The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-22
NOTHING CAME OF II

made by the Cuban government. On
the contrary, the Cuban government
set I'D the plea that certain creditors of
Mora had stepped in and absorbed the
profits of the estate, none of 1c had
ever been paid over to the Spanish gov
eminent.
That this was utterly false was proved
at the time by the ten custodlans OF
the estates, who reported that they
had maid over to the Cuban treasury
from the estate the large sum of $2,3l7,-
900.
From 1876 to 1856 succeeding admins
tratons tried persistently to induce the
Spanish government to redeem its oft
made and often broken promises of res
titution.
Finally IN July, 1885, Mr. Foster, the
American Minister at Madrid, addressed a
very plain and unvarnished statement of
the case to the Spanish Secretary of State,
but received no reply for six months. In
the meantime the estates had gone to
rack and ruin. The Cuban government
had taken everything they could out
of the plantations and put nothing in.
The machinery was out of repair and
useless. the buildings tumble-down and
the thousand negroes employed On the
estate had disappeared.
knowing this to be the case, IN Janu-
airy, 1856, in response to repeated appllca-
tions made by Minister Curry, who had
succeeded Mr. Foster the Spanish govern
he Of a
money, which will represent an equita-
BILE indemnity for the value OF the ora
property, said sum to be fixed by mutual
agreement, after which the Minister OF
the Colonies can include in his budget the
sum upon which we have agreed"
LOOKED LIKE BUSINESS.
At last this really looked like bust
ness, and Mr.. Curry Immediately accept
ed the proposition.
Mr. Mora on very conservative basis
figured up his actual loss, including that
OF his brother, at So, 200, 600.
This included 5000, 900 worth of sugar
in bond, which was sliced, and the es-
tates, buildings, negroes, etc.
In the following November Senior
Moret, Prime Minister of Spain, signified
the decision which had been reached by
the Spanish government, in this note:
Palace, Nov. 30, 1886.
NV Dear Sir. In reply to the note of
Yo w ExceiIency dated the Goth inst,
referring to the settlement of the sub
iect which we know by the name of the
Mora claims, have the honor to inform
Your Excellency that the council OF
Ministers has been occupied in detail
with the matter, and, animated by the
desire of fulfilling the engagements 1or-
merly contracted and of responding to
the claims of the United States, has de-
cided upon the following terms OF settle
ment. of which / have the honor of in
forming Your Excellency:
m To fix as q definite amount of the
value of the embargoed property OF
Messrs Mora, which the government de-
cided to return IN 1873 ana 1900 the sum
| of 81. 500. 600. In this sum is included
all indemnity that can be claimed for
the principal, as well as interest, damag-
es and injury.
(2) The sum to be paid by a charge
upon the Cuban budget and the Minister
of ulrtamar will proposeto the Cortes the
means of payment in the next budget OF
1S87-S8.
Poor Mora, who was ruined and grow
ing old in the prosecution OF his claim,
gladly accepted even this compromise.
and our Secretary of State notified Mr..
Curry that our government would accept
the sum named, 81, 100000, as full dis
charge of all demands against the gov
eminent of Spain growing out of the
claim of this citizen of the United States. !"
| But, alas! The Spanish government
dissolved the Cortes before any action
was taken ON the Cuban budget. Nor
was the Mora claim included in the Cub
an budget of the following. In the
meantime President Cleveland had come
into Office and it was now Secretary Bay
ards duty to take up the cudgels in be-
| half of justice.
He Immediately made the usual protest
against further delay, and now claimed
interest on the amount as on a debt
| liuuidated by Spain herself, and due and
promised to be paid by her at fixed
time. On the other side the Spanish
government, by another fine stroke of
diplomacy, declined to reopen the Mora
case, contending that it was res
adjudicata, and that payment would be
made as soon as some outstanding claims
OF Spanish subjects against the United
States were settled.
NOT TO BE CAUGHT.
Our government Immediately expressed
willingness to submit any such claims
to commission but positively declined
to make the payment of the Mora indem-
nifty contingent upon the settlement of
the other claims.
Mr. Bayard wrote to Mr.. Belmont, our
then Minister to Spain. telling him to
represent to the Spanish government the
| hardships upon Mr.. Mora, at his extreme
age and enfeebled condition OF health
and depressed fortunes, to be compelled
| to await the determination of the con-
tested claims of other individuals, Span
| iards and Americans, in which he has no
possible interest or responsibility. and
| to whose contingencies it cannot be just
| " argued that his life and property
should be attached. You can delicately
appeal on the score of humanity and to
4l.o Cuoo;eL1 samoa of bouor th Gonna or