42 



humboldt's cuba. 



also strives to impress upon the public mind the be- 

 lief that a war of races exists, and that wherever the 

 American Saxon has prevailed, the Spaniards and 

 and their descendants have been despoiled and driven 

 out. 



Influenced in a great measure by these ideas, we 

 have seen repeated instances of abuse of power by 

 the subordinate officials in the island, exercised upon 

 American citizens and consuls ; and on some occa- 

 sions by the superior ones, when such abuse was 

 supposed to produce an advantageous political effect 

 in Cuba. This disposition on the part of the Spanish 

 officers towards the United States and their citizens, 

 has been fostered by the marked difference exhibited 

 between the policy of the European powers and that 

 of our own government, in regard to the rights of 

 their subjects and citizens abroad. Whenever a 

 subject of any of the prominent powers of Europe 

 complains to the respresentative of his government 

 of an infringement of his rights, his relation of the 

 facts of the case is assumed by the representative to 

 be the correct one, and immediate action is taken ; 

 and not unfrequently followed by an exhibition of 

 force to compel respect, or restitution. In all such 

 cases the representative receives the public sanction 

 and support of his own government, even if he has 

 acted inconsiderately ; reproof for over-zeal being a 



