The day before the American Elections information was allowed to
ooze out at Washington that the President had addressed a despatch to Caleb Cushing, Minister at Madrid, stating that affairs in Cuba were becoming intolerable to the Union ; that slavery and Spanish domination ought both to cease ; and that the United States desired the independence of Cuba. The tele- gram excited some attention in this country, and rumours were spread about preparations in the American dockyards, but as soon as the elections were over it was explained that General Grant had only called Mr. Cushing's attention to a despatch written two years ago, and couched in those severe terms. As matters in Cuba have gone from bad to worse ever since the despatch, there seems no reason to believe that a mere reference to it will have any great effect, or elicit any declaration of war from the overburdened Court of Madrid. General Grant can provoke a war with Spain if he likes, but his arsenals are not ready, and the ablest American politicians dislike the idea of adding two more Southern States with a majority of blacks to the Union.
