Ellsworth American., 1875-12-16

. i-.u-'4 "h iut approval ci thc parties cuti
tied thereto
IliE WAR IN CUBA.
The past year has furnished no evidence q
an approaching termination of the ruinot,. con
riri which ha, been raying for SoycnNrar, in m,
h'l-hi"FihS island Of Cuba. The same di.r,4
-aFA "I thr laws Of civilized warfar,. ami a
lht Ju>t demands on humanity which hay,
hitherto called for expressions OF cnndemua.
'i"n from the nations Of Chri>t.ndom. hay,
continued to blackou the sad scene. Dc.ola
non. rum and pillag" are porvadinE the rirl
h'iu> "l one uf the most fertile and uroductiY,
nSiun> of the earth. and the inc,ndiar,'
torches firing the plant stions and valuable fac.
tories and buildings j, the agent marking tho
I"'rri'aig advance or retreat of contending par
ne. hr p"traeied continuance of thi,
>triie seriously affect. the interests Of ali com
meTcial nations: but those of the United ~iaf..
m"rc than Others 10y reason of the ,lu>e rr,,x.
lhitA IT. iar-e trade andutcrcour>e with mia
anu The frequent and intimat, personal and -
tiai rtsation> which have grown up between
H. citizens and those OF the Island.
IHE CUBAN QUESTION.
! The last year has furnished 10 evidence
oi an approaching termination OF the ruin
ou- conflict which has been raging for seg-
en- years in the neghboring island OF Cuba
I The same disregard OF the laws OF civilized
warfare and OF the just demand. on hu-
manliy which have heretofore called Tor
expressions OF condemnation from the na-
uoi> of chri>teudom have continued 10
blacken the >ad scene. Desolaiiou. ruin
AMI plIlaSc are l,ervadiHg the rich field OF
one OF The most fertile and productive re-
Gipn> ui the earth, and the iucculiary's
torch arlng plantations aud valuable fact
or.r> aud buildings is "a. agent marx iH.
the alternate advance or retreat Of contest
300. parties.
The pro,rlctel continuance 81 thI. sfriG.
seriously affect. the Interests of all com.
mrrciAl nations bat thu; of The United
>il'e> more Than other, by reason Of H..
close proximity, ifs large trade and inter-
c'urs" ~ ia Cgba aud the frequent aud In
Innate persona. aud social relations which
have grown up between IT, citizen. and
those 'i the island. Moreover the proper
'y of "ur citizens In 'uba j. large aud :
rendered Insecure and deprecated IL. value
and lu capacity Of production by the con-
tnuance Of the strife and the unnatural
mode ui IT, conduct. The -Amr i true. dit
ierlug Only iu degree. with pect 10 Inter-
c>i- ana people Of other nations. aul the
absence OF any pcaceahlc assurance q! 4
near termination OF the conflict. must Of
necessity soon compel the State thus suffer
Ing 70 consider What the Interest Of their
own people and their duty towards them
selves may demand.
have hoped that spain would be enabl.
ed 10 establish peace Ia her colony. to al
ford security to the property and Interests
OF our citizens aud allow legitimate scope
10 trade and commerce and the natural
productions of the island. Because Of this
hope and from an extreme reluctance To
Interfere Iu the most remote manner in the
qfl.ffrs ...a I,.r ,rf.
~ OF one whose sympathy and friendship
IN the struggling infancy of our own exist
ence must ever be remembered with graft
tude. have patiently and anNiously wait
ed the progress OF events. Our own civil
conflict i too recent for Us not 10 consider
the difficulties which surround govern
ment distracted by a dynastic rebellion at
home the same time that it has TO cope with
separate insurrecton in u distant colony
But whatever cause may have produced
the situation which so grievouslv affects
our interests. il exists with all its atteu-
dant evils, operating directly upon thi,
country and lis people. Thus far all the
efforts OF Spain have proved abortive and
time has marked no Improvement in the
situation. The armed bands OF either side
now occupy nearly the same ground rs in
the past, with the difference from time TO
ty destroyed, and wider eXtents of fertile
and productive fields and more and more
OF valuable property constantly wantonly
sacrificed TO the incendaries torches
In contests of this nature where 4 con-
siderable body OF people who have attempt
Ell 10 Tree themselves of the control OF the
superior government have reached such
point IN occupation OF territory. in power
and IN general organiZationas To constitute
IN fact body polite. having govern
ment in substance as we'll as in name, es-
ta0ilshed OF the elements OF stability, aud
equipped with the machinery for the adj
mlnlstratlon OF internal policy and the exc
cuton of its law. prepared and able TO ad-
minister justice at home as well as in its
doings with other powers. IL is within the
province OF these other powers To recog-
nize Its existence as = new and independ-
ent uatiOn. In such cases other nations
simply deal with an actually existing con-
dltiOn of things. and recognize as one of
the powers OF the earth that body polite
which, possessing the necessary elements,
has Ia fact become new power. In a
WORD. the creation OF new state is q fact
10 establish the condition OF things essen
ual 10 The recognition of the fact there
must be people occupying a known ter
ritory united under some known and dehn-
ed form OF government; one acknowledged
by those subject thereto in which the func-
tons OF government are administered by
usual methods, competent TO mete out JUS
uce TO citizens and strangers to afford rem
edles for public and private wrongs, and
able TO assume the correlative information
al oollgations and capable OF performing
the corresponding international duties re-
sulting from its acquisition of the rights OF
SONprgiUnfV shnplI
plete In its organization. ready 10 take, and
able TO maintain, its place among the ma
tions of the earth.
While conscious that the insurrection In
Cuba has shown strength and endurance
which make II at least doubtful whether il
De IN the power OF Spain to subdue it, il
seems nnquestionable that no such civil or
ganization exists which may be recognized
as an independent government, capable OF
performing lis 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 compel the power
granting 1t soon to support by force the
government TO which it had really given
us only real claim of existence. In my
Judgment the United States should adhere
to the policy and principles which have
like contests between reyolted colonies and
their mother country, and acting only
upon the clearest evidence. should avoid
any possibility OF suspicion or imputation
recognition of the independence OF Cuba
being IN my opinion impracticable and i'll
deiehslbie, the question which next pre-
sents itself is that ofthe recognition of bel
hgerent rights in the parties To the contest.
In former message to Congress 1 had
occasion 10 consider this question, and
eached the conclusion that the coLfict in
cuoa, dreadful and devastating as were its
Incidents. did not rise to the tesrfnl DIGNITY
OF war. Regarding it now after this lapse
OF time am unable to see that aly pota-
Die success OF any marked or real advance
| on the part OF the insurgents has essential
ly changed the character of the contest II
has acquired greater age, but not greater
or more formidable proportions. n il
I