The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-12-11

hoped such legislation may be another step
toward the great consummation TO be reached
when no man shall be permitted, directly or in
to hold his fellow man in bondage. l am of
opinion also that II Is the duty Of the United
States as contributing toward that end
In which we live to provide by suitable leg
slaton that no citizen of the United States shall
hold slavesas property in any other country or
Chill has made reparation in the case of
the whale ship Good Return. seized with
out sufficient cause upwards of forty years ago,
though she had hitherto denied her accounta-
bility. The denial was never acquiesced In by
this government, and the justncss of the claim
has been SO earnestly contended for that 1t has
knowledged 1t.
The arbitrator in the case of the United States
steamer Montijo, for the seizure and detention
of Colombia was held accountable, has decided
In favor of the claim. This decision has settled
question which had been pending for several
years, and which, more or less, disturbed the
good understanding which 1t is desirable should
be maintained between the two republics.
A reciprocity. treaty with the king of the
Hawaiian islands was concluded some months
since. Asst contains stipulation that 1t shall
not take effect until congress shall enact the pro-
per legislation for that purpose, copies of the in
strument are herewith submitted in order that
If such should be the pleasure of congress the
necessary legislation upon The subject may be
adopted
In March. last an arrangement was
made through Mr.. Gushing, our minister in
Madrid, with the Spanish government, for the
payment by the latter to the United States of
the sum of $50 900 in coin for the purpose of the
relief of the families or persons of the ships
ginius This sum!was to have been paid in three
installments of two months each. 1t Is due to the
Spanish government that should state that the
payments were fully and spontaneously antici-
pated by that government, and that the whole
amount was paid within but few days more
than two months from date of agreement, copy
OF which is herewith transmitted. In pursuance
OF the terms of the adjustment, have directed
distribution of the amount among the parties
entitled thereto, including the ships company
and such OF the passengers as were American
citizens, and payments are made accordingly on
application to the parties thereto
The past year has furnished no evidence of an
approaching termination of the ruin0us conflict
which has been raging for seven years in Cuba
The same disregard of the laws OF civilized war
iare and OF the just demands OF humanity which
have heretofore called for expressions of con-
demnation from the nations Of chrstendom have
continued to blacken the sad scene. Desolatton,
ruins and pillage are pcrvading the rich fields of
Of the earth, and the incendiaries
torch, firing plantations and valuable
factories and buildings, is the agent marking the
alternate advance or the retrca of contending
parties. The protracted continuance of this
strife seriously affects the interests of all COM
mercial nations, but those of the United States
more tnan others by reason OF 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 citi-
zens and those of the island; moreover the pro-
paty of our citizens in Cuba is large and is rem
dered insecure and deprecated In val
ue anu in capacity OF production by the
continuance Of the strife and the unnatural
mode of its conduct. The same is true, differing
only in degree with respect to the interests and
the people of other nations and the absence of
any reasonable assurance of u near termination
nj fhA Of OF nt tfNy
states thus suffering to consider what the inter-
ests of their own people, and their duty toward
themselves may demand. l have hoped that
Spain would be enabled to establish peace in
her colony, to afford security to the property and
the interests Of our citizens, and to allow legti-
mate scope TO trade and commerce and the nat
ural productions OF the island. Because of this
hope, and from an extreme reluctance to inter
fere in the most remote manner in the affairs OF
another and friendly nation, espe-
cially of one whose sympathy and friend
ship in the struggling infancy of our own
existence must ever be remembered with graft
tude have patiently and anxiously awaited the
recent for us not to consider the dfic ulties
which surround q government distracted by a
dynasty rebellion at home, ut the same time that
distant colony; but whatever causes may have
produced the situation which so grievousy
affects interest, 1t exists with all Its attend
ant evils, operating directly upon this country
and its people. Thus far all the efforts Of
Spain have proved abortive, and time has
made no improvement In the situation. The
armed bands on either side now occupy nearly
the same ground as In the past with the differ
ence, from time to time, OF more lives sacrificed
more property destroyed, and wider extents of
fertile end productive fields, and more and more
of valuable property constantly and wantonly
sacrificed to the incendiary's torch.
In contests of this nature where II considerable
body Of people who have attempted to free them
selves of the control of the superior government
have reached such a point, in occupation of
territory, In power, and in general organization
as to constitute in fact 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 admfnistra-
tionof internal police and the execution of the
laws, and able to administer Justice at home,
as well as in its dealings with other powers 1t
is within the province of those other powers TO
recognize its existence as a new and Independent
nation. such cases other nations simply deal
with an actually existing condition of
things and recognize as of the powers
of the earth That body polite, which,
in fact become new power. In a word, the
creation of new state Is a fact. 10 establish
the condition of things essential TO the recog-
milton of this fact, there must be people, occu-
pying known territory, united under some
known and decided form of government ac-
knogledged by those subject thereto, In which
the functions of the government are administered
| by equal methods competent 10 mete out Justice
TO 81 iizens and strangers, to afford remedies for
public and for private wrongs and able
to assume the international obligation,
and capable of performing the corresponding in
ternational duties resulting from its acquisftion
OF sovereignty. A 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 astrength aud endurance which
make 1t at least doubtful whether 1t be in the
power OF Spain TO subdue IL, IL seems unques-
tionable that no such civil organization exists
which may be recognized as an Independent gov
ernment capable of performing its International
obligations and entitled TO be treated as one of
the powers Of the earth. A recognition under
such circumstances would be inconsistent with
the facts and would compelthe power granting 1t