The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-17
FIRST EDITION
Will Spain Hold Cuba Through Foreign
Aid Speedy Recognition of the
Insurgents Predicted-our
Relations to Cuba.

The New York Herald this morning prints the
following despatch from Washington-
The reported quadruple alliance on the part of
England France, Austria and Spain to guarantee
the latter in the possession of Cuba against the
wishes of the United States, forms the most in
teresting subject of discussion here just now.
Very conflicting rumors are afloat, some of them
quite startling, and If only true certain to even
(, tnate in collision between our own and some
: OF the leading Governments of Europe. To add
to the excitement our own American Minister of
Foreign Affairs is just now afflicted with very
severe attack of official reticence. He won't say
one word about the "ever,faithful isle, and, OF
course, people construe the extraordinary eau
tion thus pTactised into a confirmation OF the
alarming telegram from Madrid yesterday. Then
again, Senores Lemus and Ruiz, the Cuban re-
presentatives unusually secretive. They
confess to solemn confab with Mr.. Fish yes
terday, and though they refuse to disclose its
precise nature, still declare that only few days
will elapse before the world hears some news
that win be eminently favorable to Cuba. Does
this mean that Mr.. Fish has at last concluded
that it will be idle to palaver any longer with
Spain about mediation and purchase, and that
he is about to grant what Cuba has so long
sighed for-belligerent rights and recognition of
Cuban independence?
Judging from the elation displayed by Lemus
Il Co., one would suppose that this is the ''emi-
nently favorable news" that is to astonish the
world in u few days. But your correspondent
{ has so often before heard of these sanguine
predictions tbat he is slow to believe that the
moment mas at last come Wnen our GOVeTnmenJ
is about to take stand in sympathy with the
national feeling and in conformity with our
national interests. 1t is certain, however, that
something is brewing though precisely what it
is difficult to ascertain
Should the Madrid telegram turn out to be
based upon actual facts, it would seem that the
course to be pursued by our Government is very
plain and simple if we adhere to our repeatedly
announced policy in times past relative to Euro
pean intervention on the American continent.
The views so boldly put forth by Mr.. Everett in
1852, and long anterior to that date by other
r American statesmen, that ''the Government of
the United States would not see with indiffer
ence the island of Cuba fall into the possession
of any other European power than Spain and
that this Government had an interest in Cuba
not to be compared with the interests of Eng
land, France, or any other European power,
and that we could consent to no treaty bind
ing ourselves never to take possession OF the
/ island, would seem to have committed us ire
vOcably over seventeen years ago to be a great
and consistent national policy on this subject.
Circumstances have since then greatly changed;
our interest in Cuba is twenty-fold greater; and
should European alliance be consummated,
with the object of perpetuating the Spanish yoke
upon the Cubans, after the undoubted evidence
of the desire of the Cubans for independence
and annexation, of course much stronger Ian
guage and more decided action on the part of
our Government would be justifable than those
which resulted in the rejection of the tripartte
alliance proposed by England and France on
April 8, 1852.
That project, it will be remembered, grew out
of the ilibustering expeditions that prevailed at
| that time. What the convention proposed is
contained in its first article, which at this time
is worthy of republication. 1t is as follows:-
Article l. The high contracting parties hereby
severally and collectively disclam, both now and for
hereafter, all intention to obtain possession of the
island OF Cuba, and they respectively bind them
selves to discounenance all such attempts to that
effect on the part of any power or individual what
The high contracting parties declare severally
and collectively that they will not obtain or maintain
for themselves, or for any one OF themselves any
exclusive control over the said island nor assume
nor exercise any dominion over the same
To this proposition, which was simultaneously
made to Mr.. Webster by the English and French
Minister, Webster replied on April 49, 1852, that
our Government would give it due consideration
| at the same time reminding them of the policy
of the United States "to avoid alliances or agree
\ ments with other States, and to keep itself free
from national obligations except such as affected
directly the interests of the United States them
selves"
| Webster soon after died, and Everett succeeded
him in the State Department.
Everett, under date of December /, 1852, re.
piled to both Champion and De Sartiges, the
English and French Minister'S rejecting the
proposed tripartite alliance on the part of the
United States. In his letter occurs the follow
ing language
/ The island of Cuba lies at our doors. 1t COM
/ mands the approach to the Gulf of MeXico it bars
the entrance to that great river which drains half
the American continent, and with its tributaries,
forms the largest system OF internal water commu-
nication in the world; it keeps watch at the door
way OF our intercourse with California by the 18th
mus route. If island like Cuba, belonging to the
Spanish crown guarded the entrance to the Thames
or the Seine and the United States should propose
convention like this to England and France, those
sumed by ourselves was far less serious than that
a which we asked them to assume.