The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-08-20
BIG BILL OF DAMAGES
Spain's Claims Against the
United States.
ON ACCOUNT OF THE F1LIBUsTERs

ON ACCOUNT OF THE FILIBUSTERS
Precedent Established Against Great
Britain in the Alabama Award.
VIII Be Invoked.
Washington, Aug. 18.-The Spanish
government is preparing big bill Of
damages to be presented to the United
States on account of the numerous ex-
petitions alleged to have gone from our
shores to the relief of the Cuban insur.
gents. In support of it's claim fol
reparation, it intends to invoke the
precedent established against Great
Britain in the celebrated Alabama
claims award, made by the Geneva
arbitration tribunal. There have been
reports heretofore that Spain, at the
proper time. would present series Of
claims on account of the use the insur-
gents have made of the United States
as base of supplies of hostile opera.
tions in Cuba. These were nothing
more than rumors until today, when
the government officers received copies
of report from the Spanish legation,
made by its legal adviser, Mr.. Calder
on Carlisle. The report is handsomely
printed in pamphlet form, and. with
its five appendices, makes book of
over 800 pages.
The Wiborg case, recently decided
by the United States supreme court, is
cited and referred to as the one solitary
ooyouintinn oh oino1 he Tnif
States since the beginning of the pres
ent Cuban insurrection. The attorney
says it is thought proper to show from
the case of the severe award against
Great Britain what the United States
expected of neutral nation, and also
to recall the attitude of Spain towari
the United States during the civil war.
The principles indicated and enforced
by the United States against Great
Britain, as those which should have
governed her conduct would seem, the
report says, to be clearly applicable to
the duties and legislation of the United
States towards Spain in the recent in
stance.
In reviewing the Geneva award, the
report says that it was clear that the
United States made its complaint
mainly upon the fitting out and ship
ping from England of vessels and sup
plies. In concluding the first section
of his report, Mr.. Carlisle says the
powers invested in the president of the
United States have not been effectively
used for preventing the carrying on of
military expeditions forbidden by the
statutes. The United States, he says,
oontended at Geneva that no nation
can, under cover of the deficiencies of
its own laws, disregard its duties to-
ward another power. Whatever pre-.
text and attempts may be made to carry
on these expeditions, as peaceful and
lawful voyages, the fact remains, says
the attorney, that from the beginning
of the insurrection, the base of supplies
for war material has been in the United
States. This branch of Mr.. Carlisle 8
report concludes as follows:
"To tolerate this state of affairs and
these acts is violation of the treaties
of neutrality under the law of nations
as they have been proclaimed to the
rest of the world by the United States.
To prevent and punish these acts,
which are in violation of the statute
laws of this country, it is believed that
the federal government has all the at
tributes of sovereignty with respect to
the subject under discussion. Nor is
it perceived what distinction or differ
ence in principle can excuse the exer-
else of the diligence commensurate
with the existing emergency which in
the sight of the world they required
and enforced against Great Britain at
Geneva" -
In conclusion, after a review of ths
proclamations of various presidents of
the United States, the attorney says
that, while it could not be insisted that
one nation is bound to take notice Of
the existence of an insurrection in an
other country, as it is bound to recog-
nize a state of public war, it is never
theless bound to take notice of such
condition to the extent that it gives
warning to the citizens and inhabitants
in the discharge of obligations which
one friendly nation owes another, and
as measure of precaution must pre-
vent the violation of this obligation.
He declares that the proclamation
cited in the appendices fully illustrate
the recognition of this principle by the
United States, which is especially ac-
centuated by the proclamation of Presi-
dent Cleveland on June 10, 1895. He
concludes this portion of his report by
saying:
1.-THE laws made by the municipal
authorities of the United States cannot
measure or limit the international re-
sponsibility of the United States.
The officials to whom copies of this
pamphlet were addressed did not care
to discuss the matter for publication,
but all privately expressed the opinion
that the only object of it's preparation
was the basis of a claim to be presented
against the United States by Spain on
account of flibustering expeditions.
A Turkish turban of the largest size