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

any VI Ihoso buuueH anu ullUCulC COIN
plications which war upon the oceal
is apt to precipitate upon the vessels
both commercial and national, and upol
the consular officeas of other powers
calls for the definition of their relation
to the parties to the contest.
CONSIDERED AS A QUESTION OF RxPEDl
/. ..,l,..,r...... ENCY,
! regard the accordance of belligeren
rights still to be as unwise and prema
tnre as regard to be at present indefen
sible as a measure of right. Such recog
milton entails upon the country accord
Ing the rights which flow from it, diff
cult and complicated duties, and require
the action from the contending parties o
tie strict observance of their rights an(
obligations 1t confers the rights O
search upon the high seas by vessels o
both parties; it would subject the carry
ing of arms and ammunition of wa
which now may he transported freely
and without interruption in the vessel
OF the United States to detention and t
possible seizure; it would give rise t.
countless vexations questions; would re
lease the parent government from re
sponsibility for acts done on the insur
gents. and would invest Spain with thu
right to exercise the superiorism recog
nized by our treaty of 1895 over ouI
commerce, on the high seas-a very
large part of which in its traffic between
the Atlantic and Gulf States and be
tween all of them aid the States upor
the Pacific, passes through the waters
which wash the shores of Cuba. The
exercise of this supposition could scarce
fail to lead, if not to abuses, certainly tC
collisions perilous to the peaceful rela
tions of the two States. There can be
little doubt to what result such super.
vision would before long draw this ma.
tion. 1t would be unworthy of the
United States to inaugurate the posi-.
bilities of such result by measures ol
questionable right or expediency, or by
any indirection. Apart from any ques-
tion of theoretical right, / am satisfied
that, while the accordance of belligerent
rights to the insurgents in Cuba might
give them hope and inducement to
protraCt the struggle, it would be but q
delusive hope, and would not remove
the evils which this Government and its
people are experiencing, bnt would draw
the United s ates into complications
which it has avoided long and already
suffered mnch to avoid. The recogni-
ton of independence or of belligerency
being thus in my judgment, equally in
admissible, it remains to consider what
course shall be adopted, should the con.
flict not soon be brought to an end by
acts of the parties themselves, and should
the evils which result therefrom afflict-
Ing all nations, and particularly the
United States, continue. In such event,
am Of opinion that other nations will
be compelled to assume the RESPONSE
bility which devolves upon them, and to
seriously consider the only remaining
measures possible.
MEDIATION AND INTERVENTION,
Owing, perhaps, to the large expanse
Of water separating the island from the
peninsular the want of harmony and of
sympathy between the inhabi-
ants of the colony and those sent thith-
er to rule them, and the want of the
adoption of the ancient colonial system
of Europe to the present times and to
the ideas which the events of the past
century have developed, the contending
parties appear to have within themselves
no depository of common confidence to
suggest wisdem when passion and tx
element have their sway, and to assume
the part of peacemaker In this view,
in the early days of the contest, the good
offices of the United States as a mediator
were rendered in good faith, without any
selfish purpose, in the interest of hu-
manity and in sincere friend hip for
both parties, but were at the time ee-
clined by Spain, with the declaration,
nevertheless, that future time they
would be indispensable. No intimation
has been received that in the opinion of
Spain that time has been reached, and
yet the struggle continues with all it's
dread results, and al its injuries to the
interests of the United States and of
other nations. Each party seems quite
,apable of working great injury and
1amage to the other, as well as to all the
relations and interests dependent on the
expense of peace in the island; but they
Ieem .,..., Fr .....
INCAPABLE OF REACHING ANY ADJUSTMENT.
ind both have thus far failed of achiev-
ng any success whereby one party shall
ord oonkrOl Al q iolonJ 10 tbo 49,
,lusion of the other Under these cir
the agency of others, either
)y mediation or by intervention, seems
o be the only alternative which must
iooner or later be invoked for the termi-
lation of the strife. At the same time,
While thus impressed, | do not at this
ime recommend the adoption of any
measure of Intervention. l shall be
'eady at all times, and as the friend of
both parties, to respond to suggestion
hat the good Offices of the United States
will be acceptable to aid in bringing
lbout a peace honorable to both. 1t is
lue to Spain. so far as this Government
s concerned, that the agency of third
power, to which have adverted, shall be
Idopted only as the last expedient. Had
t been the desire of the United States to
Interfere in the affairs of Cuba, repeated
for so doing have been pre-
'ented within the last few years; but we
lave remained passive and performed
,ur whole duty, and all international OBJ
igation to Spain with friendship, fair
less and fidelity, and with a spirit of
patience and forbearance which mega
ives every possible suggestion of de-
ire to interfere or to add to the difficult
les with which she has been surround
ID. The Government of Spain has re.
emily submitted to our Minister at Mad
i'd certain proposals which, it is feared.
nay be found to be the basis if not the
Ictual submission of terms to meet the
of the particular griefs of
which this Government has felt itself
untitled 10 complain. These pre- posals
lave not reached me in their full text.
IN their arrival they will be taken iuto
areful examination, and may l hope
cad to a satisfactory adjustment of the
luestions to which they refer, and re.
move the possibility of future occur
ences such as have given rise to our Just
Omplaints2 1t is understood also that