Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-11-09
RICHMOND, VA.
wednesday Morning, November I. 1919.
A LOST TREATY.

ceedings thereon, induises III 'ne IL ho"''5 'AA
guage:
Owe arc glad 10 find that President Taylor
! "a not disposed TO sanction mighty act OF
snoliation, 10 be committed by banI OF mer,
cenery adventures. Throughout the whole oil
these doiugs, il is carefully kept OIL oil view
that specific treaty exists, to when france
Spain, England, aod The United Sta.es are par
ties. by toh,1h The dspend nee Of Cuba 10 TIC mo
Tier country of Spain is especially guaranteed
This article has been generally COPIED 10 Inc
newspapers without denial or even excep'ion'-
The Charleston Mercury; however, remarks
that the same thing was said or surmised Two OF
three years ago, amt proceeds TO show thai there
is no ground for Inc statement lis own reading
is confirmed BY friend, who has made an es
pecial study OF the diplomacy OF The Unitec
States, and who assures the Mercury that The
published treaties and diplomatic correspondence
afford no suspicion Of The existence OF such
agreement. To show that III. diplomatic cor.
respondence up to certain date affords very de-
cjsiye evidence that al that lime no such Treaty
did exisi, the Mercury publishes the following
extract from the instructions OF MIR. Clay, Sc.
crelary Of State, 10 Mr.. Middleton, United Stale.
Minister al ST. Petersburg, under dale Of May
10Th, 1925, the purpose OF which was TO aid IN.
settlement OF the quarrel between Spain and Iht
Spanish American Republics
Mr. Clay To Mr. MIDDLETON.
al peace should be longer deferred. and the wal
should take The probable direction which has been
supposed during its further progress, o:her pow
ers, not parties, may he co'laleraily drawn IN
From much less considerable causes The peace d
the world has been often disturbed. From The
vicinity OF Cuba 10 The United States, its yalna
bic commerce, and The nature OF lis population,
their Government cannot be Indifferent 10 any
political change 10 which hal Island may be dies,
lined. Grea, Britain and France also have deep
interests in its fortunes, watch must keep them
wide awake 10 all those changes. In Short, wha,
European Stale has not much al stake, directly
rr indirectly, in the destiny b. IT what IL may, o
that most valuable Of Tie Wesl India islands,
The r, hectiuns and the experience OF The Empe.
ror on the vicisSiiudes oi war, must have impress
sed hlm with the solemn duty ui all Governments
Ia guard against even the cisant approaches u
thai mos, terrible ol all scourses. by every pre-
caution with which human prudence and ioie
sight can surround The irpose and safety ol
States.
You are authorized i'll that spirit ot The most
perfect irahkncss ana friendship which have ev-
er characterized ali The relations between Russia
and the United Sales 10 disclose without reserve,
hi feelings AID wishes vi The United States in
respect 10 Caba and Porto Rico. They are sai>
isfied with The present condition vi those Islands,
now open to the commerce and enterprise Of their
citizens. They desire Tor themselves no political
change in them. II CUBA we're 10 declare Itself
nd Tho annnDf NJ Ihp chaIac,er pf lis
popu alton render il improbable that it could
maiuiain lis independence
There could be no cftcctual preventive OF those
scenes but in the suaranee and in large resi-
dent force o! foreign powers. The Terms Of such
a guarantee, and The quotas which each should
contribute u such iorce, would create perpleI-
ing questions III very difficult adjustment. 10 say
nCihbe OF he continua jealoIscs which would
lie in operation. In The stale Vi possession which
Spain has there would he ready acquiescence
ot those vely loreis0 powers. all OF whom would
be put into angry ACTIVITY upon The smallest pres
pecl oil transfer OF those Islands. The United
States could not with indifference see snch a
transfer to 40 European power. And il the new
Republics Or either Of hem, were 10 conquer
them, their maritime force, as il now is, or Tor a
long time 10 come is likely 10 b., would keep W
continual appIehensions Of their safety. Nor i
u .ltl'cttU tuui liz W StdtN> GtoHtt VI VIII ~
tempt he acquisition, unless they shall. DC COM
pelitd, in their own defence, 10 make il by The
unnecessary prolongaliun 0! the war. Acting
On the policy which is here unlolted, the Gov
eminent OF The Uniltd Sales, although they
would have been justified To have seized Cuba
and Porto Rico in The just protection OF the
lives aud commerce OF their citizens, VINO have
been prey 10 Infamous pirates finding succoI
and refuge in Spanish territory, have sienaly
displayed their moderation AMI patience by a
scrupulous respect Of The sovereignty OF Spain
who was herself bound but has utterly tailed Il
rrpress these enufmilies."
In reply, The Russian Government declines Il
act in the matter except in concert With Spain
and the later did moi, AS is well kaown, establish
peaceabIe relations with her reyolied colonies
TILL many years after. In ali The diplomatic cor
respondeLce, says The Mercury, We have seer
or heard of nothing that approaches nearer Thar
this language Of Mr.. Clay 10 pledge OF lh,
United Safes 10 support the authority Of Spain
and in this despatch there are three ways pointed
out in which CUBA nigh he withdrawn from lh
authority oil Spain, without lis being admtet
that any engagements III The Unijcd Stale
bound Them 10 resist i, viz: BIZ declaration O
independence; by the coIque. oi il by one oi TN
new Republics; and, finally, by The Unied S ate
seiZing il themselves, in retaliation tor wrong
and injuries upon their citZ:ns. There is on
case oil possible change tina! is minated In
ueied States would Iesis.--ihe transfer Of Cub.
To svrne other European power. Bat The who'll
argument addressed tu The Emperor Of Russi
would be in the highes, degree absurd and lmprr
,nenl, TN The supposilion that the writer knes
OF a treaty b. which the three great maIllim
powers OF The world had guaranteed 10 Spain ID
possession oil Cuba. We may safely ccnclud
then lha, in 1925 there was no such treaty.
"Fhat public engagement Of this soli coul
have been made since, without being fresh il
The recollection ot men, is impossible. Is St
cret treaty blythe Uniltd S,airs p:ssiblt2 w
doubt il. On all recent occasions, iftalies I've
lore the Senate have been invariably divulge
before they were ratified even. How could lhi
have lain uudisinibed .or many years} Besides
the Constitution declares treaties part If III
supreme law of the land, ard thus makes publ
city an essential qualify Of their force.
"e'inaiiy, what motive could there be Tor secrc
CIV, which would not alsu be an ovel wnelmn
argument for refusing /" sanction such treaty
1nc !jsc 10 b. gained, quieting Spain IN h.
possession OF Cuba, would he much more elleCiu
ally reached 10y advertising all men and Stale
that their attempts upon liza, possession wei
destined 10 certain defeat, than by entering Ozark
" into an engagement hat GLOVE! Tree scop
To project and involved the necessity VI cmedy
ing the mischief after il was done. II there cx
Isl such treaty then, secretly made ard raIifieJ
| aud treasured up in The dark cavetns Of diploma
cy, the uni.cd Stales Government could on
have resoiled To this mysery from a strong con
| vicion iaaI The engagement, openly made, woul
have been utterly odIons 10 ife people, aud vii
this conviction Of public sentiment We ask, is
| conceivable They would have made the engage
mcni7 ga every accoun', therefore, The rxis
:cnce OF The alleged rcaY is utterly inadmis.ibl,
and The only excuse we caa ttirr for taking u
space in discussing il, is, al iie assertion OF II
existence has ben male and repealed, and n
contradiction has been offered in quarters irol
which We are in the habit o! expecting the solu
lion Of all diplomatic mysteries.
Satnrn-iks, dsrcuriHs their ORR ehi'ir.n.
Not content win turning on; poor Democrats
The "ani- .aoscrip'ive Regency is aclna
evic!ing us own Wig appninIees in New Yor
who are found guilty. OF ami Stwariisln O