The New York herald., 1870-03-06
G u 3 a.
TEE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE.
Diplomatic Correspondence Between the
United States and Spain.
American Mediation DIPLOMAT.
ca.ly Considered.
Strength of the Spanish Army
in Cuba.


the governments OF tae United States ana the spanis
government In relation TO the struggle now gong oil
for the Independence Cnba we make the following
extracts which VIII be foaad TO convey An intelli
gent View OF the position taken by the two countries
FIRST PROPOSITION FOR A SETTLEMENT
The first letter IN the correspondence bears dats
Washington, June 2. 1859 aud Is addressed by Sec
retary OF State Fish 10 Minister Sickes at Madrid
After referring to the situation In Cuba and calling
attention to the conflict raging at that time for more
than nine months, with promise OF speedy ter
mination, the Secretary writes to Mr.. Sckles:-
The President directs you offer to the Cabinet al
Maoria The good offices Of the United States for the
purpose ol b,neinx To q close the ciyll war now
iayaeing the island OF Cuoa on tue following
bases:-
FrstThe independence OF Cuba to bs acknowledged BY
Se,Caa Cuba TO pay to Spain sum- within n time
be agreed upon oy the as an equivalent Tor hs
IN that island Including the public properly Of desrp
tom II cuba should not be able g pay The whole ,un =
adequately by pledge Of the export and import Gus
s m r an FOR lie 90 OF securing besh ss
principal and interest OF those nsiamens until their tina
T@,ri--Ihe abolition OF slavery tho island of cuen.
foDfAn Arinsce pending the negotiations Tor me SET
element above erred t..
In case the good offlces OF the United States are
accepted by SPAN YOU viii request that such steps
may be Immediately taken AZ VIII arrest the pro-
gress OF the nghi; ANA yo1 viii communicate az
once by telegraph with the department., using the
asked IN tnat case Tor the representatives OF the
revolutionary parry now IN the Uuited States 10
communicate through the Spanish lines with taoSe
in command OF the revolutionary party In CuDa, IN
order that all further destruction OF life and pro-
perry may be arrested al the earliest possible mo-
ment.
1t Is proposed that the negotiations for the settle.
ment of the several questions 10 be adjusted be-
tween the c0ntending parties shall De conducted
here. You VIII therefore III the event OF our good
offices beng accepted. propose that conference DC
he the city OF Washington, aL an carly day To be
Madrld. between properly authorized representa-
uves OF the two parties the representative or each
party TO be clothed win iul powers to agree to ana
TO eher into Il convention for a settlement on tne
bases above indicated, and 70 arrange, settle and
sign all necessary Details anu other agreements that
may be thought proper on both SIDES.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.
June 90 Secretary Fish, IN another letter, writes
TO Minister Sickles tnat the proposal OF the United
States for the purpose OF bringing TO close the
civil war now ravaging tue islam" Cuba, and eau
tions the Minister of The decacy to be observed on
this point not to excite any just sus
capabilities OF the government Of the Minister or
OF the people OF Spalnn The same day the Secre-
sary telegraphs to Minister Slckes 10
ACT PROMPTLY.
An early decision Oil the proposition to mediate IL
extremely important. Hasten It. Spanish authorl-
ties in Cuba are III potent Tor protection OF the lives
OF our citizens. Cuba anl Porto Rico should not DC
connected In the supniss on or negotiation
SICdLEj REPLIES.
under date OF August l. 1869, tnat he has communl-
cssed TO prim informally basis oi convention. He
pressed me to say how niucn CuDa and Porto Rco
would give. SAID had no instructions, and sug-
gesled one hundred and twenty-five millions as pro.
babe. frim SAID SPAN might arrange prelimina.
ries with United states ana concede autonomy OF
Cuba and Porto Rico Tor satisfactory equivalent Az
hostlitics ceased. lie promised 10 bring
the whole supJect before tae council tonight.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MINISTER srcKLEs AND SENIOR
siLyEIA.
On the 3lst OF July Minister Sickles met Senior
Sllvela, the Spanish Minister OF Foreign Affairs.
During the interview Mr. Slckies proceeded TO Oh
serve
That the government and people OF the United
states felt a lively sympathy IN the recent eNorts
made BY the people OF SPAN IN the great work oi
their national reorganization, and that II was the
earnest desire OF LIE President TO avoid anything
that could emDATrass tao government OF Spain Ut
this time. In this relation mentioned the scrupu-
lous observance by the government OF the United
states 0f all III international obligations. and the
strict enforcement oi its neutrality laws In respect
to the Cuban insurrection, at the same time pointing
out the close reauo by winch the population oil the
United States 10 connected with CuOa, the near
nelghbornood and tne large commerctat and social
intercourse between them. 1t was Dnt natural.
added. 6hat q deep sympathy with the Cuban people
should have grown up III the United states, espe-
cally many OF our citHens regarded the Gu
bans az lighting Tor .he principles of seifgov
ernment we had ourselves adopted: that II 1t were
true as Is believed. tnat majority oil tue people OF
Cuba desired TO terminate thef relation OF colonial
dependence upon he mother country, 1t seemed to
the President that IN tins they were only following
the general course Of events upon the American
pendence. This m2nllest and inevitable tendency
mad been generally recognized by The European
Powers. including not only Spain herself but Great
Britain, France, RUSSIA and other nations
SENIOR siLvELA ON CUBA.
After the Spanish Minister had neard Minister
SIckes ont lie replied by saying that
The Cuban question was one OF the utmost gravity
and deiicacy IL was the intention oil the spanish
liberals, VINO planned and executed the revolution.
ary movements wnich nave given 10 SPAN us new
political tiie to maze at the earliest momen, pre-
vision Tor granting sef-govefnneut TO Cuba. But
this fatal insurrecon broke ont at The very moment
when II was becoming possible 10 give 10 CUBA all
aards'I was heard Ia Spain and 1t became imnossi-
Bile In the face ot civil war, TO carry out the bene
cent plan That mad peen iormel the liberia! party IN
spain finds Itself, 10 Its own lnplte regret, forced
into seeming sympathy with the reacilonary party
IN Cuba; aud the liberals Of Cuba, WHO ought 10 DE
frs frm friends are converted by the fatally or the
situation into IT'S bittefest enemies. There IS no
sentiment to tue hearts or The liberal leaders
Than that oI freedom 70 All men; yet tney stand
before the world IN THIS Cuban ooniic6, az opposed
10 seif-governnent and Resisting the abolition OF
slavery lie considered the lnsurrecton as most
deploraDle misfortune and mistake. both 1of Cuba
ana for spain. ii way could be loand TO settle all
these questions sucn manner as TO do justice 10
Caba without inirin1.ng upon the honor Oh SPAN
the government would Oe greatly grained There rs
no intention or desire among the liberals OF SPAN
ever again 10 work explolteD The island OF Cuba on
the old selfish system. IL has been their coLstanf
hope and wish TO grant to The Cubans the admins
trati0n OF tner own affairs and the full irrits OF
their own labor, preserving their commercial con-
nectf0ns ana some shadow OF their political Tela-
t0ns
GENERAL rRIA oBIEcTs TO A CONFERENCE
The day after his interview with Senor Syela
Minister Sickies had an interview with General
Prfm In relation to which he thus wriies:-
I then sounded the Marshal upon the proposal for
a conference In Washington, IN which SPAN. the
United States and LuDa should be represented, but
TO this ne at demurred, saying Cuba could only
be heard here through her deputies elected 10 The
Cores; that Spain might treat wita the United
States not with Cuba
sPAIN's OFFER.
On tie 18th OF August MIR. Sicgles telegraph. TO
Secretary Fish the following
President Of Council authorizes me 10 state that
the good ofnces OF the United States are accepted
He suggests informally, for your information, idul
cardinal propositions That Will be acceptable u of
fcred by tue United states the basis or conven
ton the details 10 be settled AS soon as practcaole
yirst--The insurgenis 10 lay down their
ScondSpain TO grant simuan colsly fun and complete