The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-12-09

sympathy and friendship in the strug
CLING infancy of our own existence must
ever be remembered with gratitude-]
have patiently and anxiously waited the
progress of events. Our own civil con.
fiict is too recent for us not to consider
the difficulties which surround govern.
ment distracted bya dynastic rebellion
at home, at the same time that it has tc
cope with q separate insurrection in q
distant colony; but whatever causes may
have produced the situation which SC
| grievously affects our interest, it exists
with all its attendant evils, operating di-
rectly upon this country and its people
Thus far all the resorts of Spain have
proved abortive, and time has marked
no Improvement in the situation. The
armed bands of either side now occupy
nearly the same ground as in the past
with the difference from time to time Of
IL ore lives sacrificed, more property de-
stroyed, and wider extents of fertile and
productive fields and valuable property
constantly and wantonly sacrificed to the
inCendiary's torch.
NO RECOGNITION OF CUBAN INDEPENDENCE
FoREsHADowED.
In contests Of this nature, where a con.
siderable body OF people who have at
tempted to free themselves of the con.
troll of the parent Gov ernment have
reached such point in the occupation OF
territory, in power and in general or
ganization, as to constitute in fact body
polite, having government in SUBJ
stance as well as in name, possessed of
the elements of stability and equipped
with the machinery for the administra-
ton of internal policy and the execution
of its laws, and prepared and able to ad-
minister justice at home as well as in its
dealings with other powers, it is within
the province of those other powers to re-
cogniZe its existence as new and inde-
pendent nation. In such cases other ma
tions simply deal with an actually exist
ing condition of things, and recognize as
one Of the powers Of the earth that body
polite which, possessing the necessary
elements, has in fact become new pow
er. In a word, the creation of a new
State is fact. To establish the condi-
tion of things essential to the recognition
of this fact, there must be people occu-
pying a known territory, united under
some known and defined form of govern
ment, acknowledged by those subject
thereto, in which the functions of gov
ernment are administered by the usual
methods, competent to mete out justice
to citizens and strangers, to afford reme-
dies for public and for private wrongs,
and able to assume the relative interna-
tlonal obligations and capable of per-
forming the corresponding international
duties resulting from its acquisition Of
the rights of sovereignty and power.
should exist complete in its organization,
ready to take and able to maintain its
place among the nations of the earth.
While conscious that the insurrection in
Cuba has shown strength and endur-
anCe which makes it at least doubtful
whether it be in the power of Spain to
subdue it, it seems unquestiOnable that
no such civil organization exists which
may be recognized as an independent
government capable of performing its
obligations and entitled to be treated as
one of the powers of the earth. A re-
cognition under such circumstances would
be inconsistent with the facts, Bnd would
compel the power to give it aid soon to
support by force the government to which
it had really given its cnly real claim of
existence. In my judgment, the United
States should adhere to the policy and
the principles which have heretofore
been its sure and safe guides in like con-
tests between revolted colonies and their
mother country, and, acting only upon
the clearest evidence, should avoid any
possibility of suspicion or of imputation,
a recognition of the independence of
Cuba being, in my opinion, impractical
BILE, and indefensible, ..r ...-'r.. g.,
NO PRESENT RECOGNITION OF BELLIGERENT
A '"'u RIGHTS LIKELY. IJrr'yao.u
The question which next presents it.
self is that of the recognition Of bellig
erent in the parties to contest. In a for
mer message to Congress had occasion
to consider this question, and reached the
conclusion that the conflict in Cuba, de.
yastating as were, its incidents, did not
rise to the fearful dignity of war. Re-
garding it now, after this lapse Of time,
/ am unable to see that any notable suc-
cess, any marked or real advance on the
part of the insurgents has essentially
changed the character of the contest. 1t
has acquired greater age, but not greater
or more formidable proportions. 1t is
possible that the acts of foreign powers,
and even the acts of Spain herself, of
this very nature might be pointed to in
defense of such recognition; but now, as
in its past history, the United States
should carefully avoid the false lights
which might lead it into the mazes of
doubtful law and questionable propriety,
and adhere rigidly and sternly to the
rule which has been its guide, and doing
only that which is right and honest and
of good report, The question Of accord.
ing or of Withholding the rights of bel
ligerency must be judged in every case
in view of the particular attending facts,
unless justified by necessity 1t is al
ways and justly regarded as an un-
friendly act gratuitous demonstration
of moral support to the rebellion. 1t is
necessary, and it is required when the in
terests and rights of another Govern.
ment, or of its people. are so far affected
Wy q IlNll 40 w q
definition of its relations to the parties
thereto. But this conflict must be one
which will be recognized in the sense of
international law as war. Belligerence,
too, is a fact; the mere existence of con-
tending armed bodies and their occa-
sional conflicts do not constitute war in
the sense referred to. Applying to the
existing condition of affairs in Cuba the
tests recognized by publicists and writers
on international law, and which have
been observed by nations of dignity,
honesty and power when, free from SEN
sitive or selfish and unworthy motives,
fail to find in the insurrection the exist
ence of such a substantial political or
ganization, real, palpable or manifest to
the world, having the forms and capable
of the ordinary functions Of government,
toward its own people and to other
States with courts for the administra-
ton of Justice, with a local habitation,