Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-06-23
The Presidents Message on the Cuban
Question.


dent Grant recites that during the six
months which have passed since the date
Of his annual message to Congress, "the
condition of the insurgents has not i'm
proved, and the instruction itself, al
though not subdued, exhibits no signs Of
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 plantations
and estates Of those not in sympathy with
their cause But the instruction has not
gained ground. It is equally true that
Spain has not suppressed it. Climate, dis
ease, etc, have worked destruction among
the soldiers of Spain, and though the
Spanish government has possession OF
every seaport town, they have not been
able to subdue the hostile feeling which
has driven considerable number of the
natives 10 armed resistance against Spain,
and still leads them TO endure the danger
and privations of the life of guerrillas.
On the other side, the contest has been
conducted, and is now carried on, with q
lamentable disregard of human life, and
the usages which modern civilization has
prescribed as the necessary process of war.
The war of Spaniard and Cuban is alike
bringing devastation over fertile regions.
Murderous and revengeful DEGREES are is.
sued and executed by both parties. Count
valmaseda and Col. Bolton, on the
part of Spain, have each startled the
humanity and aroused the indigna-
ton of the civilized world by the
execution each Of score of prisoners
at a time. while Gen. Quesada, the Cuban
chief, coolly, and with apparent uncon.
Germ, has admitted the slaughter, by his
own order, in one day, Of upward of $50
prisoners Of war A sum mary trial, with
few, If any, escapes from conviction, con-
firmed by execution Is the iate OF those
arrested on either side on suspicion OF in
the arrest. Whatever may be the SYM
paties Of the people or of the government
OF the United States..for the cause or OBJ
jects for which the people Of Cuba are
understood to have put themselves in
armed resistance to Spain, there can be
no question Of past 9. mpathy in conflict
| carried On by both parties alike in such q
barbarous violation of the rules of all civ
| ilized nations, and with such combined
| outrage. On the piaInest principles OF
humanity we cannot discriminate in our
censure of the mode of conducting the
| contest between Spain and Cuba. Each
commit the same atrocities, and outrage
alike the established rules Of war. The
property of many Of our citizens has been
destroyed or enlarged, the lives of sew
eral have been sacrificed, and the liberties
of others have been restrained. In every
case that has come to- the knoweledge of
the government, an early and earnest de-
mand far reparation and indemnity has
been made, and Q most emphatic re-
monstrance been presented against the
manner in which the strife Is conducted,
and against the reckless disregard Of hu-
man life. the waHton destruction of mate
rial wealth, and the cruel disregard Of the
established rules of civilized war fare"
After abiding to the steps previously
taken by the President, "in the hope Of
bringing the confic. to an end, and for
the securing to the people of Cuba the
blessings and rights of Independence"
which efforts had 90 far failed Of their
object, and after citing precedents and au-
thorities on the question of neutrality,
the message concludes a. follows:
"The question of belligerency is one Of
fact not to be decided BY sympathy or
prejudice against either party. The rela.
ton between the present state OF the In.
surgents must amount in fact to war &C
cording to international law. The fight
ing. though fierce and protracted, does
not alone constitute war. There must be
military forces acting in accordance with
the rules and customs of war, flags Of
truce, exchange of prisoners, etc. and to
justify recognition Of belligerency, there
must be above all . de fdct0 political or
ganizstion of the insurgents sufficient in
character and resources to constitute, If
left to ITSELF state among the nations
capable of discharging the duties Of
State and meeting the just responsibilities
1t may incur as such toward other powers
in the discharge of its national dutieA
Applying the best information which |
/ have been able to gather, whether from
Official or unofficial sources, including the
very exaggerated statements which each
party give to al that may prejudice the
opposite or give credit TO it, own side Of
the question. ] am unable TO zee In the
present condition of the contest In Cubs
those elements which are requisite to con-
stitute war In the sense Of international
law. The insurgents hold no town or