Year: 1873

theless, feel that we have reached q period
when further hesitation as to our action in
respect to Cuba would be degrading to us as a
nation and criminal in us as a Christian
people The cause between the United States
and the Spanish government has been
tried and the case is closed Our witnesses
have been the murdered SpealSInan and
Wyeth, the outraged Consul Phillips, and
long list of others, until we end with the
victims Of the last massacre The judg-
ment has been rendered, and we have now
only TO proceed to enforce the execution.
There must be an end to Spanish authority In
Cuba. We may regret to do an act that may
bear The appearance Of hostility to the govern
ment at Madrid. but Spain must admit
that she has justified such extreme action by
her own weakness by her utter inability
to govern those who pretend TO govern her
colony i'll her name. Cuba is now without
legal government, and we must so regard her.
She is an island held by pirates and assassins;
by outlaws. who acknowledge no authority,
who recognize no law but their own
unbridlcd will, and who prey on the prop
erty and lives of our citizens and
Of those who are under our protection. Wo
must stamp out her lawless rulers as we would
stamp out nest of hornets We must oc-
cupy Cuba AZ the natural guardian of the
island for the protection of our own rights, as
we would enter and occupy neighbor's house
TO save il from the flames. This will be no act
of war against Spain, for the Spanish govern
ment has no authority that sne can enforce in
Cuba against the will of the lawless men who
hold possession of the territory. 1t will be
simply an act of self-protection and within the
constitutional power of the President An
administration that would occupy Cuba
within the next ten days would insure the en-
dorsement of Congress and the appreciation
of the whole American people.


We confess to some apprehension of
timid, hesitating policy on the part of our
government. We fear that the plume which
will decorate the bonnet of the admins
tration will be the white feather of
the diplomat of strong words and weak heart.
The Secretary of State beats about for apollo
gies for Spain, and Spain is ready, it is said to
surfeit us with apologies for the outrages and
murders she could not check in the past and
cannot prevent in the future We have even
heard the degrading hint from Washing
ton that if the Virginius was captured
in English waters it would be England's
quarrel and not our own. But we tell Presi-
dent Grant, as we tell England, that this is an
American question and must be settled by
America alone England flag has not been in
suited The lives Of some Of her subjects have
been taken, but taken while they were under the
protection of the American flag, which we
hold sufficient to protect them 1t is for us
to require atonement. It is for us to cleanse
the stain from our national honor. 1t is for
US to take possession of Cuba for the safety
of our own territory, for the protection of
our own citizens, for the vindication of
our own principles, in the cause of civilization
and humanity. In the action which has been
forced upon us we can seek no alliance, we can
brook no interference. 1t is, as we have said,
an American question, to be settled by Amer
lea, and if our government is true to the
people and true to itself we shall occupy
Cuba without delay. That done, we may
take counsel with England, or with any other
friendly nation, as to the future; but for the
present the work is our own, and we must do
it single handed.