Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-12-18

international law to ALL Such has been the
policy of the Administration dealing with these
questions. For mere than n year a valuable
province of Spain, near neighbor OF ours,
in whom oil our people cannot but feel Il deep
interest, has been struggling for its indepcnd'
ence and freedom. The people and Govern
mcnt of the United States cntertains the same
warm feeling and symrathics for tho people
of Cuba in their pending struggle that they
manifested throughout the previous struggles
between Spain and her colonies in behalf Of
the latter But the countries. Mt no time. have
assumed the conditions which amount To war
in the sense of international law. or which
wonld show the existence OF Political ORGAN
izatiDn of insurgents sufficient to justify
recognition of their bcl!gcrcnrv. The rrin-
ciple is maintained, however. TINT this nation
will be it's own Judge as to the rights of bel
ligerencv. either to a people struggling to force
themselves from II government they bclav" to
be oppressive, or to rpcnd"nt nations u.
war with eacli other. The United States have
no disposition To interfere with the existing
relations OF iiain to her colonial possessions
ON this continent. They believe in due time
Spain aul other European powers will find
their interest terminating these relations and
establishing their present dependencies as in
dependent powers, as members "t the family
Of nations. These dependencies are no longer
regarded as subject TO transfer from one En'
ropcan power to another. When the present
relations of the colonies Cease. they ~" to be.
come independent powers exercising the right
of choice and of self control in the determine.
ton of their future condition and relations
with other powers. The United S!atcs.> in
order to put stop To b.o",slcd in Cuba, ana
in the interest Of q ncighhurinG people,
rrotfrrcd her good offices to bring the existing
contest to termination. The offer not being
,f.,I E,s Stu an I'm :
believed could he received by Cuba. it was
withdrawn 1t is hoped that the good offices
of the United States may yet prove aoNan
tagcous for the settlement Of this unhappy
struggle Meanwhile number Of illegal eX,
,,editions against Cuba have been broken mp.
Ii has bccn the enlcavor of the Admnistra-
tion TO execute the neutrality laws i'll good
faith. no matter how unpleasant the task may
be, So that they may avert the suffering VIC
have endured from II lack of good faith toward
the United States by ether nations III regard
to us.
The schooner Lizzie Major was arrested on
the high seas by II Spanish frigatc and two
passengers taken from it ana carried as pri-
soncrs to Cuba. Representations of these facts
were made TO the Spanish Government H. soon
as official information of them reached Wash
ington. Tho two passengers were. set ut
liberty and the Spanish Government assured
the United States that the captain "f the fri
gate. in making the capture. had acted with
out law, and that he had been reprimanica for
the rrcgularity of his conduct. and that the
Spanish authorities in Cuba would not sane
ton any act that could violate the rights or
treat with disrcspoct the sovereignty of the
cation. The question of the seizure of the
brig Mary Lowell at one of the Bahama Is
lands by the Spanish authorities is now the
subject of n correspondence between this
Government and that of Spain and Great
Britain. The Captain General OF Cuba. about
May last, issued Il Proclamation authorizing
search TO be made of vessels on the high seas
lmmcdia'. remonstrance against this was
made. wAvrcupon the Captuin General issued
u new proclamation. limiting the right Of
search of vessels of the United States 50 fnr
as authorized under the treaty of 1875. This
proclamation, however, was Immediately with
drawn. ] have always felt that the most
intimate relations should be cultivated between
the Republic of the United States and all in
dependent nations on this continent. 1t may
be well worth considering whether treaties
between the United States and them may not
be proiitably entered into h secure more in
innate relations, friendly and otherwise.
TIE DAEIEN CANAL.
The subject of an intcroccanic canal to con-
meet the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, through
the isthmus of Daren. is one in which tho
United States is greatly Interested lnstruc-
tions have been given our minister ut the
Republic OF the United States of Colombia to
cudeavor to obtain authority for Il survey by
this Government, in order to determine the
practicab!ity of such an undertaking. and n
charter for the right of way, to he built, by
private enterprise, if the survey proves it to
be practicable
In order to comply with tho agreement of
the United States as to mixed commissions at
Lima for the adjustment of claims, it became
necessary to send a Commissioner and Secre-
tary to Lima in August last No appropra-
tions having been made for this purpose, it is
noY asked that one be made, covering the past
and future expenses Of the commission.
PARAGUAY
Has made the intercourse with that Country
SO difficult that it has been deemed advisable
to withdraw our representatives from there.
OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS. IA
The good Offices of the United States to bring
about peace between Spain and tho South
American Republics with which she il at wer
having been accepted by Spain Peru and Chile,
Congress has been invited to be held in
Washington during the present winter. N
grant has been given to Europeans of an
eACAuSiNc IISut oI tTslIlSt over bno IefrltOry OF
Nicaragua, to which Costa Rica has given it's
assent, but which, it is alleged, conflicts with
vested rights of citizens Of the United States,
The Department of State has now this subject
under consideration. .aa bnf IL %,
The Minister of Peru having made, repre-.
sentations that there was state nj between
Peru and Spain, and that Spain was construct
ing in and near New York, Government gun.
boats which might be used by SPUN in such q
way as to relieve the naval force at Cuba no ss
to operate against Peru, orders were given TO
prevent their departure. Whether steps have
been taken by the representatives Of, the Perm
Wan Government TO prevent the departure Of
these vessels, dc not feel authorizsato to detain
the property Of the nation with whom we are
at peace on mere executive order The mat
ter has been referred to the courts to decide.
RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN. F
Towards the close of the last administration
a a,convention was signed at London for tho set
Element Of all outstanding claims between
Great Britain and the United States, which
failed to receive the advice and consent of the
Senate to it's ratification. The timo aud cir
cumstancss attending the negotiation Of the