Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-01-22

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OF Spain. Our ssttlem ent was only &C
complished in March fCl.o wing. In do
ing exact justice, however, il Is bu
proper to give Mr.. Castro due credit TO
the payment of the amount finally, ant
before the time stipulated for the pay
ment had expired. Ia adverting to thes'
delays and failures 70 meet our just de
mands on the part OF the authorities,
must express satisfaction with your pa
tience and energy under these adverse
crcum tances, and particularly in be.
ginning anew with each rapidly SUE
ceedipg minister of state, and represent
ing sgain aud sgain these different ques
tions. Progress in these matters has not
been delayed from want OF information
nom you, Z or from the lack of faithful and
forcibIe presentation. Having touched
on these particular questions, which
have lately been prominent as disturb
ing causes with Spain, i! is necessary
to also refer to the general condition Of
affairs in Cuba as affecting our relations
with the mother country. In my note
of February g. 1874, the first instruction
addressed to you was on the general
matters pertaining To your mission. L
referred at length to the views enter
tanned by the President, and to the po-
sitlon OF this government. 1t was then
more than five years since an organized
insuTrection had broken out, which the
government of Spain had been entirely
unable to suppress at the time. The
firm conviction Cf the President was
announced, that whatever might be the
vicissitudes OF the struggle, and what
ever efforts might be put forCh by Spah-
ish power in Cuba, no doubt could be
entertained that the fiual Issue OF the
conflict would be to break tha bonds
which attached Cuba as a colony to
Spain. While remembering and OBJ
serving the duties which this govern
ment, as one of the family Of nasions,
owes to another member by the public
law OF treaties, or the particular statutes
of the United States, il would be idle to
attempt 10 conceal the interest and SYM
pathy with which the Americans in the
United States regard any attempt of
numerous people on this continent to be
relieved cf ties which hold them in the
position of colonial subj scts to distant
power, and to assume independence and
the right of self control, which nat
uTal rights and the spirit of
the age accord to them Wien,
moreover, this struggle now in progress
on our very borders from the commence
ment has involved the property and in
terests of citizens of the United States;
has disturbed our tranquility and COM
merce; has called on US not unfiequent-
ly to " tness bRrbarC US violations Of the
rules Of civilized war, and compelled us,
for the sake of humanity, to raise our
voice by way of protest, and when. more
than all, We see in the contest the final
struggle In this hemisphere between
slavery and freedom, it would be
strange, indeed, If the government and
people of this country failed at any time
to take peculiar interest in the termin-
alton of such contest. In this early
was eXpreS sed the sincere
and unseIfish hope OF the President that
the government Of Spain would seek
S )ne honorable and satisfactory adjust
mem, based upon emancipation and self
which would restore peace
and afford prospect o. a return OF pros
perity to Cuba. Almost two years have
passed siuCe these Instructions were
is sued and these strong hopes expressed,
and it would appear that the situation has
ia no respect improved; the horrors OF
war have in no psrceptible manner
been abated; the inconvenience aud
injury which we then suffered have re-
and others have been added.
The ravsges Of war have touched all
parts of the island, and well nigh ru-
ined its financial and agricultural sys-
tenn AID its relation to the commerce Of
the world. No effective steps have been
taken to establish reforms and remedy
abuses, and the effort to suppress the III
surrection by force alone has been a
complete failure. In the meantime the
material interests Of trade and of COM
merce are impaired to q degree which
C Alls for IemOn STRANGE, il not for another
line of conduct, on the Part of all CON-
rnercial nations. Whether it be from
the severity and inhumanity with which
the effort has been made to suppress
the insurrectiou, and from a supposed
justification of retaliation for the viola
ton Of the rules of civilized warfare,
and by other violations, and by acts Of
Of incendiarism and outrage,
the world is witnessing on the part of
the insurgents. whom Spain still claims
as subjects, and for whose acts Spain
must be held accountable in the judge
ment Of the world, warfare not of le-
ultimate strife of relative force and
strength, but of pillsge and incsndia-
rism, the burning eff estates and Of sugar
mills, the destruction Of the meaus OF
production and wealth of the island,
The United States purchases more
largely than any other PEOPLE Of the
of the island Of Cuba, and
therefore more than any other, for this
reason, and still more by reason of its
immediate neighborhood, is interested in
the arrest of system OF wantOn de
struction which disgraces the age and
affects every commercial people on the
Il ce of the globe. Under the circum-
stances, and in view Cf the fact that
Spaia has rejected all suggestions, all
offers of reform and offets of mediation
made by this government, and has re-
fused ali measures looking to recOncil,
iation, except upon terms which make
reconciliation an impossibility, the
difficulty OF the situation becomes in.
creased. When, however. in addition to
these general causes ofditficulty, We find
the Spanish government neglectfut of
obligation, trea Y and solemn compacts,
and unwilling to afford any redress for
the long, continued and we'll founded
wrongs suffered by our citizens, it be-
comes a serious question how long this
condition of things can or should be al
lowed to exists, and compels us to in
quire whether the point has not been
reached where longer endurance ceases
TO be possible. During al this time,
and under these aggravated circum-
stances, this government has not failed
to perform her obligations to Spain as
scrupulously as toward other nations. In
fact, it might be said that we have not
only been long suffering, because OF the
emb srrassments surrounding the Span
ish government, but particularly care
ful to give no occasion for complaint for
the same reason. 1 regret to say that
the authorities Of Spain have not at all
times appreciated our intentions or our
purposes in these respects, and while
insisting that state Of war does not
exist in Cuba, and that no rights as
belligerents should be accorded to the
have at ,Sthe same
time demanded for themselves all the
rights and privileges which flow from
actual and acknowledged war. 1t will
be apparent that such stale Of things
cannot continue. 1t is absolutely neces-
Gsry to the maintenance OF our relations
with Spain, even on their present foot
ing, that our just demands for the return
to the citizens OF the United States Of
their estates in Cuba unincumbered, and
for securing to them q trial for all Of
fenses according to the Treaty proYis-
ions, and all otner rights guaranteed by
4