Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-17

also, that it is the duty of the United States,
as contributing toward that end, and re-
quired by the spirit Of the age in which we
! live, TO provide by suitable legislation that
no citizen of the United States shall bold
slaves as property in any other country or
be interested therein. Chilli has made rep
! aration in the case of the whale ship Good
| Returns, seized without sufficient cause
upward of forty years ago. Though she
had hitherto denied her accountability the
| denial was never acquiesced in by this
| Government, and the justice of the claim
| has been so earnestly contended for that ii
| is gratifying that she should have at last
| acknowledged it. The arbitrator in the
| case of the United States steamer Montuo,
| for the seizure and detention of which the
! Government of the United States of Co.
! lomhia was held accountable, has decide d
| in favor of the claim. This decision has
settled a question which has been pending
| for several years, and which, while 1t con-
| tinued open might more or less disturb the
| good understanding which it Is desirable
! should be maintained between the Repub
! lies. 4 reciprocity treaty with the King Of
the Hawaiian Islands was concluded some
| months ago. AS il contains stipulation
| that it shall not take effect until Congress
shall enact the proper legislation, copies Of
| the instrument are herewith submitted in
order that if such should be the pleasure of
| Congress the necessary legislation upon the
subject may bo adopted.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
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 70 the United States
| Ot the sum of eighty thousand dollars in
| coin for the purpose of tho relief OF iamil-
les or persons of the ships company and
| certain passengers Of the Nirginius. This
! SUN was to have been paid in three install
meuts, at two months each. 1t is due to
! the Spanish Government that should state
! that the payments were fully and spontl-
neously anticipated hy that Government,
| and that the whole amount was paid with
| IN but a few days more than two months
| from the date OF the agreement, copy Of
| which is herewith transmitted. In pursu-
| ance of the terms of the adjustment, l
| have directed the distribution of the
amount among the parties entitled thereto,
| including the ships company and such OF
! the passeners as were American citizens.
| Payments are made accordingly Oh applicd-
| luu Of the parties entitled thereto. The
| past year has furnished no evidence OF an
| approaching termination Of the ruinous
| conflict which has been raging for seven
wears in the neighboring Island of Cuba.
| The same disregard of the laws of civilized
| warfare and of the Just demands of hu-
| manity which have heretofore called forth
| expressions of condemnation from the ma
| lions of Christendom have continued 10
| blacken the sad scene. DesOlation, ruin
and pillase are pervsding the rich fields oil
| the most fertile and productive regions of
| the earth, and the incendiary's torch, fir
| ing plantations and valuable factories and
| buildings, is tie agent marking the alter
| nate advance or retreat of contending par
ties. The protracted continuance of this
! strife, seriously affects the interests
of all commercial nations, but those
| of the United States more than 9TH
| ers. by reason of close proximity, its larg-
| er trade and intercourse with Cuba, and
| the frequent and intimate personal and So
! cial relations which have grown up between
| its ctizens and those OF the island. More
over the property OF our citizens in Cuba
| is large, and is rendered insecure and de-
| preciated in value and in capacity of pro-
! duc;ion by the continuance of the strife
| and the unnatural mode of its conduct. The
| same is true, differing only i'll degree with
| respect to the Interests and people OF hther
| nations, and the absence of any reasonable
| assurance of q near termination OF the con-
| fict must of necessity soon compel the
States thus suffering to consider what the
| Interests of their own people and their du-
| ty toward themselves nav demand. have
hoped that Spain would be enabled to cs'
| tablish peace in her colony, TO afford secur-
| ity to the property and the interests OF our
| citizens, and allow Legitimate scope 10 trade
| and commerce and the natural productions
| of the island. Because Of this hope, aud
| from an extreme reluctance TO interfere in
| the most remote manner in the affairs OF
another and friendly nation, especially one
| whose sympathy and friendship i'll Inc
| struggling infancy of our own existence
must ever be remembered with gratitude,
l have patiently aud anNiOusly waited the
progress er events. Our own civil conflict
| is too recent for us not 10 consider the dill
ficulties which surround government dis
| tracted by dynastic rebellion at home, at
| the same time that il has 10 cope with sep
| araie insurrection in a distant colony. But
whatever cause may have produced the SIT
nation which so grievously affects our in
terests, it exists with all its attendant evils
operating directly upon this country and
| its 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 as in the past, with
the difference from time to time of more
lives sacrificed, more property destroyed,
and wider extents of fertile and productive
fields and more of valuable property con-
stantly wantonly sacrificed 10 the incen-
diary's torch.
THE CONDITIONS WHICH SHOULD PRECEDE
RECOGNITION OF A NEW STATE.
In the contests Of this nature, where {
considerable body of people who have at
tempted TO free themselves of the cOntro
of the superior Government have reached
such point in occupation of territory, ii
| power, and in general organization, as tC
constitute in fact body polite having
government in substance, as well az il
name, possessed OF the elements of stabii
ty and equipped with the machinery fo
the administration of internal policy anC
the execution of its laws, prepared anC
able to administer justice at home, as wei
as in its dealings with other powers, il i
| xyttlin tho nrnvippp Of ilnEp other nnwp
to recognize its existence as new and in
dependent nation. In such cases, other ma
tions simply deal with an actually existing
condition of things, and recognize as on
of the powers of the earth that body politi
which, possessing the necessary elements
has in fact become new power. In word
the creation OF a new State is n fact. To es
taulish the condition of things essential l.
the recognition of this fact there must he
people occupying known territory uniie'
under some known and defined form O
Government, acknowledged by those sub
ject thereto, in which the functions Of gov
ernment are administered by usual meth
: ods, competent TO mete out justice to citi
zeus and strangers, 10 afford remedies 10
public and for private wrongs, and able
assume the correlative international obi
cations, and capable of performing the col
: responding International duties resultin
from its acquisition of the rights of soveI
eighty. A power should exist, complete /
. its organization, ready to take aud able |
, maintain its place among the nations Of th
/, earth.
= THESE CoYDITIoNsN NOT FULFILLED IN CUDl
While conscious that the insurreclion /
Cuba has shown a strength and enduranC
: which make II at least doubtful whether
Il be in the power of Spain TO subdue II,
: seems unquestionable that nOsuch civil oi
! ganization exists which may be recognize
l. as au independent Government capable
: performing its international obligations an
J, entitled to be treated as one OF The power
u of the earth. A recognition under sue
: circumstances would be inconsistent vii
the facts, and would compel the pow,