The American people—not the American Executive—are more than half-inclined for
a war with Spain. They dislike Spain, they would like to see Cuba a Republic, and they think the long duration of the insurrection gives them a fair chance of intervening. The Senate and the House of Repre- sentatives have given expression to this feeling by this week passing identical resolutions that the American Government ought to acknowledge the Cuban rebels as belligerents. The Senate originally added that the Executive ought to advise the Spanish Government to grant the independence of Cuba, but this clause produced such a warlike excitement in Madrid that the House would not adopt it, and on a conference of the two bodies the " insulting " clause was dropped. The Executive will, it is said, pay no attention to the joint vote, but the Spaniards are furious ; they have asked assistance from France on terms discussed elsewhere, and they are arming their fleet and fifty merchant steamers to le used as privateers. The Americans do not want Cuba for themselves, but they are restless under what they think their inadequate position in the world, while the Spaniards are morbidly proud, and much more disposed to lose Cuba in a big war than to confess that they cannot subdue the insur- rection. It is true that the fitful action and impetuosity of Congress are making that body most unpopular, but the Americans distrust, and even despise, all their Legislatures without making the faintest effort to improve or even alter them.
