New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-22
cUBW And SOUTHERN REcoGNIrIoM

CUBAN And SOUTHERN RECOGNITION
The Spanish gunboats have left our port,
but for better or worse, we have not heard
the last Of them. While they are making their
way to Cuban waters, an earnest people are
bordering the question lately presented in the
speeches Of Senators Carpenter and Sumner
Is it consistent with our national traditions
and our neutral obligations to help Cuba 7
The documentary revelations of the State
Department add little to Mr.. Summers
statement, and throw feeble light on the
perplexity which he suggests. We not only
want more facts, but we want another state of
facts before we can recognize bellgerence-
this is die moral of Mr.. Summers view of the
Cuban situation. Pending those facts, Congress
is so fai moved by the heavy blow dealt to the
American cause, aud the ShylOck's bargain ac-
corded 20 Spain in the release of the thirty
gunboas, as to be willing, we hear, to pass n
resolution of recognition. Win it be equal to
thirty enboats
Senator Carpenter has fairly and eloquently
represented the Cuban side of the case. His
argumelt was to show that the question of
bellgernce ought to have been tested in the
Courts He cites that in the early prize cases
of WHEATON the Supreme Court often held
that til, parties were belligerents though no
proclamation or act of the United States had
so declTed. But in 1916, President Monroe
having seized vessel intended for the Do
mnicab war of Potion against ChristOphe, the
Court decided that the act of 1874, under
which the seizure was made, applied
only d Independent nations. and hence
that it was illegal, neither Potion
nor ChistOphe having been recognized by the
United States To supply the defect thus ex
posed, Congress in 18l7-'tS revised its neu-
trality laws, and enacted what has become the
ground Of the Cuban claim against the thirty
gunboats The neutrality amendment OF 1918
precisely forbids the fitting cut of any vessel
to cruise or commit hostilties against the sub
iects of any foreign State. or Of any colony,
"distric; or people with whom the United
Estates are at peace" Mr.. Carpenter quotes
in proof of the intention of the measure
the declaration of Mr.. Forsyth, who
reported it, that it was entirely
impartial between Spain and her re-
voted colonies, aud contends that to con
strue i. officially as not applying to the province
or colony of Cuba, would be legislation but
not interpretation He'might have dwelt upon
tho case of the ships Estrella and Josefa
Segupda, wherein, after the passage of the act
of 1878, the Supreme Court, in the absence OF
any declared recognition by Congress, gave to
the acts of tho agents of Venezuela the
effect of recognition. Tho Court could
not, in view of the maintenance OF strict neil
traliy by the United States, do else than respect
the beuigerent rights Of both parties, or refuse
TO treat as piratical the cruisers of either.
Here ends the Cuban case, but wo cannot for
bear quoting Mr.. Carpenters remark; Liberty
/" in Cuba is in the helplessness of its infancy
ats life is feeble, its pulse low. i do not IN
"yoke your aid on behalf of Cuba; l only ask
" that to be done tho neglect Of which would