Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-12-08

1
est and of good report.
The question of according. or Of
Withholding, rights OF bcllioerency
must be Judged in every case. in view
| of the particular attending facts. and
and unless justified by necessity it is
always and justly regarded as an UNI
friendly act and gratuitous demon
stration of moral support to the re-
bellion 1t is necessary and ut IS
required when the interests and rights
of another government OF OF its peo-
pie are so far affected by a pending
civil conflict az TO require definition
of its relations to the parties thereto,
but that this conflict must be one
which will be recognized in the sense
of international lat. as belligercnce,
too, is fact. The mere expense of
continuing armed bodies and their
occasional conflicts, do not constitute
law in the sense referred to. Apply
ing the existing condition of affairs
in Cuba to the tests recognized by
publicists and writers. on internation-
al law, and which have been observ-
ed by nations of dignity. honesty and
power, when free from sensitive,
selfish or unworthy motives, and fail
to find in the insurreotion the expense
of keeping substantial political or
ganization real, palpable and manifest
to the world, having the forms and
capable OF the ordinary functions OF
government towards its own people
and to other States, with the
Courts for The administration
OF justice, with a local habita-
ton, possessing such organiza-
ton of force. such material, such
occupation OF territory as to take the
contest out of the category of a mere
/ rebelllons insnrrcction or occasional
skirmishes, and places il on the terri
bic footing Of war, To which n recog-
4 milton fsbclfiscrcncy would aim TO
elevate il. The contest. moreover, is
entirely on land. The insurrection
has not possession of single seaport
4 from whence it may send forth its
flag, nor has it any means of COM
munieation with foreign nations, cx-
cept through the military lines of its
j anniversaries. There arc no apprehen-
sions of those sudden and difficult
/ complications which war upon the
ocean IS apt to precipitate on the YES
sells, both commercial and national,
and upon the Consular officers OF
other powers, us calls for definition
of their relations to the parties to the
contest, considered as q question OF
experience. ] regard the accordance
of belligerent fights still to be as UNI
wise, and premature as regard it, 10
be at present indefcnsible as measure
of right. Such recognition entails
upon tho country according to the
rights which flow from IL. difficult and
complicated duties, and requires the
action from the oontcndlng parties OF
tho strict Observance of theig rights
and obligations. cnnfers the right
of search upon the high seas by yes.
sells OF both parties. II wonld subject
the carry ing of arms aud ammunition
OF war. which now may be transport.
ed freely and without interruption in
the vessels Of the u. s, to detention
and to possible seizures. 1t would
give rise TO countless vexations ones.
tions, and would release the
parent government from respon
siDilitv for ac.s done by
the insurgenta and wonla invest Snair
] with the right to exercise the aupar.
!, vision and recognition by our treaty
, Of 1895, over our commerce on tho
high seas, very large part of which
Ia the traffic between the Atlantic and
J the Gulf States upon the Pacific, psssei
through the waters which wash tht
shores OF Cnba. The exercise of thi:
suspension conld scarcely fail to lead
IL not to abuses, certainly to collision:
J perilons to the peaceful relations OF tht
two nations. There can be little
dnnbt ae To what result such super,
vision would, before long, draw the
nation. Ii would be unworthy of the
United States to inaugurate the posi-
bilitiea of such arevolt by measures
OF questionable right, or eypediency
by any Intervention.
Apart from any question of theoret
ical right, ! am satisfied, thai
while the accordance az be
ligerent rights 10 the insur.
gents in Cuba might give
them hope and conduce to protraci
the atruggle, ii wonld be but deln
! sive hope, and would not remove the
evils By which THE Government ant
its people arc annoyed; but woult
draw the United States into complies
tions which 1t has waited long and al
ready suffered much 10 avoid. Tht
recognition of independence, or o.
belligerency, being in my judgement
equally inadvisable, if remains to con
slider what course shall he adopted
shonld the coniiiat not soon hi
brought to an end by acts o.
the parties themselves. and should
the evila which result thcrefron
. affecting all nations, and particularly
the United States, continue, fn aucf
event | am Of the opinion that Other
nations will be compelled to assume
the responsibility which devolvcs up
on them and to seriously consider tht
only remaining measures possible
mediation and Intervention.
Owing perhapa to the large eypanst
Of water severing the leland from thu
Peninsula, the want OF harmony ant
of peraonal sympathy between the in
habitants of the colony and those son
J thither to rnle them, and wan
J of adaptation OF the ancieh
colonial system OF Europe to the pres
: ent times, and 10 the ideas which III,
events of the past centnrg have devel
oped, the contending parties appeal
10 have within themselves no deposi
tory of common confidence To sugees
, them when passion and excitemen
{ shall have had their sway, and to as
; sumo the part OF peacemalcrs. IL
, this view, IN the early days OF III,
Il lU an ~ ~ X
as a mediator, were rendered In COOS
. faith, without any selfish purpose
, but in the interest Of harmony, ant
/ in sincere friendship for botl
: parties, but were at the time declined
/ by Spain, with declaration, never
theless, that at a future time the,
.. would be indispensable. No iniima
ton has been received that in III
! opinion of Spain, that time has beef
, reached, and yet the strife continue
| with its dread horrors and all lis in
! juries TO the interest the United State
j and OF other nations. Each part,
seems quite capable of working grea
{ injury and damage TO the other, as wei
: asto all the relations interested an,
, dependent on the existence Of pcac
/ In the Island. But they seem incapabl
, of reaching any adjustment. and botl
, thus far, have failed of achieving an
: success whereby one party shall pos
/ sees and control the Island TO the ex
clusion OF the other. Under thes
circumstances the agency OF Others
: either in mediation orby Intervention
, seems to be the only alternative, an,
/ which must sooner or later be nse,
: for the termination of the strife. A
the same time while deeply impressel
: with the evils. don't recommend tn
adoption of any measure OF interyen
: ton. | shall he ready at sill timei
| and "a tho equal friend @
both parties 10 respond I
, a snggcstion that the good office
t of the United States will BIO acceptable
/ to aid in bringing abont peace favor
, able to both. Ii Is duo 10 Spain, wht
D as far az this government Is concerned
that tho agency OF a third powe
, which we have advocated, shall b
. adopted only as a last expedlcnt. la
1t been the desire OF the u. S. to in
f terferc in the affairs of Cabs, repeats
approximations for so doing have bee
nreaantnd within fhp Last few vaars