as ever Indeed the


position OF the Government this question is made


even stu more delicate from the very fact Of the


possible truth OF the reports TO which You alluue


Granting that those reports correct, which, how


ever, am strongly inclined TO doubt, considering


the channels through which they reach us, the sue


cesses gained are not OF themselves OF any material


Importance TO the Cubans, nor of any signal disad-


vantage to the Spaniards In this view OF the


case the Government cannot commit itself TO any


fixed line OF policy, either favorable or adversative


70 tne cause OF tne revolutonists until eVMehve


shall have been adduced which shall conclusvely


prove that the one power the other is clearly in


the ascendant without the possibility rather the


probability ofreverse. General Pueblo may or may


not have been defeated at Guiamara; he yet has at


his disposal alarge force Of men and an unexhausted


matter where may be the theatre Of
in an equal degree, and their defeat in the


late battles would probably have sealed their iHt5


beyond the power or hope OF resuseitation. There


is no probability, 1t seems to me, of this Government


yielding to the popular clamor on the Cuban ques


ton until the Cubans shall have accomplished the


following results First, given evidence of their


ability as military power TO accomplish the pur-


pose they profess to be able to accomplish, viz,


the driving out of the Spaniards from the island ut


the point of the bayonet; second, the occupa-
ton OF some city or impregnable position where


legal bearing may bead be adjudged without the fear of
reversal OF Judgment IN OF Spanish success in


the field The latter event necessarily implies the
former, but state il as a distinct proposition in


order to clothe it with the degree OF Importance
that it in my opinion deserves. The Government is
not then, sufficiently assured on these points 10
enable IL to fix its line of policy. unquestionaby


the feeling OF the American people is in favor of the
recognition Of Cuba without further delay, but /


hardly think that it is their cool, sober Judgment
that speaks. We are, par excellence, as nation,
rein to our ideas without sufficiently studying what


will probably result therefrom il carried into prsc
tical effect. The question of Cuba is not really un
derstOod by one out OF hundred of our so-called
thinking men. The workings OF the secret machinery


have not yet been exposed TO the public gaze. 1t is
not so much what the Cubans have failed, or may


fail to accomplish, to which is attributable the pre-


sent attitude OF the Government on this question, as


IL is the probable results that win follow the recog


milton of her belligerency by the United States In
the latter case Spain has distinctly avowed her
intention OF making il caSus belh, Notwithstanding
that the result Of a war between the two Govern
ments could have but one possible result-the dis
comfture of the weaker power. have no donbt
but that Spain would gladly renquish Cuba but It
cannot be done through intimidation or threat on
our part implied or expressed In spite 81 the de-
generacy OF the times evidenced in all the pur-
suits comprehended within the meaning OF the
words agriculture and commerce, Spain still pre-


serves her old Castan pride in AL its pristine vigor
The recollestiOns OF times gone by--when her flag
hoated over hundred citadels OF Europe-when
England, France, Austria, Germany, and Italy, In
to the supremacy OF her arms-when, in fact her
power on the continent of Europe was little if any
less than that OF ancient Rome-comes to her mind
with too startling force to suffer her pride to
dergo the still further humiliation OF yielding,
| brightest and most precious of her island
Jewels. i have no doubt but that within
twenty-four hours after the accordance by this
| Government of belligerent rights to Cuba, the
| Spanish telegraph would fash a Thousand
contracts to the shpyards OF the Clyde and the


Mersey for the fitting out Of vessels destined to prey
| on our commerce You see the fesult at a glance.
The Alabama, a single vessel injured our commerce
| to the extent OF scores of millions OF dollars; what
\ would be the damage then, when thousand Ala


bamas were let loose against us? can hardly esti-
| mate the amount in money; but n financial crash
| would ensue that would shake the pillars OF the


Government to their very foundations.-K. y. World
| fO-day.N nr.. ..