The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-12-17

| nies. 1t is to be hoped that such legislation
| may be another step toward the great con
! summation to be reached, when no man shal
| be permitted, legally or indirectly, under the
| quasi excuse or form of a law, hold his fellow
man in bondage. | am of opinion, also, tha1
| it is the duty of the United States, as con
| tributing toward that end and required by
| the spirit of the age in which we live to pro
| vide by suitable legislation, that no citizen
| of the United States shall hold slaves as prop
| erty in any other country, or be interested
| therein. Chill has made reparatiOn in the
| case of the whaleship, Good Return, seized
without sufficient cause, upwards of forty
| years ago, though she had hitherto denied
| her accountability, the denial was never ac
| quiesced in by this government, and the jus
tice of the claim has been earnestly con
| tended for that it has been gratifying that
she should have at last acknowledged it.
| The arbitration in the case of the United
States schooner MOntijo, for the seizure and
detention of which the government of the
United States Of Columbia was held account
able has decided in favor of the claim. This
decision has settled a question which has
been pending for several years, and which,
while it continued open, might more or less
disturb the good understanding which it is
desirable be maintained between the Repub-
lies. A reciprocity treaty with the King q
the Hawaiian Islands was concluded the same
month, as it contains a stipulation that it
shall remain in effect until Congress shall
enact the proper legislation for the purpose.
Copies of the instrument are herewith sub
mitted, in order that if such should be the
pleasure of Congress the necessary legisla-
ton upon the subject may be adopted. In
March last an arrangement was made through
Mr.. Cushing, our Minister in Madrid, with
the Spanish government for the payment by
the latter to the United States, of the sum Of
$4,000 in coin for the purpose of the relief
of the families or persons of the ships t NJ
1Naf and rt4fu raasg of hn y ~.
ginius. This sum was to have been paid III
three inStallments, at two months each and
it is due to the Spanish Government ,nat
should state that the payments were fully and
speedily anticipated by that Government, ahd
that the whole amount was paid within but a
few days more than two months from the
date of agreement, copy of which is here
with transmitted, and, IN pursuance Of the
terms of the adjustment, | have directed the
distribution of the amount among the parties
entitled thereto, including the ships COM
pany, and such of the passengers as were
American citizens.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
Payments are made accordingly on appli-
cation of the parties entitled thereto. The
paper has furnished no evidence of an APP
preaching end of the ruinous conflicts which
has been raging for seven years in the neigh
boring island of Cuba, with the same disre-
gard of the laws of civilized warfare and of
the Just uelndnuS OF humanity, Wnicn nave
heretofore called forth expressions of con-
demnation from all nations of Christendom,
which they have continued to blacken. The
sad scene of deSOlatiOn, ruin and pillage are
pervading the rich fields of one of the most
fertile and productive regions of the earth,
and the incendiaries with torch firing planta-
tiOnS and valuable factories and buildings is
the agent marking alternate advance or re-
treat of the cOntending parties. The pro-
tracing continuance of the strife seriously
affects the interests or all commercial nations
but those of the United State more than
others; by its close proximity, its larger
trade and intercourse with Cuba, and the
frequent and intimate personal and social
relations which have grown up between its
citizens and those of the Island, and more
over the property of our citizens IN Cuba is
large and is rendered insecure and depreci-
ated in value and in capacity OF production
by the continuation of the strife and the
natural mode of its conduct. The same is
true, differing only in degree with respect to
the interest and people of other nations and
the absence OF reasonable assurance of a
near termination of the conflict must of ne
cessity soon compel the States thus suffering
to consider what the interests of the people
and their duty toward themselves may de-
mand, / have hoped that Spain would be en-
abled to establish peace in her colony, to af-
ford security TO the property and the in
terests of our citizens and allow legitimate
raj productions of the island because of this
scope and from an extreme reluctance to in
terfere, in the most remote manner in the af-
fairs by another and friendly nation, especi-
ally of one whose sympathy and friendship
in the struggling infancy of our own existence
must ever be remembered with gratitude. |
have patiently and anXiOusly waited the pro-
gresS of events. Our own civil conflict is too
recent for us to not consider the difficulties
which surround government distracted by
a dynastic rebellion at home, at the same
time that il has TO cope with separate in |
in distant colony, but whatever |
cause may have produced the situation
which so seriously affects our interests it cX- |
cites with all its attendant evils operating |
directly upon this country and its people |
Thus far all the efforts of Spain have proved |
abortive and time has marked no improve
ment in the situation. The armed bands of |
the other side now occupy nearly the same !
ground as in the past, with the difference |
from time to time of more lives sacrificed, |
destroyed and wider eXtentS of fer |
tile and productive fields and more valuable !
constantly, wantonly sacrificed to |
the incendiaries torch.
In contests of this nature, where Il con |
siderable body of people who have attempted |
10 free themselves of the control of the Su- |
perior Government have reached such point |
in occupation Of territory i'll power and |
in general organization TO constitute |
in fact a body polite, having a Government |
in substance, as well as in name, possessed Of |
the elements of stability and equipped with |
the machinery for the administration of in
ternal policy and the execution of its laws, |
and prepared and able to administer justice |
1t home, as well as in its dealings with other /
powers, it is within the province of those |
other powers to recognize its existence as a |
new and independent nation. In such cases |
other nations simply deal with an actually |
existing condition of things, and recognize |
rs as one of the powers of earth That |
body polite, which, possessing the necessary |
clements has in fact become a new power. |
In word, the creation of new State, is a |
fact to establish the condition of things es-
sential to the recognition of this fact. There |
must be people occupying q known territ1- :
rv, under some known and defined form OF |
government acknowledged by those subject |
thereto, in which the functions of govern |
ment are administered by the usual methods |
to mete out justice to citizens and |
strangers, to afford remedies for public and |
Tor private wrongs, and able to assume the !
relative international obligations and capa- |
Die of performing the corresponding interna- |
onal duties resulting from its acquisition of |
The rights OF sovereignty and power should |
exist, complete i'll its organization, ready to |
take, and able to maintain its place among |
the nations Of the earth. While conscious |
hat insurrectiOu in Cuba has shown a |
strength and endurance which makes il at |
east doubtful whether it be in the power of |
Spain to subduc it. 1t seems unquestionable !
that no such civil organization exists, which |
may be recognized as an Independent govern |
ment capable of perfOrmingits obligations and |
entitled to be treated one of the PeweTs |
Of the earth. y recognition under such cir |
would he inconsistent with facts, |
and would compel the power to give il soon |
10 support by force the government which |
had really given it its only real claim OF ex-
stence. In my judgment the United States |
should adhere to the policy and principles |
which have heretofore been its sure and safe |
guides in like contests between revolving !
colonies and their mother country, and act |
ing only upon the clearest evidence, should |
lvoid any popularity of suspicion of imputa-
i've. A recognition of the independence of |
Cuba being, in my opinion, impracticable /
md indefensible, the next question which |
presents itself, Is that of the recognition of |
Delligerent rights in the parties to the con
est.
In former message to Congress, had oc-
,asiOn to consider this question, and reached |
he conclusion that the conflict in Cuba,
dreadful and devastating as were its results, |
lid not rise to the fearful dignity OF war.
Regarding it now, after this lapse of time, |