The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-17
Cuban Independence Monroe and Clay
COutrastcd with Grant aud Fish.

pursued by the administration of Gen. GRANT
and by Congress toward Cuba and that fol-
lowed by tho Administration of Mr.. MoSRoE
and the Congress OF his time under the lead
OF HENRY CLAY, toward the Spanish colo
mics on this continent then waging war for
their independence, must impress every per.
con familiar with our history. The two
cases aro precisely analogous I and the lofty.
patriotic, md truly American course pursued
first by Mr.. CLAY, and then by the House Of
Representatives aud finally by the Cabinet
e. Of MONROE, stands in striking contrast with
the cringing, illhcral, and antiAmcricnn
policy now lollowodAt Washington toward
the selfdevotcd Cubans, who, like the South
American republicans of fifty years ago, are
fighting to break the hated yoke of Spain
As carly as 1916 Mr.. CLAY, in a speech in
the House of Representatives, glowing with
generous sentiments, expressed his sympa-
thies with the Spanish colonists on this con.
tinent, who were then cudcavoring to throw
of their dependence upon the despotic
monarchy OF Spain; and soon afterwards tho
Mexican Congress voted him their thanks
sOi mn hltlAAN tANNlhiNES ApI lit NtliuTt VI
that infant republic
In March, 1918. Mr.. CLAY made q speech in
The House in behalf of the South American
patriots and in favor OF the
recognition by our Government of the indie
pendcnce of the provinces of tho river La
Plata. This was one of his greatest orator
zeal efforts and il constitutes memorable
era in the history OF this protractcd struggle
1t contributed largely TO the passage Of the
Neutrality act of April, 1918, which was
intended and understood at the time TO have
been enacted in the interest Of the coiorics
then at war with Spain. Referring particu
lcrly to the republic of La Plata, Mr CLAY
on this occasion, at the close of one of those
outbursts Of eloqucnce so characteristic ofhis
ora;ory, thrilled the House by the intorroga-.
tory, Are we not bound upon our own princi.
pics 10 acknowledge this new republic2 fire
do not ,clo itiH?' This speech Of the Great
Commoncr was read ut the head OF the pa.
triot armies Of South America, aud stimulated
them to lraycr ohgr;s to break tie chaius Of
their opprcs7ors.
Tho easy slow going Administration of
MoNEoE III hcstatcd to acknowledge the
independence oftl,cs, republics, for then as
now pcrflions Spain had her wellpail re.
taincrs in this country, engaged in tn disrc
pu'abio work Of Misleading public opinion
and dem lrlzing iho Adm abstraction. After
repeated failures to bring the Cabinet up to
his ground, Mr. CLAY. in February 1921,
Offered a resolution declaring that the House
OF Representatives participated with the poo.
pie Of the Unite States IN the deep interest
which they felt for the success OF the Spanish
provinces Of South husrica, struggling to
cstahls h their liberty; and that it would
give ito cJns,imt onal support TO the Prcsi
dent Whenever he NIGH deem it cypedl,nt
10 recognize thor sovereignty and indcpcn
dence. An exciting debate followed, and he
resolution was adopted. Thereupon Mr.
CLAY TOOK the unprecedented step of pro
curing the appointment of a committee OF
two members to present the resolution To
President MoNUor; and Mr.. CLAY being
named as choirman, lie bore the resolution IN
Triumph to tho Wli;o House.
This resolution produced its Legitimate
effect upon Mr. MoSRoE and his Secretary
Of State. Congress had spoken, and the
Cabinet listened and prepared TO obey the
popular voice A few months after the pas
sage OF the resolution tho President recog.
n!zed the independence Of Mexico and tho
republics of The South aud in his annual
message 10 Congress in December, 1898, he
announced the celebrated MJnroo Doctrine
which practically forbade The extension Of
the European system Of government in this
Lcm sphere. and IN spri, d,mandcl its carly
extinction
Il viii he cm2mlcrcd that in 1921, when
the resolution was adopted, and in ls2o
when the republics were recognized, and in
1923, when the Monroe Doctrine was DE-.
clared, and for year after the latter event,
the war for independence was raging in the
northern provinces. now known 40 Colon.
bia (Scw Granada, Vcnczucla Ecuador, aud
Bolivia; and that the central figure of The
republ can cause was SIMON BOLIVAR, upon
whom Mr., CLAY had pronounced glowing
eulogum. Nor should il be forgotten that
the policy pursued by this country in that
glorious epoch wrought its effect even upon
the British Ministry and that Mr.. CANNISG
the Foreign Secretary, while Spain still
claimed sovereignty in South America, an
nounced tho purpose of the Ministry 10
immediately acknowledge tho Independence
OF the southern republics, the House of Com.
mons rising and cheering vociforously at the
declaration.
II was thus TINT our country acted nearly
half n century ago in the cause of liberty
and republican government in this hGinL
sphere, in series of cases precisely analo
gous to that Of Cuba. Can the American
people, can European powers fail to contrast
IT with the cowardly and treacherous policy
pursued by the present Administration
Cuba stands now in precisely the position
which Colombia occupied then. Spain is the
same weak, perGdious, oppressive power now
ihat she was then. Since that day tho Uni