New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-08

the great consummstion to be reached when
NO man shall be permitted, directly or in.
directly, under any guise, excuse, or form
OF law, to hold his fellow man in bondage
am of opinion also that it is the duty Of
the United States, ~ contributing toward
that end, and required by the spirit of the
age in which we live, to provide BY suitable
legislation that no citizen of the United
States shall hold slaves as property in any
other country, or be interested therein.
CHILL
Has made reparation in the case of the
whaleship Good Return, seized without
sufficient cause upward of forty years ago.
Though she had hitherto denied her 10.
counta ability, the denial was never acuui-
esced in by this government, and the Justice
OF the claim has been go earnestly contend
cd for that it has been gratifying that she
should have at last acknowledged it.
The arbitrator in the case OF the United
States steamer Montijo, for the seizure and
detention of which the government Of the
UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA
Was held accountable, has decided in favor
OF the claim. This decision has settled q
question which had been pending for sew
eral years, and which, while it continued
open, might more or less disturb the good
understanding which it is desirable should
be maintained between the two republics.
A recipl Ocity treaty with the king of the
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Was concluded some months SINCE As il
contains stipulation that it shall not take
effect until Congress shall euset the rrcper
legislation for that purpose, copies vi the
instrument are herewith submitted IL rider
that if such should be the pleasure OF Con-
gress the necessary legislation upOn the
subject may be adopted.
SPAIN.
In March last an arrangement was made
through Mr. Gushing, our minister in Mad
rid, with the Spanish government, for the
payment by the latter to the United States
of the sum of eighty Thousand dollars in
coin for the purpose of the relief of the
families or persons of the ships company
and certain passengers of the Virginius.
This sum was to have been paid in three in
s,a'lments at two months each. 1t is due
the SpanishlgOveInment that should state
that the payments were fully and sponta-
neously anticipated by that government,
and that tho whole amount was paid within
but few days more than two months from
the date of the agreement, a copy of which
is herewith transmitted. In pursuance of
the terms of the adjustment, have directed
the distribution of the amount among the
porties entitled thereto, including the ships
company and such passengers as were
American citjzens. Payments are made
accordingly on the application of the par
ties entitled thereto.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
The past year has furnished no evidence
of an approaching termination of the
ruinous conflict which has been raging for
seven years in the neigh5oring island of
Cuba. The same disregard of the laws of
civilized warfare and of the Just demands
of humanity which have heretofore called
forth expressions of condemnation from the
nations of Christendom, have continued to
blacken the sad scence. DesOation, ruin
and pillage are pervading the rich fields of
one of the most fertile and productive
regions of the earth, and the incendiaries'
torch firing plantations and valuable fac
tories and buildings on the route, marking
the alternate advance or retreat of con-
tending parties. The protracted continu-
auce of this strife seriously affects the in
terests of all commercial nations, but those
of the United States more than others by
reason Of close proximity, its larger trade
and intercourse with Cuba, and the fire.
quent and intimate personal and social re-
lations which have grown up betw it's
citizens and those OF tue island. More
over, the property of our citizens in Cuua
is large and is rendered insecure and depre.
ciated in value, and in capacity of produc-
ton by the continuance of the strife and
the unnatural mode of conduct. The same
is true. differing only in degree, with re-
spect to the interests and people of other
nations, and the absence of any reasonable
assurance of near termination OF the con-
tiict must of necessity soon compel the
States thus suffering to consider what the
interests of their own people and their
duty toward themselves may demand.
have hoped that Spain would be ena-
bled to establish peace in her colonies, to
afford security to the property and the in
terests of our citizens, and allow legitimate
scope to trade aud commerce and the nat
ural productions of the island. Because of
this hope, and from an extreme reluctance
to interfere in the most remote manner in
the affairs of another and friendly nation,
especially of one whose sympathy and
friendship in the struggling infancy of our
own existence must ever be remembered
with gratitude, 1 have patiently and
anxiously waited the progress of events.
Our own civil conflict is too recent for us
round q government distracted by dy-
nastic rebellion at home at the same tune
that it has to cope with a separate insurrec-
ton in distant colony; but whatever causes
may have produced the situation which so
grievOusly affects our interests, it exists
with all its attendant evils operating di
rectly upon this country and its people
Thus far all the efforts ofSpain have proved
aboi tive, and time has marked no improve.
ment in the situation. The armed bands OF
either side now occupy nearly the same
ground as in the past, with the difference
from time to time of more lives sacrificed,
more property destroyed and wide extent
of fertile sad productive fields, and moro
and more of valuable property constantly
wantOnly sacrificed to the incendiaries'
torch.
In contests of this nature, where con-
siderable body of people who have attempt,
ed to free themselves of the control of the
superior government have reached such q
point in occupation of territory in power
and in general organization as to constitute
in fact body polite. having a government
in substance as we'll as in name, possessed
of the elements of stability and equipped
with the machinery for the administration
of internal policy and the execution of it,
laws, prepared and able to administer jus
tice at home as well as in its dealings with
other powers, it is within the province OF
those other powers to recognize its exist
ence as a new and independent nation. In
such cases other nations simply deal with
an actually existing condition of things
and recognize as one of the powers of the
earth that body polite which, possessing
the necessary elements, has in fact become
q new power.
In word, the creation of new State il
a fact. To establish condition of thing:
essential to the recognition of this fact there
must be people occupying known terri
tory, united under some known and defined
form of government, acknowledged by those
subject thereto, in which the functions o.
government are administered by usua
methods competent to mete ont justice t
citizens and strangers, to afford remedies
for public and for private wrongs, and able
to assume the corelative information al obi
cations and capable of performing the cor
responding international duties resulting
TraIsa aaonissfsor, x,ft tho xhfa Of