Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-05-28
correspondence.
Letter from Washington
THE PROPOSED Rrcocxrrrox or cr-p.

The PROPOSED RECOGNITION OF CUBA.
Audi diteram portdm.
The holders of Cuban bonds here are making
determined effort to embroil us with Spane
by inducing Congress to recognize the indie
pendenee OF Cuba. These SPECTATORS, Gu
bans ard Americans, chiefly the latter. have
the great advantage over Spanish Government
thst they can lobby. visit newspaper offices
aud tell thsir own story, call public meeting 20
and make speeches, distribute bonds. make
large promises. and influence public opinion
by thousand ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain to which government can not
resort The spanish minister can not do any
of these things. There are only three Ameri-
can citizens with whom the government Of
Spain can hold legitimate official intercours
on this important subject Of the recognition Of
Cuba-the President Of the United states. the
Secretary OF State. and the American Minister
at Madrid. Under these circumstances II is
not strange that Congress, the press. and the
people ST large, whose knowledge of Cuban af-
fairs is based exclusively on the one-sided
statements ofiniere,ted parties, should misun-
derstand the duties and the material Interests
+
States, in regard TO this proposed recognition
OF Cuba. We have never yet had any di,n-
tercsted evidence that the Insurgents in Cuba
/ are entitled to our respect and our sympathy,
because OF their purity of motive and purpose;
or that they are so numerous. and powerful,
and have so fair prospect OF success. that na-
tions AT peace with Spain would be justified in
recognizing their independence.
HOW ABOUT OUR OWN LATE REBEILIoN:
Only few years ago, there were several
millions of people in the United States who
wished 10 dissolve their connection with the
! federal government. Among these were some
Of the weslthicst men. and many of the first
statesmen and best military and naval officers
Of high rank in the country. There were
among the insurgents, also, many scholarly
men, many men Of unblemishod private char
acier. some thousand, Of clcrgymcn Of all de-
nominations, aud some hundreds OF thousands
Of active members Of the various Christian
churches. These millions of in,urgent, were
backed. heart and soul, by mothers. wives and
daughters had old. strong, and stable State
goyernments and organized themselves into
powerful coniederaev. They equipped and
sent into the field. against the United state,
from which they had sscecdel immense
armies. They fitted out war vessel, that all
bu; swept our commerce from the seas, For
nearly five years they stood their ground. To
sub hue them cost u hair million Of lives. and
debt Of some $1,000 10000 which we shall
probably never cancel, Yet. during all that
war, We protested against the recognition. lev
forv IN power. Of the coLfcdarAcy formed hy
these rebe lou> states; AMI mainly upon the
ground that, without such recognition. they
could not succeed in achieving their mdel en-
d.Ecc. AMI that fpr, iya Nations hai IA right
& btsrf,rs in our domestic qu.ricl,.
And what more rigA; have W. 10 interfere n
C16a than spain. and Franc. and England
had TO interfere in our civii war, TAc car
mage here was ten thousand time. more than
ii has been in Cubs. The tact of The msitce i,
tina; there never would have been rebellion
IN Cuba. If il had not been melted by merteuary
men IN this country. and it would collapse in
tx months, were II not for expected aid from
the United States. LIT Us take heed. We are
IN no condition 10 interfere in The domestic al
fairs Of other nations. Our own civil wat j.
hird,y over. II, to-day. vote were t,ken in
the States lately in rebellion. nineteenth, Of the
native-boru men and women Of wealth and
culture would vote for seoession-yes. and
would even fight for il again, il they had a rva-
sonable show Of success. should we now re-
cognize the independence OF Cuba. because
handful Of her people backed 10y American
spectators. have kept the island in turmoil
for a few years, much as the Indians have done
by Us ever since the formation Of our govern
ment, the time may come when the precedent
will be quoted against Us 10 our disadvantage
: and TO our sorrow. We have large country.
T and various interests 10 care for-more than
We can well attend to. Let Us look after our
finances. our currency, our system OF TRANSPORT
tation, lest dissatisfaction may cause another
rebellion in some section Of the Union. aud
foreign nations NAV combine 10 di,integra'e
our country 10y acknowledging the indepen-
denca OF oar rebels.