Arizona republican., 1895-12-11
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF The BeIligerent Rights
 of Cuba. Sentimen of TWenty-Six Years
 Ago A Speech of Thomas Fitch Before the House of Repre-
 SenuativeS.

It is said that, in a greater or smaller cycle, mundane events are so shaped by providence as to return in the self same phases As with the planets there are greater or smaller orbits of recur- ring events, but at hand is an instance how history is repeated in the strangest of ways.
 Today the main question before con- gress is that of according beligerent rights to the Cuban insurgents Twenty six years ago the same ques- Ition, submitted in the very same way was before the house of representatives at Washington. Thomas Fitch, our most esteemed orator, was then a con- gressman, representing the sovereign silver state of Nevada December 16, 1869, he stood upon the f1eor of the house and there, but a week short of twenty-six years ago, voiced the Ma tion's sentiment. The speech was yes terday found in an old scrap book and is interesting in the extreme, for it might today be timely and fit for repe- tition in congressional halls Then Cuba was struggling for libery; today Cuba Libre!' is again the cry Further points of similarity will be noted on perusal of the following ex- cerpts from the address:
 Tt will not be questioned that the political existence of the republic of Cuba would be promoted by it's adm;s- sion to belligerent rights, and possibt secured by a recognition of independ- ence at the hands of the government of the United Sta.es. It will not be doubted that most of the members of this house desire that the people of that island may achieve the liberties they seek. I hope it is not assuming too much to say that should this senti- ment of sympathy for Cuba find expres- sion in the passage of resolutions or other appropriate action by both houses of congress, the adm: ms trati on, notwithstanding it's recent attitude, as expressed in the message Of President Grant, will feel authorized, if not di- . rected, to rec gnize a. least the bell ger , ency and possibly the independence of Cuba
 "Of the leading objections to such action by this government in behalf of l Cuba I now propose to speak; gentle men will perhaps pardon me if I first dwell for moment upon the very great benefits the recognition of Cuban in l dependence would bring primarily to Cuba and ultimately to ourselves. It , would probably secure and make cer- tain the half7accomplished project of , Cuban nationality. l. would doubtless , unloose altogether the dubious and un- certain grasp of the dub, ous and uncar- tain government of Spain upon the throat of its struggling colony. It
 would at least place Spain and Cuba | upon an equality with our sIr.p-buld- CTS, musket manufac -urers, and United States marshals; and we should no longer be subject to the pending hu- initiation of beholding foreign war vss- . sells sail unquestioned and unchalleng- ed by the officers of our governm ent out Of American ports to aid in subv erting | the liberty of a neighboring people with f whose cause we warmly SympathiZe : Then Spanish and Cuban expeditions might proceed to sea together or remain : in port together unmolested And when Cuba should have gained her in dependence by such aid as might be legitimately given her, and as doubt less would be given to her, by Ameri-
 
 , power, there would come to us through ties of sympathy and gratitude and by , the natural course of channels now ob- structed, the rich commerce of as fair
 domain as ever refec ted the smile of 'tropic skies.''
 Sir, the people of that nationality
 have been in arms for over a year. They have kept forces in the field.
 They have captured and held towns. Destitute, perhaps of sea-ports, they yet have access to the sea through an unblockaded coast line They have civil government organized, in opera tion, and exercising actual jurisdiction
 over a considerable extent of country :, They had until recently the nucleus of l a navy. Their flag floats over a capi- tal and a legislature. They have brave hearts and strong arms among them from our own land. They have in scribed upon their banners and written i in their organic law those maxims of justice and equal rights without which = no nation can permanently endure,
 and with which no nation can long be
 subdued. Themselves are inbued : with that spirit of sacrifice, that spirit of devotion that spirit of love of lib- = erty which are their choicest posses t sions. And not all the army Spain has
 sent against them has been able to sub q due the patriots or gain any considera- 0 ble advantage over them except in the d Spanish dispatches, where the grand n iloquence of pronunciamento is sub