Arkansas State Gazette And Democrat

AMERICAN SYMPATHY WITH CUBA.
The adventurous spirit and irrepressible energy
of the people of the United States have been so
often displayed, under the most difficult and trying
circumstances, that the sympathy and willingness
universally exhibited to aid the Cubans, in ridding
themselves of an odious and galling despotism, is
nothing to be wondered at. It would indeed be a
startling anomaly were it otherwise. American
citizens can never remain cold and callous, when
they see an oppressed people, in any country un-
der the sun, manfully contending for their liberties.
They gave their warmest sympathies to Greece,
to Poland, the South American Republics, Mexico,
Ireland, France, Italy and Hungary, and rushed to
the standard of liberty, by thousands, when their
kindred and neighbors of Texas unfurled the flag of
Independence. They are now ready to render
every assistance to the Cuban patriots, not incon-
sistent with the obligations of our government as
a neutral. In the case of Texas, Mr. Webster,
the present Secretary of State, declared that our
citizens had the right to emigrate to that country,
without any exercise of governmental inquisition,
into their motives or designs. The same rule will
apply to Cuba.
Should Mr. Fillmore attempt to interfere with
this acknowledged right of our citizens, he will
find himself arrayed against a vast majority of
the people. Those who go out to Cuba, it cannot
be doubted, intend to become citizens there, if the
revolution should be successful. So soon as they
leave this country, with that intention, they are
no longer citizens of the United States, and the
government of the U. States has no power to co-
erce them into an observance of neutral obliga-
tions. They take their chances with the revolu-
tionists—they incur the risk of the vengeance of
the Spanish despotism, and the United States is
not responsible to the Spanish government for
their acts, or for any failure to enforce the rights
of Spain, acquired by the Treaty of 1819. Such
we understand to be the position of the American
citizens who emigrate to Cuba and nobly incur
the perils incident to the Creole struggle for liberty.
There is a sacrifice, a self-devotion, and a daunt-
less courage in this, which challenges the highest
admiration. These daring men, voluntarily waive
the protection of their own government, and ren-
der themselves amenable to the vindictive cruelties
of Spanish vengeance, for the sake of aiding a
gallant people who are struggling, against great
odds, for freedom.
In this trying emergency to them—while Span-
ish cruisers are on the alert to capture and subject
them to the penalties of piracy, while the hoarded
vengeance of a rotten despotism is but watching an
opportunity to pour out upon their devoted heads
its vials of venom and wrath, shall the Govern-
ment of the Model Republic join in the chase to
hunt them down? Does any neutral or treaty ob-
ligations enjoin such a course? They have volun-
tarily relinquished the protection of their own free
and glorious flag to fight under and sustain the
rising star of Cuban liberty. But they do not ex-
pect the "stars and stripes" to be made the instru-
ment of crushing them forever. They had no
right to suppose, when they gazed for the last time
upon the American Eagle, that it would meet them
again upon the blue waters of the Gulf, to flap its
broad wings remorselessly over them, as its prey.
They had been in the habit of looking to it as the
Protector of Liberty and not as the Ally of Tyran-
ny. Such, if we mistake not, will be the senti-
ment of the vast body of our people.
The people of this country, however much they
may desire a neutral policy and a strict observance
of all international obligations and duties, will
never brook an alliance of our Government with
Despotism. They will inevitably crush the Ad-
ministration that attempts it.