Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-20
MIR. EVARTS ON CUBAN AFFAIRS

MIR. Evarts' speech at the mass meeting in
New York on Monday evening was an able pre-.
sentation of the Cuban matter. lie went over
the steps which our government has taken in
relation to Cuba since the insurrection COM
menced and then took up the Virginius affair.
After declaring that the Virginius could not
be treated as a pirate by Spain. and if she
could, that even pirates were entitled to trial,
he said:
1.-THE true position of these Cuban authori-
ties is this, that rs they conduct their mode Of
suppressing q revolution or insurrection as
they call it, everything 10 lawful against reb-
els and everybody that actively sympathises
with and aids the efforts and the arms of these
rebels, shall be submitted to the violence of
Cuban power, as if they we're subject to the
laws Of Spain. Applause Against any
such proposition as that all civilized nations
must cry aloud. If our citizens, in peace,
violate the laws of Spain, they are to be dealt
with according to treaty and International OBJ
legations. If in time Of war they aid the war,
they are to be dealt with according to the law
of nations and the laws of war. If any of
them become enemies of the human race and
scour the seas as pirates, no summary execu-
ton OF any one of them is to be justified to us,
except upon the mere necessity that there Is
no power to deal with them otherwise. Zap
plause. Now, gentlemen, don't doubt that
the President and his advisers, the Govern
ment of the United States, its Congress, its
Magistrates, all men in authority, have the
same feelings that those assembled now here
manifest. [Cheers.] And do not fear but
that this country, ablaze with excitement as it
is, will nevertheless respect the right of others
ia Mt fhas hash
shown to US. [Applause.] We, among our
other traits, are law-abiding people, and in
sist upon it that other nations shall abide by
Law in their dealings with US. [Cheers and
cries of "Good" We have no desire of re.
turning in kind such acts Of barbarity and
cruelty. The whole rage of the American
people, all the heat as it is, would scorn to
take vengeance upon the helpless and writhing
victims If they were thrown upon our shore.
(Applause. We deal with Spain. we deal
with Cuba As community, and we intend to
have redress y immense cheering, the whole
audience rising 10 their feet]-and security,
absolute security that no such outrages shall
ever be repeated during our national life.
ICheers.] We will receive from the Govern
ment Of Spain no easy present forms and easy
present purposes, as we understand them,
without sympathies.
We desire the Republic TO be upheld, we
desire the sentiments Of justice and humanity
which the Spanish Republic at least may be
expected TO feel-shall be made etficacious
and influential in the Island of Cuba, and il
Spain cannot do this without our help, we are
prepared, at her request, to give it. Cheers.
No, gentlemen, we are in difficulty now, be-
cause neither the status OF peace nor the state
ofwar, conditions of nations which the public
Law understands, has been accepted, and has
been maintained during this present struggle.
We understand perfectly well the rights Of n
government dealing with a rebellion to exert
all the power and all the methods of war to
repress it, but we demand respect from other
nations, while we exercise these rights, and
when we have successfully repressed rebell-
ion, we then understand that vengeance and
bloodthirstiness are no necessary exhibitions
Of . nations triumphs or Of its power.
[Cheers. We do not believe in unauthorized
interference by other nations with the rightful
exercise of sovereignty in suppressing n re-
bellion, and we know how, now that our
rebellion is suppressed, to deal with any neu-
trail nation that we think has trespassed on our
rights. ICheers. We know how to do it
without passion, and without arrogance, and
without war, and it vii. go hard with US if,
thus demanding re pect from other nations,
we don't pay respect to this nation of Spain
and all its dependencies, and we also pay
respect TO ourselves, TO public law, to human.
ity, TO civilization, and we have determined
that this example shall no, form a precedent
and shall have no followers. [Cheers And
now, whatever may turn up that may throw