It is but a short step from gay to grave, and the high hat has been somewhat crowded wut of public attention by the long tragedy in Cuba. It goes without saying that the sympathy of the country as a whole is almost universally with that unhappy country as over against Spain. Everyone knowd where to find sentiments of an opposite kind, but they are in no case expressive of more than local—almost personal feeling. He is " more than. usually obtuse critic who would claim, or insinuate, that this sympathy is only the result of a self-interested covetousness on the part of Brother Jonathan; as though the latter were hoping that as the result of a successful plums might fall to his share. It is now jo on the part of the insurgents some
universally admitted that the rebellion of the American colonies a century ago was
and sincerely and sturdily held. Tt is foolish the assertion of principles essentially just, ina high degree to suppose that attachment to these principles is wholly dead, or that this country could stand by with entire indifference and watch Cuba, under admitted provocations of tenfold greater intensity, fighting the selfsame battle, and against overwhelming odds. In point of fact, it utterly impossible for an Anglo-Saxon, without grievous inconsistency, to be other than in sympathy with a struggle against an oppression so heavy and so unscrupulous.
The feeling in the States is thus what it is, on grounds of sincerely held principle, quite apart from any side glances at partisan politics, or possibilities—repugnant to most, Americans—of annexation in the future. The government has been sincere and energetic in its endeavour to preventilibustering of such organised character as falls. within the scope of international Jaw upon the subject. It hax seconded Spanish endea-yours to this end with a thoroughness that has been unwelcome to the people, though they have reluctantly admitted its necessity. Yet it isa perplexing question how long this state of things can continue without leading to more dangerous ground. Congress has been skating over some very thin ice in the matter, and in a manner not wholly ere-ditable to some of the jingoistic participants in the debate, butit has long since passed on to the terra sirmecof inactivity. It has lahonously marched up hill with a ferocious
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.