The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-07-23
The President 8 Message on Cuba.

The Presidents Message on Cuba.
~ ,s,,,,.,-roN Juue I3--The President sent the
Ffoyvfua message to Congress late this afternoon:
ri t6e S-Hate and House Of Representatives,:
In nv annual Eess:ige to Congress at the
begnning Of its prezeut session. referred 70 the
eDntest which had then, for more than a year,
scristed In Cuba between n portion of its inhabi-
fants and the Governments Of Spain, and to the
fseliuys and sympathy Of the people and Govern
ment Of the Uuited States, for the people of
Cuba as for all people struggling for liberty and
eelf-ggyernment and s.lid that the contest has ar
nj time assumed n condition which amounts to
rrnr in the sense of International law, which
wbuld show the existence Of de fdctO political
<orpanization Of the insu gents sufficient to justify
= recognition Of belligerency. During the six
mouths which have passed since the date OF the
rnrssage the condition of the insurgents has not
IN proved and the instruction itself, although
not subdued, exhibits no signs Ot advance, but
seems to be confined to irregular system of
',ostiIities, carried on by small bands of armed
-aen without concentration, through the woods
and sparsely-pOpulated regions OF the Island,
attacking from ambush, cOnveyance5 and small
bands OF troops. and burning plantations and
estates OF those in yEaFathy with their
But the iusurrectiOn has not gained ground 1t
Il equally true that Spain has not suppressed 1t.
Climate disease, etc, Eave worked destruction
among the soldiers of Spain, and, though the
Snanish Government has possession of every sea-
mort and town, they have not been able to subdue
the hostile feeling which has driven considera-
be number Of natives TO armed resistance against
Stnin and still leads them to endure the dangers
AMI privations Of the life of guerillas. On the
otheT side the contest has been conducted and is
now carried on with iamentable disregard for
nnnan life and usages, which modern civilization
zAs prescribed the necessary rules OF war.
nc war of the SVaniard and Cuban Is alike
extending devastation over fertile regions muir
derous and revengeful decrecs are issued and exc
cnted by both parties. Count Valmaseda and
CDlonel Bolton, on the part OF Spain, have each
sthrtIed the humanity OF the civilized world by
Zee execution each of scOre OF prisoners AZ a
lime, while General Quesada, the Cuban ChIei,
cooIIy and with apparent uneOncern, has ad
raitted the slaughter, by his OWN order, in one
dnv. of upward of $50 prisoners Of war. y
Eammary trial, with few 1T any escapes from
conyictiOn confirmed by execution, Is the fate oil
fhose arrested ON either side, on suspicion OF
in6delity to the of the party making arrest.
Nj hatever may he tine sympathies OF the people,
rt of the Government Of the United States, Tor
nc cause or objects for which part OF the
1eople OF Cuba are understood To have put them
reIves in armed resistance to Spain, there can be
10 question that in just sympathy IN n conflict
czrrIed by both parties alike IN such barbarous
riolatIOn of the rules of civilized nations, and
nth such combined outrage on the plaInest
principles Of humanity, we cannot discriminate
ID our censure of theil mode Of conducting their
nDntest between Spain and Cuba Each commit
ne same atrocities and Outrages against the
Established rules of waT- The property OF many
n our citizens has been destroyed or embargoed,
Be lives Of several have been sacrificed, and the
Ebertics Of others have been restrained In
esery case that has come To the knowledge oil the
Buyernment an early and earnest demand for
RparatIon and indemnity has been made, and
fhe most emphatic remOnstraDces have been pre-
eented against the manner IN which the strife mas
been conducted and against the reckless disregard
81 human Iife the wantOn destruction Of material
keaIth and the cruel disregard of the established
znles Of civilized warfare.
IL have, since the beginning OF the present ses-
eiOn of Congress, communicated TO tue house,
on their request, an account OF the steps Whlch
baye taken, in hope OF bringing the conflict 70 an
end, and for the securing To the people OF CUBA
the blessings and rights Of Independence. The
<eforts made have failed, but not without assur-
ancc from Spain that the good oinces OF tins
xOyernment might still avail for the objects to
Which they had been addressed. During the
whole contest, the remarkable exhibition has been
made Of a large number Of Cubans escaping from
the island and avoiding the risks of war, congre-
oatiny in this country a safe distance from the
Scene Of danger, and trying TO make war ON our
shores to urge our people into a hight which
0thev avoid and to embrOIl this government In
.eomplication and possible hOstiiities with Spain.
Ft can scarcely be doubted that this last result is
Che real object OF these parties although carefully
covered under the descriptive and apparently
plausible demand for the recognition OF belli-
[erency- IL Il On Hhat Il ASlcOh "
BEARD as good authority, that Cuban bonds have
been prepared to a large amount, whose payment
) made dependent upon the recognition by the
United States of Cuban belligerency or inde-
1endenee. The object of making their value
cpus entirely contingent upon the action OF this
government. is a subject for serious reflection
p determining the course to be adopted on the
remand thus made for the recognition Of belli- |
9ereney, the liberal and peaceful principles |
4nopted oy the Father of his Country. and the
cnlnent statesmen Of his day, followed by sue
EeedIng Cnlef Magistrates, and the men of their
1ey may furnish safe guide to those of the |
nited States DOW charged with the direction
hd control of the public safety. From 1889 to
Dis, the dominant thought of our statesmen
7as to keep the United States out of the wars
Rhich were devastating Europe The discussion
q measures Of neutrality begins with the State
repers Of Mr.. jefferson, when he was Secretary
a State He shows that they were measures Of
ntiOnal right as well as of national duty; that
Eisguide individual citizens cannot be favored in
*akIng war according to their own caprice, pas
ons, and interests, or foreign sympathy that the
- ents OF foreign governments, recognized or un-
feo2nlzed, cannot be permitted to abuse our
sPtality by usurping the functions of enisting