The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-12-17
PRESIDENTS aaEssAsE.
fcoSristIb fRom LAST wEEk.1 /

/ which Is right. anu hOAeSt+ anu VI Eood ~
| port, the question OF according or OF With
/ holding the rights of belligerency must be
| Judged in every way in view of the particu-
4 lar attending facts. Unless justified by
necessity, it is always and justly regarded as
an nnfriendly act and a gratnitous demon
! stration of moral support to the rebellion.
| It is necessary. and it is required, when the
| interests and rights of another government.
or of its people. are so far affected by a
] pending civil conflict. as to require defini-
| ton of its relations to the parties thereto.
/! But this conflict must be one which will be
| recognized ill the sense of International law
as belligereney, not SO as TO effect the mere
existence of contending af1ned bodies ard
their occasional conflicts. does not constitute
<Hai in the sense referred TO. Applying TO
the existing condition of affairs in Cuba the
tests recognized by publicsts and writers
On International law, and which have been
observed by nations of honesty and power,
when free from sensitive Or selfish, or un-
worthy motives, / fail to fnd IN the insur-
rection the existence of such a substantial
organization real, palpabie, and capable of
the ordinary functions OF government to-
wards its own people and other States, with
courts tor the administration ofjustiee. and
local habitation, possessing such an or
ganiZltlon of force, such material, and
such all occupation of territory as to take
the contest ont OF the category of mere
rebeliOuS insurrection. or occasional skir-
mish, and place it on ttse terrible footing of
war, to which recommendation of bellig-
erency would aim to elevate it. II the
movement is on land, the insurrection has
| not possessed single port whence it may
send forth its flag. nor has it any means of
communication with foreign governments
! except through the military lines of its al
! yersaries. Noapprehension ofany of these
| sudden and difficult complications which
arise on the ocean is apt to precIpitate on
| the vessels, both commercial and national,
and on the consular officers of other powers
/ calls for the definition of the relations to
| the partias of the contest. Considered rs Il
| question of eXpediency. regard the ac-
cartlance of be!iigerent rights still TO be as
unwiSe and premature as [ regard ii to be
| at present iIIdefensibIe as 4 measure OF
right. Such recognition entails OH the
/ country. according to the rights which flow
| from it, difficult and complicated duties
and requires the action from The collt.nding
| parties OF strict observance OF their rights
and obligations. 1t conftrs the right of
search upon the high seas by vessels OF
both parties. 1t would subject the carrying
| of arms and munitions of war. which now
may be unsupported freely and without i'm
1 terruption iii vessels of the United States
| to detention and possible seizure. 1t would
! give rise to countless YexatiofIs questions
| it would release the parent Government
| from its responsibility for acts of the inSur-
gents, and would invest Spain with the
! right to exercise the supervision recognized
by the treaty of 1873. over oIIr commerce
on the high seas, very large part OF which
| i'll its traffic between the Atlantic aud Gulf
States. and between all of them and the
States on the Pacific. passes through the
waters which wash the shores of Cuba.
The exercise of this supervision could
scarcely fail to lead, if not to abuses. Ger
tainly 10 collisions perilous to the peaceful
relations OF the two states. There can be
little doubt as to the results such supervis-
ion would before long draw this mai ion iIi-
to- 1t would be unworthy the United States
to inaugurate the possibilities of such re-
suit by measures OF questionable right or
expedIeney. or by any ifdirection apart
from any question of theoretical RIGHT
am satisfied that while the accordance of
belligerent rights to the Insurgents in Cuba
might give them hope ard iiRlucement to
protract the struggle, it would be tleIuSive
hope. anu would not remove the evils which
this Government and its people are expe-
riencing. but would draw the United States
into complications. which it has waited
long and already Suffered much to avoid.
| The recognition of the independence or OF
beiligerency being thus in my Judgment
equally inadmisSible. il remains to con slider
what course shall be adopted. Should the
conflict not soon be brought to an end by
acts OF the parties themselves, and should
| the evils which result therefrom, affiicting
All nations. and particularly the United
states, continue TO such event. [ am of
opinion that other nations will be compell-
ed 60 assume the responsibility which de-
4
volves upon them, and to seriously consid
er the only remaining measures possible,
mediation and Intervention. Owing. per-
| maps; 70 the large expanse OF water separat-
my tne lslahd from the peninsula the want
of harmony. of personal sympathy between
| Ile lhDaDitants OF the colony and these sent
liltLer 70 RUE them and want OF adapt1on
o. oL tne anciens coiohiai system OF Europe 70
the present times and to the ideas which
the events of the past century have devel
oped, the contending parties appear to
nave WITHIN themselves no depository OF
eollllslellee- 10 WISDOM
Mn.eli p'asslula lllo vAeiieient nave theIr
sway, allu i 70 assume the part OF peace ma
RET u, .iis .,. Ylew' II. the carry Gays OF the
contest liie oou oliices ol lile onlled S1aIes
q e MerS teilsleteu ~ goot. Etitl
Wlihout any seInsh purpose, N tue Interest
OF humanity, IN sincere friendship for both
paTlles, ous were reused by the Spanish
.ss goseFilI1ehti , 1iealallon or intervention
~ y e.ss b.,iy ~ M
fi 81 tho a ~.
Tins ,nnresse do fhis t,,e ,e.nr
mend the adoption of any measure Of inter
I 4 :