The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08


q case other nations simply deal with
'he existing condition Of things and
recognize as one Of the powe,s of the earth.
that body polite which, possessing the
necessary elements, has in fact become
q new power--in a word the creation OF a new
State is fact To establish q condition OF
'hings essential to recognition OF the fact, thel
must he a people occupying a known
territory, united under some known and
defined form OF government, acknowledged
by the subject thereto, in which the tnHc-
tons Of government are administered nv tn .
usual methods; competent to mete out Justice
to citizens and strangers; to afford remedies
to assume the co-relative international
obligations, and capable Of performing the
corresponding international duties resulting
from its acquisition OF the rights of sovereirntv
powerful aud comll te in organization, ready
to take and able to maintain its place
among the nations Of the earth.
While conscious that the instruction in
Cuba has strength and endurance which make
1t at least doubtful VIII ther it be in the power
Of Spain to subdue it, it seems unquestionable
Tn It 10 such civil organization exists which
may he recognized us an indepeud dent
government, capable OF performing its oblixa.
lions aud entitled to be treated as one of the
powers OF the earth. A recognition
under such circumstances would b. in
power giving it soon to support Ly force the
government TO when it had really given
its only real claim Of existence. In
my JUDGMENT tie United States should adj
here to the policy aud the principles which
have heretofore been It's sure and lie guide in
like contests betu cen revolted colonies AID
cir mother country, and, acting only upon
the clearest evidence, should avoid any pnssi-
bility OF suspicion or imputation OF its motives
A r. cogn,tion OF the Independence OF Cuba
being N my opinion impt acticatle and ,nde
!ensit lie, the question which mex presents itself
is that OF a recognition OF belligerent rights in
the conte t III former message to Congress
had occasion to consider this question and
reached the conclusion that the conflict in
it's incidents. did not rise to
the fearful dignity of war. Regarding
it now after this lapse Of time 1 am unable to
see that any notable success or any marked or
real advance on the part of the i'll
e e9oer has Of essentially thai cnanged the
has acquired greater age but Dot greater or
more formidable proportions 1t is possible
the acts OF foreign powers aud even tn act OF
Spain herself, o. this very nature, might he
pointer out in de ense of such recos ni.ion.
Tut now, as in its past history, the
United States should carefully avoid false
lights which mi ht lead It'll. to mazes OF doubt
adhere rigidly and sternIy to the rule which
j. right and honest and Of good report. '
Tue question OF ACQUIRING or withholding
rights OF lIigarency must lie judged, in
every Gaze, in view o. the particular attending
{aots : Unless uni justified if by necessity it is al:
unIriendiy act and ~ gratuito an
demonstration OF moral support to REBELLION.
1t is necessary and it is required when the in
terests and right of another government or of
Its people are so fat AFFECTED by pending civil
COZ f1ict as to require definition Of it
OF its relations to parties thereto. out this
conflict must he o. which will he recognized
i'll the sense OF international law a. war Bel
iigerel CT, too, is fact. The mere existence
OF contending armed bodies and their occa-
sional conflict, do not constitute war in the
sense referred to.
Applying to the existing condition of affairs
III Cuba the tests recognized by publclSts and
writer's on int irrational law, and W itch have
been observed by nations Of dignity,
Ii, nesty and power when free rom
sensitive or selfish and unworthy
motives, fail to find in this insurrec1ion tile
istence of such a substantial political organ
i2ation, real and palpahle and manifest to the
world. having the 10Inls and capable OF the o ).
binary functions Ul er,melt toward it., own
people and 70 other States, with courts
Tor tie administration of justice,
with local habitat n, possessing such organ
izat.on aud sucl, material occup .tion OF terri
tory so as to take the contest cut OF the cate
CORY OF mere rebelious instruction or ccca-
sional skirmish and place it on the terrible
t''oting of wal to which recognition ot beIliger
ency " Guild aid to eevateit. The contest, mo1e-
over, i so ely On land. The insur,ecio has
not possessed its~lt ola single seaport, whence
it may send forth its flag, nor has itany means
OF communication with foreign powers,
except through the mil tary lines OF its advrr-
saries. No apprehension o1 any ct those sud-
which war upon the ocean IS
apt to precipitate W on the vessels, both
: commercial air. nation |, and upon the con-
sular Offices of other powers, calls tor detni-
t'"n OF their relations 10 the parties to the CON-
test.
Co, sidered as question Of expediency
regard the acc ,riance OF brlligeTent rights
still to lie unwise and premature, as
regarded it to he at present indie
tensiule as measure OF right Such
recognition entail upon the country according
c implicated duties and requires action from
the c >ntending parties 'or the strict ol,serv-
All. e Of the rights aud Obligations. 1t con-
fers the right OF scarce! upon the high seas by
vessels OF both parties. 1t would subject the
carrying OF arms and munt "ns OF war, which
now may b. transported freely and without
interruption in the vessels OF the United States,
to detention and to possible SEIZURE. 1t would
give rise to countless v-xatious question, would
ret ase til parent & 'ver,lment from res vousi-
biIity Tor acts d he by the insurgents, and
would invest Spain with right to exc. else
the supervision recognized by our
treaty OF 1886 over our c.'mmlrrce on the high
>eas, a very large part Of which, III its traffic
between the Atlantic and Cult States, and I've.
tween all # them and the States upon the
Pacific. passes through waters which wash the
shores of Cuba. The exercise OF Thu suprr-
vision could scarce fail to lead, ii
not to ahus's, certainly to COL
'isions perilous to the peaceful
relations oil the two States. There can he lit
tie doubt to what result su h superv.sinns