The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-11
IMPORTANT EXHIBIT OF THE CUBAN
NEGOTIATIONS

OuA NdohlhBbOn u0ophbCnoh, u ChEelulY pre-
pared summing up of the negotiations be-
tween the United States and Spain on the
Cuban question since the appointment of
General Sickles as our Minister ct Madrid
Although from a mistaken departure, as we
think the initial and successive stems and in
cidents in these negotiations, as detailed in
this statement, make the whole case perfectly
clear and consistent in reference to the course
pursued by Mr.. Secretary Fish and our Minis
ter, and in reference also to the embarrass-
ments of the Spanish Government
The preliminary proposition of General
Sickles on the Sd of September last to the
provisional government at Madrid, it thus
appears, was simply the friendly offices of the
United States in behalf of an amicabIe settle
ment between Spain and the Cuban revolu-
tionists. This offer being favorably received,
our Minister, pursuant to instructions, next
submitted a basis of settlement, embracing
four propositions, First, Cuban independ-
ence; second, indemnity to Spain; third, the
abolition of slavery; fourth, the cessation of
hostilities. The proposed indemnity to Spain,
to be guaranteed by the United States, in
plain English, was the payment of one hun
dred millions of dollars for the island In
answer to these propositions Senior Silvela
the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, sub
mitted as an indispensable condition prece-
dent that the Cubans lay down their arms,
and that next the question of a separation
from Spain be submitted to the people of the
island in an election under the Spanish au-
thorities, Mr.. Fish could not entertain these
propositions, and thought that the election
under the conditions suggested would be a
mockery. Finally, the propositions from
Spain assumed this shape:-First, disarm-
ing by the Cubans; second, indemnity to
Spain for Spanish property destroyed, to be
guaranteed by the United States third, free
election to the Cubans on the question of
separation from Spain; fourth, general am
nesty.
These four propositions against the four
submitted by General Sickles give us the con-
dltion In which the negotiations stand at this
time. Nothing further has been done towards
striking balance between the high contract
ing parties. 1t seems to be understood, how
ever, that the internecine difficulties of Spain
have compelled the present Government to
deal with this Cuban question with extreme
caution; that any defnitive movement to re-
hnqulsh on any terms the Ever Faithful
Island would be apt to fuse the republican
party, the Church party Comprising the adj
herents of Isabella, the Carlists, and all the
rival personal factions of the peninsula in
common cause against the de fact0 govern
ment but that, with a strong government
established under Serrano or Prim. for in
stance, the transfer of the island from Spain
to the United States may be readily accom-
pllshed. Meantime, it appears from an
impartial reconnaissance of the island made
by our Consul General Plumb in person. that
the rebellion is substantially at an end that
the insurgents are reduced to few thousand
bushwhackers scattered about in the moxn-
tains, incapable of anything beyond petty
guerrilla operations, which may be prolonged
indefinitely to no purpose.
We are, then, on the Cuban question re-
duced to the alternative of awaiting the
establishment of a strong government in
Spain. When will that be? This is a ques-
tion hard to answer; but as the Spanish Gov
ernment pro tenn. has apparently exhausted
itself in its efforts to secure an outside yolun-
teer for king or regent, a coup detdt on the
part of General Prim is hourly expected
After such coup detat, if a Napoleonic sue
cess, the necessities of Pr1m in the matter of
cash will probably leave him no other resource
than the sale of Cuba for the one hundred
millions awaiting him in the unrecalled offer
of our Government through General Sickles.
Dealing with things as they are, the cause of
the Cubans is lost as q basis of action and as
balance of power, and our only course now
appears to be to await the upshot of events in
Spain.
General Grant, in other words, has per-
mitted golden opportunity to slip through
his fingers. A little dash would have fixed it.
We can see, in all the details of this business,
no cause of complaint against General Sickles.
On the contrary, in obedience to his instruc-
tions, he has acted throughout with remarka-
BILE fidelity and discretion, whatever may be
said upon small technicalities, which signify
nothing. The great mistake was made at
Washington in the outset in utterly ignoring
the resolution adopted by the unanimous vote
OF the House OF Representatives at the close of
the last session of Congress, a resolution which
would have been seconded by the Senate had
the session continued even one day longer.
That resolution, in the absence of Congress,
and by the unanimous voice of the represen-
tatives OF the American people, gave the Pre-
sident full authority to concede belligerent
rights to the Cubans in his discretion. Had
he assumed the responsibility to act accord
ingly he would have been supported by Con-
gress and the American people, and the
Cuban question would have been settled
within ninety days.
But what of the Alabama claims? Would
not the recognition of Cespedes have been
the recognition of Admiral Semmes? Oh, We
of little faith Oh that ye knew the age we
live in That recognition of Semmes was
the apprehension in the State Department,
and, moreover, Mr.. Senator Sumner professed
to have his misgivings of the maintenance of
slavery in the Cuban republic. Still, the
whole Cuban problem resolves into this
The island, which was fairly within our reach,
without money and without price, we shall
probably be able to purchase for one hundred
millions of dollars in the event of the estab-
hshment OF strong government in Spain.
1t is only the difference between shaping and
awaiting the drift of events, which was and
is the difference between the Bonapartes and
the Bourbons.
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