The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-04-18

| dent Cleveland has expressed great adj
miration of General Grants diplomatic
| policy toward Spain and Cuba. and that
the president would probably be in
| fiuenced in his attitude or action on
| this question by that policy. This fact
| would seem to give color of credibility
to the reports of last week relative to
an alleged communication from the ad-
ministration, making an offer 10 Spain
Of the good offices Of this government
in the direction OF mediation between
that power and the Cuban insurgents.
1t will be recalled that the dispatches
purporting 10 give the substance of the
instructions sent 10 Minister Taylor
made specific reference TO General
Grants proposals TO Spain in 1869. The
natural inference was that if the pres
ent administrat ton had made an offer
of mediation this incident of the Grant
administration was relied upon as af-
fording justifying precedent.
In view of these facts il is important
TO have a clear comprehension OF the
actual attitude of General Grant to-
ward Spain and Cuba as above referred
TO. In the annual Cyclopedia," Civ
ing the diplomatic correspondence and
state papers Of the government for
1869. is found the complete history of
General Grants offer of mediation on
the part of the United States between
Spain and Cuba, including Secretary
Fish's lengthy dispatch to General
Sickles, who was then our minister TO
Madrid, outlining the policy of this
government. and closing with the me-
diation proposition The secretary re-
ferred TO the mine months of civil con-
flict that had been raging in Cuba" and
TO the fact that the conflict then gave
no promise of a speedy termination.
He justified American interest in Cuba
by instancing 'the proximity of the
island, the constant intercourse be-
tween the CubanS and our own citizens,
the property interests that we had
there. especially to the strong political
sympathy which could not but exist
between the two peoples, and. finally,
to the fact that the civil strife then
raging in the island appealed with
unusual power 10 the sympathy which
Americans feel for all people striving
to secure for themselves liberal institu-
tions and that inestimable right of self
government which we prize as the foun-
dation of all progress and achieve
ment." This remarkable dispatch con-
cluded with the following specific in |
structionS:
The president therefore directs you TO
offer to the cabinet at Madrid the good
Offices of the United States for the pur-
pose of bringing to a close the civil war
now ravasing the island of Cuba, on |
the following basis:
l. The independence of Cuba TO be ac-
knowledged by Spain.
Cuba TO pay Spain a sum. within
time and in a manner to be agreed up
on by them, as an equivalent for the
entire and definite REIMBURSEMENT by
Spain Of all her rights in that island.
including the public property of every
description. If Cuba should not be
able to pay the whole sum at once in
cash, the future payments, by install
ments, 10 be adequately secured by a
pledge of the export and import Gus
toms duties under an arrangement to
be agreed upon for the collection, in
trust, for the purpose of securing both
the principal and interest of these in
stallnents until their final discharge.
3. The abolition of slavery in the
island of Cuba.
4. An armistice pending the negotia-
tions for the settlement above refer
red to.
This, then, was General Grants pro-
1oSal of mediation. Ii was rejected by
Spain. The correspondence leading up
% and following the formal rejection
If this offer by the Madrid officials can
Re found in the Annual Cyclopedia"
or 1870, and will be seen to reflect
,redit upon this government 1t is safe
o say that the American people will not
consent. at this time, to any form Of
that does not include, as the
condition of such a friendly office by
his government, the independence Of
cuba.
4
RESUBMISSION.