National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-20
CUBA AND THE ADMINISTRATION

Just at this time, when, owing to the
| favorable prospects for the success of the
Cuban Insurgents, the attention of the
country is being generally attracted to the
condition of affairs on that island, the fol-
lowing extracts from several of President
Grants messages to Congress will be read
with interest. They show very plainly
that the Administration has not been an in
attentive witness to the struggle for freedom
and independence which has been going on
'tin such close proximity to our own terri
tory" during the past seven years. They
further show that the sympathies and
promptings of the President have always
been in thorough accord with the impulses
of the American people. While there is
no positive authority for the assertion that
any recommendation will be made to the
next Congress in addition to those contained
in these extracts, there is every reason to
believe that they will be repeated with most
emphatic force. The necessity of legisla-
ton to prevent the traffic, direct or indirect,
by American citizens in Cuban slave prop
erty will be at once admitted, and the rec
concentrations for that purpose made by the
President will be accepted as an earnest of
his devotion to the cause of true Republi-
carism. Meanwhile it will do no harm to
discuss the entire question, and it is to be
hoped that ere long the Government will
feel that it would be sustained by the facts
and the law or international usuage in the
case, as it certainly would be by the people
at large, in taking some definite step in the
direction of recognizing the independence
of the Patriots:
[EzirGct from Message Of December 4, 1s7Ll
at is TO be regretted that the disturbed
condition of the Island of Cuba continues to
be a source of annoyance and of anxiety. The
existence of a protracted struggle in such
close proximity to our own territory, without
apparent prospect of an early termination,
cannot be other than an object of concern to q
people who, while abstaining from interior
ence with the affairs of other Powers, naturally
desires to see every country in the undis-
turbed enjoyment Of peace, liberty and the
blessings of free institutions. Our naval COM
manders in Cuban waters have been instructed,
in case it should become necessary, to spare
no effort to protect the lives and property of
bona .fde American citizens, and to maintain
the dignity of the flag. 1t is hoped that all
pending questions with Spain, growing out of
the affairs in Cuba, may be adjusted in the
spirit of peace and Cancellation which has
hitherto guided the two Powers in their treat
ment of such questions"
ILztrGcr from Message Of December 2, 1S72.l
cit is with regret that have to announce
continuance of the disturbed condition of
Cuba. No advance towards the pacidcation
o. the discontinued part of the population has
teen made. While the instruction has gained
no advantages, and exhibits no more the ele-
ments of power or of the prospects of ultimate
success than were exhibited q year ago, Spain,
on the other hand, has not succeeded in its re-
preston, and the parties stand apparently In
the same relative attitude which they have oc-
cupied for a long time past. This contest has
lasted now for more than four years. Were
its scene at q distance from our neiphborhood
| we might be Indifferent to its result, although
humanity could not be unmoved by mauy of
its incidents wherever they might occur. It
| is, however, at our door.
81 cannot doubt that the continued main
| tenance of slavery in Cuba is among the
strongest inducements to the continuance of
the strife. A terrible wrong is the natural
cause Of terrible evil. The abolition of
slavery and the Introduction of other reforms
the administration of government in Cuba