Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-06-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Special Message ON Cuban Affairs

J. The President sent the loilo"ihS hes
sage to Congress late in the afternoon o
Monday, the 18th: -"F
To the Senate and House of Representatives;
In my annual message TO Congress a
the beginning of its session | referred t
the contest which had for more than
wear been existing in Cuba between por
| fions of its inhabitants and the Govern
ment of Spain, and to the feelings ant
sympathy of the people and Government
of the United States for the people o
Cuba, as for all people struggling fol
liberty and self-goyernment, and sale
that the contest had at no time assumed
the condition which amounted to war II
the sense of International law, or which
would show the existence of de facto pc
htical organization of the insurgents
sufficient to justify recognition of bel
ligerency.
During the six months which have
PASSED since the date of the message, the
condition of the insurgents has not i'm
proved, and the Instruction itself, al
though not subdned, exhibits no signs o.
advance but seems TO be confined to an
irregular system of hostilities, carried on
by small bands Of armed men without
concentration, through the woods and
sparsely populated regions of the island
attacking from ambush conveyances and
small bands of troops, burning planta
tions and estates of those not in sympa'
thy with their cause; but the insurrec'
ton has not gained ground. 1t is equally
true Spain has not suppressed 1t. Oh
mate, disease and occasional bullets have
worked destruction among the soldiers Of
Spain; and although the Spanish govern
ment has possession Of every seaport
and town on the island, they have moi
been able to subdue the hostile feeling
which has driven a considerable number
of natives TO armed resistance against
| Spain, and still leads them to endure the
danger and privations of a roaming life
of gnerrillas.
On either side the contest has beer
conducted, and is now being carried on
with lamentable disregard Of human life
and of the usuages and practices which
modern civilization has prescribed al
the necessary process of war The wal
of Spaniard and Cuban is alike bringing
devastation over fertile regions Muir
derous and revengefnl DEGREES are ISSUED
aud executed by both parties. Coun
Yalmaseda and Colonel Bolton on tbs
part of Spain have each startled human
ity and aroused the Indignation Of thu
civilized world by the execution each o
score of prisoners at q time, Will,
General Quesado, the Cuban chief, coolly
and with apparent unconcern has ad
mitted the slaughter by his own dcliber
ate order in one day of upward Of 65l
prisoners of war A summary trial, witt
few if any escapes from conviction, con
frmed by execution, is the fate OF thos'
arrested on either side on suspicion o
infdelity TO ths capse Of the party max
ing the arrest.
Whatever may be the sympathies o
the people or of the Government of the
United States for the cause or the objects
for which part OF the people of Cuba
are understood to have put themselves IL
armed resistance to Spain, there can b'
no question Of inst sympathy in Q con
flict carried on by both parties alike II
such barbarons violation of the rules O
civilized nations, and with such com
| bined outrages on the plainest principle:
! of humanity. We cannot discriminate
in onr censnFs of their mode of conduct
ing their contest between Spain anf
\ Cuba. Each commits the same atpool
ties aud outrages alike against estab
lished rules Of war. The property Of
many Of our citizens has been destroyed
or endangered; the lives Of several have
been sacrificed, and the liberties o.
others have been restrained. In every
case that has come TO the knowledge d
the lioyernment, an early and earnest
demand for PREPARATION and indemnify
has been made, and most emphatic re
monstrances been presented against the
manner in which the strife is conducted
and against the reckless destruction Of
material wealth and cruel disregard o.
civilized warfare.
i have, since he beginning Of the pres
ent session Of Congress, communicated
to the House, upon their request, an &C
count of steps which ] had taken in the
hope Of bringing the conflict to an end
and for securing for the people Of Cubs
the blessings and rights of independence
The efforts thus made have failed, but
not without assurances from spain fha'
the good Offices Of this Government
might still avail for the objects TO which
they bsd been addressed IBID
During the whole contest the remark
able exhibition has 5een made Of larg'
numbers Of Cubans escaping from thu
island and avoiding the risks Of war, con
gregating Ia this country, at safe dis
lance from the scene Of danger, and en-
deavoring to make war upon our shores
to urge our people into tight Vhicl
they avoid, and to embroil this Govern
ment in complications and possible hos
tilities with Spain. II can scarcely b
doubted that this last result Is the Fea
object Of these parties, although care
fully covered under the deceptive an'
apparently plausible demand for tn
recognition Of belligerency.
Ii Is stated on what i have reason 4
regard as good sEtharity. that Cubal
bonds have been prepared to a lArg
amount, whose payment is made depend
euf anon the recognition By the Unite
States OF Cgban belligerency or inde
pendence. The object Of making thei
value thus entirely contingent upon th
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